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Many people slip and fall every year, sometimes leaving them with significant medical bills. However, not every slip and fall accident is suitable as a personal injury case. For this reason, personal injury lawyers tend to ask questions during initial consultations. Each question helps the attorney know if the client has a viable case. The following are questions that an attorney may ask.
Where Did the Incident Occur and Under What Circumstances?
If a person was an invited guest or otherwise welcomed by the owner of the property where the slip and fall happened, they are more likely to have a case than if they were a trespasser. Just because someone is allowed on a property does not mean the property owner is negligent if a slip and fall accident occurs.
Why Did the Slip and Fall Happen?
This may sound like a silly question, but it gets to the heart of the matter. For a slip and fall to be the property owner’s fault, the hazard must have been known to them. An exposed cable in the entranceway of a retail store would be reckless. If a shopper tripped over it and seriously hurt their back or broke a limb, they might want to file a lawsuit. At the same time, if a shopper fell because they lost their balance for no discernable reason, they might have difficulty proving the shop owner was careless
As another example, if a patron at a coffee shop spills their coffee on the floor and then slips on it, the shop owner could not have warned them about the spill. On the other hand, if the coffee shop floor had recently been cleaned, the shop owner should have warned customers of the hazard. Slip and fall incidents can be highly nuanced, which is why talking to a personal injury lawyer can be helpful.
What Type of Injury Occurred and When?
Though this question seems obvious, it is not. Some injuries show up days later, such as concussions, which makes them hard to connect to the accident. Other injuries occur immediately, as in broken bones, contusions, and cuts. Going to a doctor or urgent care facility after the slip and fall occurrence helps connect the dots between the event and the physical or mental trauma.
What were the Losses Related to the Slip and Fall?
The slip and fall injury must be costly enough to justify a personal injury lawsuit. Most personal injury lawsuits are filed when medical bills, lost wages, and other damages begin to accrue.
Our Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyers Help Victims of Slip and Fall Accidents
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, contact a Virginia Beach personal injury lawyer today. At East Coast Trial Lawyers, we will review your case and hold the negligent party accountable for your injuries. For a free consultation, call us at 757-352-2237 or fill out an online form. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, we serve clients throughout Chesapeake, Eastern Shores, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk, as well as North Carolina and nationwide.
