Maison Law protects slip-and-fall victims in Santa Monica. If you or a loved one have been the victim of a slip-and-fall accident at Gelson’s, our personal injury attorneys can get you the compensation you need. Contact Maison Law today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Slip-And-Fall Accident in Santa Monica?
If you’ve suffered injuries due to a slip-and-fall accident, you’re goal will be to come away with a settlement to compensate you for all the physical and financial damage you’ve suffered. Without an attorney, you will have to negotiate with the insurance company yourself. And oftentimes, insurance companies can hold out for years until you cave and accept their low-settlement offer. Or even worse, the insurance company may deny your claim altogether and blame you for the accident.
By partnering with an accident attorney, they can hold the insurance company responsible and ensure you get the compensation you need to recover:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
On top of recovering damages you’ve suffered from your accident, an attorney can:
- Assist you in getting medical treatment from a trusted doctor
- Help you understand what you are entitled to receive after a slip-and-fall injury
- Reduce the stress of taking on the insurance company alone
- Discuss your situation with you and help you make informed decisions throughout the legal process
What if I Was Partially at Fault For a Slip-and-Fall Accident in Santa Monica?
Being blamed for a slip-and-fall accident is not uncommon. Property owners will be looking out for their own interests and try to take the blame off themselves as much as possible. If you are blamed for the accident, you will most likely need to defend your case due to California being a pure comparative negligence state. Comparative negligence allows an injured party who shares fault for their injuries to receive compensation, a legal action covered by the Comparative Negligence Law, which states:
“Under the pure comparative negligence rule, the state allows the plaintiff to claim damages for the 1% they are not at fault even when they are 99% at fault.”
So, if you were partially at fault, but still got injured, you still reserve the right to compensation. However, your awarded settlement will be reduced by your percentage of fault. That’s why it is important to have an experienced accident attorney on your side. Contact Maison Law today to protect your right to compensation and see what options are available to you.
Common Causes of Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Santa Monica
Slip-and-fall accidents usually occur when a person, or business, has created a hazardous condition from a failure to provide a “duty of care” to others. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, slip-and-fall accidents are the third leading cause of unintentional death in the United States. The most common causes of slip-and-fall accidents include:
- Uneven flooring
- Missing stair railings
- Rotten steps
- Loose carpeting
- Wet walkways or aisles
- Icy sidewalks
- Exposed wires
Victims of slip-and-fall accidents who contact an experienced slip-and-fall attorney are more likely to reach a successful settlement than those who did not. An insurance adjuster’s job is to downplay your injury and how it has impacted your life. An accident attorney holds the insurance company liable, so they must take into account the financial, physical, and mental damages of your incident.
What is the Typical Compensation for a Slip-and-Fall Accident in Santa Monica?
Unfortunately, there is no typical compensation as every slip-and-fall incident differs from case-to-case. However, your economic damages are a good indicator of what you can expect to receive. These include:
- Medical expenses: your current bills and the cost of your anticipated, future medical care
- Lost wages: these include wages lost while you were too injured to work, as well as damages to your future earning capacity if your injuries are too severe for you to resume your occupational duties
- Medical equipment: costs of altering your home, or vehicle due to your disability
- Property damages: if any damage was done to your property during a slip-and-fall accident it can be included in your compensation
Other compensation-deciding factors include non-economic damages. These damages cannot be assigned a specific value because they include:
- Pain and suffering caused by your injuries
- Stress and anxiety due to the nature of your accident
- Your mental state after a life-changing accident
- Loss of consortium (to be filed by your spouse or immediate family member due to loss of love or companionship)
Contact a Santa Monica Slip-And-Fall Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured due to the carelessness of a person or a hazardous condition at a Gelson’s in Santa Monica, the attorneys at Maison Law can get you the compensation you need. No upfront money is required and we don’t get paid unless we win your case. Contact Maison Law today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
