Slip and Fall Lawyers in Fort Collins, CO

What Is a Slip and Fall Accident?

A slip-and-fall accident is an accident that occurs as a result of unsafe conditions. These hazardous conditions can cause an individual to lose their balance and fall, resulting in injury. Some of the injuries suffered in a slip and fall accident can be life-altering, forcing the person to change their life to adapt to the injuries and any permanent damage. These types of accidents can occur at personal residences, at retail stores and businesses, on public sidewalks, or in parking lots. If you are injured in a slip and fall accident caused by the property owner’s negligence, you may be entitled to receive compensation for the injuries suffered.

What Is Premises Liability?

A Fort Collins supermarket slip and fall accident claim may also be referred to as a premises liability claim. This term comes from the Premises Liability Act, which states that a landowner must maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition and provide appropriate warning of any unsafe conditions that cannot be immediately corrected. Under premises liability, any property owner who does not maintain safe conditions can be held legally and financially liable for the injuries caused due to their negligence. This means that the injured person can take the property owner to court to obtain monetary compensation for their injuries. Some of the most common premises liability claims include:

Slip and fall injuries caused by ice accumulation or foreign substances
Trip and fall injuries caused by dangerous conditions such as tree roots, uneven sidewalks, or potholes
Slip and fall accidents caused by slick floors due to water or other slippery substances
Accidents caused by defective stairs, doors, elevators, or escalators
Injuries occurring on parking lots, alleyways, or other public areas as a result of a dangerous condition
Falls caused by inadequate ramps or handrails

What Injuries Can Occur from Slip and Fall Accidents?

Slip and fall accidents can cause numerous injuries, ranging from minor to severe. No matter the severity of the injury, you should not have to pay for medical care to treat it if unsafe conditions caused the accident. Our team can help you fight for the compensation to cover your medical care. While some of the injuries caused by slip and fall accidents may heal, others may impact your life forever. Some common injuries that occur in slip and fall accidents include:

Broken bones
Traumatic brain injuries
Sprains or strains
Paralysis
Loss of vision
Permanent disfigurement
Death

How Do You Prove Fault in a Fort Collins Slip and Fall Accident?

If you sustain injuries from a slip and fall accident, the at-fault party will not simply give you the money to pay for your medical care. Rather, you must prove fault on behalf of the property owner to receive compensation. Our team can help you do that. We have many years of experience handling slip and fall cases and can use our knowledge to attempt to prove the fault of the property owner. Your claim will likely go to court, where our legal team will present all the evidence to a judge who will make the final decision. To prove that you are entitled to compensation for your injury, our legal team must show the court that:

The property owner or business owner was responsible for the unsafe conditions, and those conditions caused your injury.
The property owner or manager knew about the unsafe conditions or should have reasonably been aware of the dangerous conditions and failed to repair them.
The property owner knew about the hazard and did not provide an appropriate warning of it.
The owner of the property owed you a duty to maintain safe conditions because you were present for a valid business purpose or as a guest.

What Types of Compensation Can I Recover in a Slip and Fall Case?

Because a slip and fall accident can alter your life in many ways, you may be entitled to collect multiple types of damages if you win your claim. The amount of compensation you are eligible to receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and the attorney’s ability to prove the property owner failed to maintain safe conditions. The personal injury attorneys at Hadfield Stieben Doutt will work to stand up for your rights and attempt to get you all the damages you’re entitled to receive. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:

Medical expenses and rehabilitation
Future medical expenses
Lost wages
Future lost wages
Permanent disability
Loss of quality of life
Pain and suffering

What is the Statute of Limitations for a Slip and Fall in Colorado?

Slip and falls and premises liability claims are governed by a two-year statute of limitations in Colorado. Please note, if your fall occurred at a location that is owned by the Colorado government or a quasi-governmental agency, shorter notice provisions may apply to preserve your claim.

What Should I Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Fort Collins?

If you slip and fall on property owned by a third party, you may have a slip and fall claim. Gathering information for a slip and fall is important.

Seek medical treatment for your slip and fall injuries.

Document the dangerous condition by taking photographs of the condition and writing down what you recall about where you fell.

Make an incident report at the time of the slip and fall if you are physically able to do so. If you cannot make a statement at the time of the slip and fall, report the slip and fall to the property owner as soon as possible.

Do I Have to Go to Court for a Slip and Fall Case?

Trials are sometimes necessary to get a fair recovery, but they are rare. You always have the choice of whether or not to go to trial. We view our role as providing you with the best possible information, enabling you to make an informed choice.

We prepare every case for the possibility that it could end in a trial. Most of the time, we prove our clients’ claims to the insurance companies or at-fault parties with the evidence gathered during our investigation. We then negotiate to determine if a fair settlement can be reached. We’ll advise you whether, based on our extensive experience, a settlement offer is fair or not. We’ll explain the pros and cons of pushing forward with filing a lawsuit. We’ll answer your questions and recommend a course of action.

It’s important to note the difference between litigation and trial. Litigation is a word we use to mean anything after the filing of a lawsuit. We usually try to settle your case without even filing a lawsuit. Most cases are settled without filing a lawsuit. But sometimes it may be necessary to file a lawsuit. The defendant might be denying fault. The insurance company might not believe that you are hurt as badly as you are. Filing a lawsuit provides the opportunity to make witnesses answer questions under oath and provide documents and other evidence. We may need to get a court to order someone to provide information they are refusing to provide. All of these steps and much more are considered litigation, but they are not a trial. After these information-gathering steps, we will again try to negotiate a settlement in your case, often in a mediation. Most lawsuits are settled without a trial.

How to Prepare for Your Slip and Fall Consultation

Preparing for a consultation with our top-rated slip and fall attorneys is simple:

Compile the documentation you have regarding where and when the fall happened. Bring any photos of the area of the fall, as well as any incident reports that may have been given to you as a result of the fall.
Be ready to talk about your injuries and any medical treatment you have received. A list of doctors and hospitals where you have been seen is helpful.
Feel free to ask any questions you have about personal injury claims.

Contact Us for a Free Slip and Fall Consultation

Have you recently been injured in a slip-and-fall accident? If so, you don’t want to delay contacting an experienced accident lawyer. Hadfield Stieben Doutt has years of experience handling spinal cord injury claims in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. Slip and fall cases are one of our areas of interest, and we’ve helped many clients receive the compensation they deserve. We can assess your case and build a compelling argument for your claim, working hard to prove fault on the part of the property owner. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Experienced Slip and Fall Attorneys in Fort Collins, CO

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