Slip and falls can happen anywhere in Scottsdale. People fall in parking lots, grocery stores, and shopping malls. They might even fall while walking up to a friend’s house. These falls can cause serious injuries which require immediate medical attention.

Once your medical condition has stabilized, call CLS Law. You might be able to hold the property owner responsible for the fall. Many hazards underfoot cause people to slip or trip, and owners should fix hazards they know about. We are a law firm dedicated to helping accident victims seek financial compensation following an accident, so schedule a free consultation.

Common Fall Injuries in Scottsdale

Falls can result in long-lasting injuries. Many people fall backward and cannot brace themselves, or they are holding something which prevents them from reaching out to break their fall.

Any fall can lead to:

  • Fractured arms, hips, or ribs
  • Herniated discs
  • Back sprain
  • Concussion and other brain injuries
  • Whiplash
  • Pinched nerves

These injuries cause enormous complications to anyone’s life. You might be unable to work, visit friends, or even spend time with your family.

Other injuries might develop only slowly. For example, a pain in your back might be mild. Over the coming days, however, it gets progressively worse until you can’t get out of bed.

Do You Have a Right to Sue?

Premises liability law applies to slip and falls. This is the law that lays out the duties a property owner must owe to anyone on the property.

Stores & Malls

A business customer is owed the highest duty of care. A store owner should fix or at least warn you of hazards that they know about. Further, the store owner should find hazards by doing reasonable inspections of the premises.

Many people fall in a grocery store, pharmacy, mall, or retail outlet on:

  • Spilled water or ice
  • Loose tiles
  • Freshly mopped floors
  • Trash or debris
  • Wet leaves
  • Ice and condensation
  • Unsecured carpets
  • Defective steps or staircases

The store should fix these hazards if they find them. When not feasible, they should cordon off an area or warn customers.

Take a picture of the hazard. This will serve as proof it existed if any questions arise later. We can also spring into action to find evidence in support of your claim. Many stores have closed-circuit TV to help deter theft.

Schools & Other Public Buildings

You can even bring a claim for a slip and fall inside a public building. Many people slip and fall for similar reasons that they do in stores. They might fall in the post office, city hall, or a school.

However, bringing a claim for a slip and fall in a public building is different. You will need to comply with the Arizona Tort Claims Act. This law requires providing written notice of the accident, usually within 180 days. Hire an experienced Scottsdale slip and fall attorney who knows how to make claims against public entities.

Private Residences

Some of our clients slip and fall while visiting friends or family. They might slip on loose carpets or cracked tiles. Others slip because condensation has dripped from an air conditioner or heat pump, causing them to lose their footing.

With these accidents, a major question is whether the property owner has warned you of a hidden defect. If not, then you might hold them legally accountable.

We also want to know if they have insurance. A homeowner’s insurance policy should cover accidents on the premises, including slip and falls. Call CLS Law. We can begin investigating to find out whether this is a claim you should pursue.

Child Victims & Slip and Fall Accidents

Arizona law treats children differently than adult victims. A property owner owes heightened duties to children, whether they are social guests or even trespassing on the property.

Adults generally cannot receive compensation if they have no right to be on the property—even when a dangerous hazard causes a fall. With children, the analysis is more complicated. A child might have been drawn to the property because of an attractive nuisance, like a swimming pool. If they slip along the way, then the owner might be responsible.

Call our firm. We can review whether you can sue on your child’s behalf for compensation. These are fact-intensive cases.

We Are Aggressive Negotiators

Once we establish fault for the accident, we can move to obtain financial compensation. Falls take a big bite out of anyone’s finances:

  • Medical treatment to stabilize your condition
  • Emergency surgery to treat bleeding inside the brain
  • Rehabilitation to improve muscle strength and coordination
  • Wheelchairs or crutches to help injured victims move around
  • Prescriptions to manage pain

You should not have to pay for this expensive care when you are not to blame for the accident—the property owner should pay because they failed to manage their property reasonably.

You might have other financial losses, such as lost income. Few people can jump back to work while dealing with injuries. We can request compensation to make up for lost wages or income.

A big part of a settlement is compensation for pain and suffering. This type of loss is harder to measure in monetary terms. Nonetheless, we do everything possible to obtain a fair settlement. No one should minimize your pain, and we’ll make sure the defendant respects the bodily limitations you experience.

Is a Slip and Fall Lawyer Worth It?

After an accident, you might talk with the property owner’s insurer. They might even suggest not hiring a lawyer. After all, isn’t a lawyer just an unnecessary expense?

In reality, the best choice is to hire an experienced attorney who can:

  • Secure evidence to use in your case. You can expect the defendant to deny liability for the accident. They might even claim you were trespassing. Let us gather necessary evidence, including witness testimony or video evidence.
  • Analyze the strength of your claim. These cases aren’t always black and white. A major question is whether the defendant knew of the defect or whether they should have known because it existed for so long. For example, a puddle on the floor should eventually be discovered.
  • Sweat the details. Cases are rarely “open and shut,” and you should run, not walk, from any lawyer promising an “easy win.” We know cases stand or fall based on the facts, so we roll up our sleeves and find out everything we can.
  • Document your damages. You need to prove how much the accident has cost you. Any future expected damages must be presented with reasonable certainty. Let us help gather bills, insurance statements, receipts, and other documentation for your case.
  • Negotiate with the defendant. Negotiation is an art. We develop a strategy for effective negotiation, which includes analyzing how much you will likely receive if your case goes to trial. We also minimize your contributory negligence. These steps give us a strengthened hand in negotiations.

We settle most of our cases to our client’s satisfaction. Nonetheless, some cases can’t be settled. A slip-and-fall victim should never try to handle their own lawsuit. Let us file a legal claim in court before the statute of limitations expires, which is two years from the day of the accident.

Call Our Firm Today

CLS Law is the go-to firm for accident victims in Scottsdale who want expert representation in personal injury claims. We are developing a reputation for zealous advocacy, and we have taken on some of the largest businesses in the area. We are happy to meet to discuss your case in a private setting. Please call our firm at (855) 257-9467 to schedule a free consultation.