Falling is a common way people injure themselves. Some tumbles are minor and leave no lasting effects, but more serious falls may cause long-term, permanent injuries that require expensive medical treatment.
After suffering a severe fall, consider contacting an experienced attorney to discuss your situation. A Winder slip and fall lawyer at Smith Hulsey could assess if someone else was responsible for your accident and help you pursue compensation to cover your losses.
Although a primary location for slip and fall incidents is the grocery store, there are many factors that could make a walkway dangerous or slippery. Our attorneys have handled trip and fall cases in Winder involving:
With regular maintenance and inspection, many of these accidents are avoidable. If landowners, management companies, or renters fail to keep their premises safe, they may be liable to injured parties who were on the property for legal reasons.
People may recover quickly from mundane cuts, scrapes, and twisted ankles. However, falls can also result in more severe conditions, such as:
These conditions could completely incapacitate an individual, requiring them to rely on others for daily care. Additionally, treating such severe injuries can put significant financial strain on victims and their families. In these cases, it may be necessary for an injured Winder resident to work with a seasoned slip and fall attorney to recover compensation through settlement negotiations or a civil claim.
The Official Code of Georgia § 51-1-13 establishes a person’s right to seek damages after suffering a personal injury. The Code defines various categories of damages in Sections 51-12-1, 51-12-2, and 51-12-3, allowing plaintiffs to receive payment for both economic and non-economic losses. Compensation could cover:
The slip and fall attorneys at our firm could help an injured person properly assess their claim’s value and effectively pursue financial reimbursement for their losses.
Unlike some states, Georgia does put an upper limitation on compensatory damages. However, the dollar amount collected may be less than the total awarded if the injured party is found partially responsible for causing the accident. Georgia Code § 51-12-33 outlines the State’s modified comparative negligence rule, which reduces a claimant’s award based on their percentage of fault.
For example, say a person receives an award of $100,000 after sustaining a serious injury while running across an icy sidewalk. However, the court might determine that the decision to run made the plaintiff 20 percent responsible for the accident. Ultimately, they would receive 20 percent less than the total damages award, or $80,000.
It is important to note that an injured person who is found 50 percent or more to blame for their accident will be barred from recovery. By working with a Winder slip and fall attorney, injured victims may be more successful at defending against allegations of fault and maximizing the amount of compensation they can receive.
Recovering from a significant injury often requires the financial means to pay for necessary treatments and rehabilitation. At Smith Hulsey, our Winder slip and fall lawyers are dedicated to relieving your financial worries and helping you collect the compensation you deserve. Reach out to us today to speak with a skilled member of our team.
Smith Hulsey Law