Everyone occasionally slips and falls, and some slip and fall accidents are not serious, resulting only in minor scrapes, bruises, or soreness. Nonetheless, some slips and falls cause severe injury or even death. If you live in New Jersey and have been injured in a slip and fall accident due to someone else’s negligence, you need the services of Nagel Rice LLP.
Our legal practice has over three decades of experience handling personal injury lawsuits and an impressive record of successful outcomes. We have won over $1 billion in damages for our clients. Contact us in Roseland or Manhattan for a free consultation to discuss your case. Once you become our client, we will charge you no attorneys’ fees until we win you meaningful compensation.
Slips and Falls Are Under the Umbrella of Premises Liability
Under premises liability law, every public or private property owner must maintain their premises as a safe environment for visitors — including neighbors, friends, salespeople, mail carriers, clients or customers, and passersby. Therefore, if you slip and fall on another’s property because that property is in disrepair or is otherwise in a dangerous condition, you are entitled to sue the property owner and obtain damages to cover your medical costs, lost income, and other related expenses.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in New Jersey
While anyone can slip simply due to clumsiness or a misstep when your injury is due to the property owner’s poor upkeep, our slip and fall attorney will help you to hold the individual or entity (e.g. government agency, retail store) accountable for having any of the following conditions:
- Broken stairs/poorly secured banisters
- Objects or debris that obstruct walkways or stairways
- Poorly lit walkways, stairways, or hallways
- Poorly secured rugs
- Torn or uneven carpeting
- Uneven or warped flooring
- Wet, icy, or slippery surfaces
Property owners are expected to inspect their property regularly, clean, clear, or make repairs as necessary, and mark temporary hazards so visitors can avoid them.
Where Do Slip and Fall Accidents Occur
Slip and fall accidents can occur in any of the following locations:
- Your neighbor’s home or yard
- On the sidewalk
- On the playground
- At the local pool
- At a department store or grocery store
- At a parking lot
- At the mall
- At the post office
No matter where you were when you fell, if you were not in your own home, you were likely on someone else’s property, someone who had what the law calls “a duty of care” to keep you reasonably safe.
The Four Components of Premises Liability Negligence
In order to establish that the property owner is liable for your injury, your slip and fall attorney must show that: [1] the defendant/property owner had a duty of care to keep you safe; [2] the property owner breached that duty; [3] you suffered an injury due to that breach; and [4] you suffered damages, such as medical bills.
What If You Bear Some Responsibility for Your Slip and Fall?
As we all know, accidents are often more complicated than they first appear. Sometimes, the person injured contributed to the accident in some way, for instance by:
- Having balance issues
- Being intoxicated
- Wearing inappropriate shoes for the surface
- Failing to pay attention to a warning sign
- Rough-housing or clowning around at the time of the accident
Even if you are partly responsible for your injury, in New Jersey, you can still receive damages unless you are found to bear more than 50 percent of the fault. If you are found less than 50 percent at fault, then any amount that the jury awards you will be reduced by the percentage of fault the jury assigns you. You can count on Nagel Rice to fight hard to prove you had minimal culpability for your fall and deserve maximum compensation.
Specific Services the Nagel Rice Legal Team Will Provide
Whether you are incapacitated for 6 weeks, 6 months, or permanently disabled by your fall, our knowledgeable attorney will take care of all legal matters of your slip and fall by:
- Examining the accident site and any surveillance videos
- Locating and interviewing witnesses
- Examining police reports and medical records
- Handling all negotiations with opposing attorneys and insurance adjusters
- Checking out any history of previous negligence on the part of the defendant
- Consulting with medical experts who can confirm your diagnosis
Our legal team will work tirelessly to build a successful claim, helping you to obtain proper compensation for all you have been through.
Common Slip and Trip Injuries
Injuries caused by falls vary considerably according to the age and health of the victim, the surface onto which they fell, whether the victim fell from a height, and what part of the victim’s body bore the brunt of the impact. All too frequently, severe, catastrophic, or deadly injuries result from a slip and fall, such as:
- Broken ankle or leg
- Arm or shoulder injuries or breaks
- Head and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Hip fractures
- Back injuries
Damages Our Slip and Fall Attorney Will Fight to Recover
At Nagel Rice LLP, we are prepared to fight for every dollar you are entitled to receive to pay for your:
- Physical pain
- Lost income (present and future)
- Long-term medical care
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Funeral costs, loss of financial and emotional support (if wrongful death)
Contact Our New Jersey & New York Slip and Fall Attorneys Today
After the trauma you have been through, you should concentrate on healing. Leave everything else to our attorneys, who are not only outstanding litigators but also caring human beings. We are dedicated to helping you turn your life back in a positive direction by fighting for the resources you need to get through these difficult times.
Nagel Rice LLP helps its clients throughout New Jersey, including Roseland, Bergen County, Essex County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Passaic County, and Sussex County. We also represent clients in New York throughout Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.