Slip and fall accidents happen frequently. The causes can range from an icy sidewalk to uneven pavement.
Negligence
Falling is a normal occurrence, and the fact it happened does not necessarily mean the sidewalk owner is to blame. However, if you can show with evidence that the owner of the sidewalk was negligent and that negligence caused your fall, you should be able to recover for injuries and the collateral damage associated with the fall. That’s why it’s important to immediately contact a Vancouver personal injury attorney who can correctly analyze your claim. Typically, notice is an element of proving negligence on a sidewalk owner. For instance, the mere existence of snow on a sidewalk does not create liability. However, there is likely liability if a sidewalk owner allowed snow and ice to build up over a winter season creating a hills and ridges type of surface. Likewise, if a business knows that customers or the general public will be passing over a sidewalk, the duty to shovel and salt a sidewalk is greater.
What to Do
It’s important to speak with a Vancouver personal injury attorney to determine whether or not you have a viable slip and fall claim. A Vancouver personal injury attorney knows how to analyze your injury in alignment with the applicable laws, and a seasoned attorney knows how to build a strong case based on the surrounding circumstances. Another good example of a common slip and fall is one that occurs on uneven property. An experienced attorney will know whether a sidewalk is a code violation and will also be able search construction codes for violations. While sidewalk owners generally owe a duty to people who will use their sidewalk, the standards of proof often become confusing. The laws are narrowly focused to prevent unlimited liability to sidewalk owners, while also allowing legitimately injured persons an avenue to recover for their injuries and other associated losses.
Standards
There are different standards for homeowners, business owners, and even trespassers. By waiting to examine your fall, important evidence might get lost, witnesses might become forgetful, and even worse important statutory time lines might lapse. Make sure you don’t let your slip and fall claim fall to the wayside.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Vancouver
Mr. Etengoff and his team of attorneys devote all of their time to representing accident victims. Our Personal Injury Attorney is ready and well prepared to assist you. For more help with your slip and fall case from a personal injury attorney in Vancouver, call the Etengoff Pak Law Group at (360) 693-2919.
