When people think about being injured in a slip-and-fall accident, many of them are fearful of a slip from accumulated snow and ice. It hasn’t snowed in Santa Maria since before the Civil War, and that was just a dusting that was gone the next day. Slip-and-fall accidents with injuries happen in and around Santa Maria and Santa Barbara County just about every day though. The other issue that people don’t realize is that they can suffer injuries in a trip-and-fall accident in the middle of the afternoon without a cloud in the sky.
Whether the accident involves a slip-and-fall or a trip-and-fall, the resulting injuries can be serious, especially if the victim is 65 years of age or older. If you suffered injuries in a slip-and-fall or a trip-and-fall in or around Santa Maria, it’s likely that you weren’t just clumsy. Something else may have caused your fall, so you should discuss your accident and injuries with Santa Maria slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall lawyer Martin Gasparian at Maison Law. You might have a case wherein you can pursue compensation for your injuries.
Slip-and-Fall and Trip-and-Fall Accidents in Santa Maria
The laws of physics ordinarily govern the injuries sustained after slip-and-falls and trip-and-falls. If a person trips, his or her momentum will typically cause a fall forward. If he or she slips, the fall will typically be backward. Here are some common types of slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents:
- Wet and freshly mopped floor surfaces.
- Freshly polished floor surfaces.
- Uneven walking surfaces in parking lots, sidewalks, and inside of a home or business.
- Steps that are in poor repair or without handrails.
- Obstructions and clutter in walkways and aisles.
- Slips and trips caused by poor lighting.
Common Types of Slip-and-Fall and Trip-and-Fall Injuries
When an accident victim falls forward, injuries often involve facial and dental fractures, rib, wrist and hand fractures and injuries to the neck and upper back. If that victim falls backward, some of the common injuries are fractures to the back of the skull, the neck, lower back, and hips. In either case, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and fractures might also occur. Any of these injuries are especially dangerous when the victim is 65 or older.
How Insurance Handles Slip-and-Fall Victims
The insurer of whoever owns or occupies the place where you fell will want to try to push over as much fault for the accident as it can in order to devalue any claim that you might make. Don’t be surprised if its representative phones you and asks for a recorded statement. California law doesn’t require you to help it in defending any claim that you might make. You’re perfectly within your rights to politely refuse to provide that insurer with any type of statement, especially in light of the fact that your words will probably be used against you in the future.
Rather than possibly jeopardizing any personal injury claim that you might have, contact us here at Maison Law instead for a free and confidential consultation and case evaluation.
Contact a Santa Maria Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer
After being injured in any slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident in or around Santa Maria or Santa Barbara County, report the accident to management and get to an emergency room right away, even if it necessitates the aid of paramedics. Taking those steps will be of great help in proving your accident and injuries. Then, contact our Santa Maria slip-and-fall lawyer at Maison Law for that free consultation and case review. If we’re retained to represent you, we’re going to work toward maximizing any settlement or award that you might receive.
