The team at Maison Law is ready to represent victims of a slip and fall injury incident that occurred in Los Banos. If you or a family member has sustained injuries because of a slip and fall incident, get in touch with Maison Law to schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with a seasoned Los Banos slip and fall lawyer to learn more about the legal options available to you.
Do I Need a Slip and Fall Lawyer
It can be very alarming to suddenly slip and fall when you are in a public place, a guest in someone’s home, or are visiting a private venue. Most people are comfortable walking on a variety of surfaces and don't think much about it. Our bodies and minds navigate walking almost like an automated process because we know there are specific premises liability standards in place to ensure that the spaces we visit are in a safe condition. However, when you suddenly encounter a safety hazard that results in a slip and fall incident, you are certainly caught off-guard. After the fact, you begin to consider whether you need a slip and fall lawyer to help resolve the matter.
You should know that the legal system does not require you to retain a slip and fall lawyer to prepare and file a premises liability lawsuit seeking compensation for the losses and expenses caused by the injuries you suffered. However, when you investigate the process more thoroughly, you are sure to appreciate the benefits of having a Maison Law slip and fall lawyer handling your case.
If the harm you sustained in the slip and fall incident was severe, you will face mounting medical expenses and other costs that can become a source of stress and worry. In addition, you have healing and rehabilitation that need your focus instead of the steep learning curve that is premises liability law. Your simple and wise solution is to contact Maison Law for a free case evaluation and to hire a slip and fall lawyer in Los Banos to handle the matter on your behalf.
In addition to feeling a sense of relief and confidence that this matter will be resolved swiftly, you will appreciate learning that many cases that are handled by a Los Banos slip and fall lawyer are settled for a larger award or settlement for the victim than they would have received had they handled the case on their own.
Schedule Your Free Consultation Today
The legal system is filled with complexities and intricacies that allow it to cover the incidents and situations we face during challenging times. Its broad scope ensures that there is a way to achieve justice in any case. But it can also be confusing to see the system as a whole. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a slip and fall because of a safety hazard or poor property maintenance, the Maison Law team is here to provide a free consultation to review your case and explain its legal merit.
By the end of this meeting, you will have a clear understanding of your options and how to handle the claim or lawsuit in the best way to meet your needs. You will also know that our staff of slip and fall lawyers is here to help should you decide that is the best plan for the success of your slip and fall case.
What is a Los Banos Slip and Fall Case Worth
When you get hurt in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence or failure to meet their duty of care in providing a safe property, you are sure to have questions about financial matters and the challenges created by your injuries. Understanding that each slip and fall case is as unique as its victim is the first step in exploring the potential value of your Los Banos slip and fall lawsuit.
Next, you will need to gather more specific information about your economic damages. These are the items or expenses that have a precise dollar value and are simple to tabulate in the records you compile. The items in this category will comprise a significant portion of your compensation or settlement if you face serious injuries. The information you will want to gather includes:
- All current medical expenses related to your slip and fall injuries as well as the estimated future medical expenses that will be generated because of these injuries
- Your lost income if you were unable to work while healing and recovering from the incident
- Any lost earning capacity for the future if your injuries have left you with permanent limitations or disabilities that will negatively impact your ability to earn a living
The remaining items that will be added to these losses and expenses are called non-economic damages because they are less tangible and will need to have a dollar value assigned to them to be included as losses in your claim. Some of these items include:
- Financial compensation for your pain and suffering as a result of the injuries
- Emotional challenges stemming from the trauma of the incident that can manifest themselves as anxiety, depression, fear, or lack of the ability to sleep
- Loss of enjoyment of certain aspects of your life such as taking part in sports, family activities, hobbies or other activities that added pleasure to your life before the slip and fall accident but that you are no longer capable of enjoying because of your injuries
Your Maison Law slip and fall lawyer will assist you in compiling all of these losses and expenses to ensure you are fully compensated for the damage the slip and fall incident had on you physically, emotionally, and financially
Statute of Limitations for a Los Banos Slip and Fall Lawsuit
Slip and fall injury victims must understand that the legal system imposes a time limit to file your case with the court and secure compensation for your damages. Typically, you will be given two years, starting at the date of the accident, to prepare and file the case. Once that two-year time has passed, you will no longer have the right to pursue legal action related to that specific slip and fall incident. In addition, there are minimal exceptions to that time limit. It is also critical to know that the time limit is severely limited when the liable party in your slip and fall case is a government entity or agency. If your slip and fall occurred at the Los Banos Branch of the Merced County Library, you would have only six months from the date of the incident to have your case prepared and filed with the court.
Being familiar with these time limits is especially vital for slip and fall victims who are considering handling their settlement on their own and want to resolve the matter out of court.
Insurance Company Stall Tactics
When you get hurt because of a slip and fall incident at a business or even the home of a neighbor or colleague, the matter is often passed along to the insurance company, which holds the homeowner’s policy or business insurance. Instead of working out the details of your expenses and losses with your co-worker or the couple down the street, you must negotiate with the staff working for the insurance company.
In these instances, keep in mind that these employees are paid to keep payouts and settlements as low as possible. They appear to care about you, your health, and a bright financial future for you. But the reality is that they are crunching numbers and focused on the bottom line falling in the insurance company's favor.
A prime tactic to encourage you to take a low-ball settlement offer is to stall the process until the Statute of Limitations on your slip and fall case has expired. Once that occurs, your only option to get help with your losses and expenses is to take the offer from the insurance company even if it is low.
You might also be asked to sign massive documents with page after page of fine print. This is another way to bully victims into taking whatever they can get to avoid what they perceive as the cost of hiring a slip and fall lawyer.
If you are facing these unpleasant issues with an insurance company while negotiating a reasonable settlement, please reach out to Maison Law for a free consultation and to learn more about how we do business.
Common Causes and Locations of Los Banos Slip and Fall Incidents
The reality is that a slip and fall can happen just about anywhere you might be traveling on foot. Thanks to premises liability law, most pedestrians feel safe and confident when walking around the community. But even in Los Banos, there are opportunities to suffer harm as a result of these slip and fall safety hazards:
For more on preventing falls, see the National Floor Safety Institute.
- Spilled water, drinks, or other liquids
- Ice dropped on the floor and left to melt
- Food or grease spilled on floors
- Leaking hoses or water lines
- Damaged plumbing fixtures that flood the floor
- Floors that were recently mopped and are moist but have no safety warning signs
- Floor mats at entryways or moist areas that are saturated
- Missing or damaged floor mats in wet areas
- Leaking hoses or irrigation flooding sidewalks and steps
- Damaged ramps at entryways with loose gravel or dirt
- Overly moist pavement that is covered with moss or mud
- Wet leaves and debris on sidewalks, in parking lots and at entryways
- Poorly graded parking lots that have low areas that hold water
These safety concerns can result in a slip and fall injury and be present at nearly any location you might visit during a day away from home. Some of the most common sites of a slip and fall include:
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Doctors’ offices
- Office complexes
- Shopping malls
- Grocery stores
- Restaurants
- Diners
- Coffee shops
- Bars
- Concert halls
- Theaters
- Sports complexes
- City or county office buildings
- Libraries
- Hotels
- Convention centers
- Airports
- Train stations
- Bus depots
- Car dealerships
Frequently Asked Questions About Slip and Fall Cases
What is duty of care?
Duty of care is part of premises liability law that defines the legal obligation of a property owner, manager, resident, or agent of the owner to maintain the space in a reasonably safe condition.
The general duty of care is described in California Civil Code section 1714(a).
Is every guest to a property protected by premises liability laws?
Yes, all guests to a property have the right to expect the space to be kept in a safe and hazard-free condition.
The critical factor is that the person at the property must be an invited guest or be legally visiting a public space.
Can I still file a slip and fall lawsuit if I was partially to blame for the incident?
Yes, California is a comparative liability state. That means the victim can share partial responsibility for the accident but still sue the other liable party. In these instances, you would sue for the percentage of your damages equal to your share of liability. If you were 20% responsible, you could file a lawsuit to recover up to 80% of your damages from the party that held 80% of the responsibility for the incident.
Contact a Los Banos Slip and Fall Lawyer
When you or a family member gets hurt because of a slip and fall at another person’s property, you have the right to pursue legal action in many instances. If the property owner or another responsible party failed to meet their legal duty of care, the Maison Law team is ready to help you pursue legal action. We provide a free consultation and case evaluation to help you understand your rights and the process to move forward with a lawsuit.
If you choose to hire Maison Law, we will handle any case with legal merit and work solely on a contingency basis. That means you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid after we complete the case and you are awarded the compensation that includes funds to pay for all your legal expenses and fees.
