Cable Company Slip and Fall Lawyers

Cable companies owe you a duty of care when repairing, installing, or maintaining their systems. But if recent lawsuits are anything to go by, some of these companies simply do not care about their clients. Over the past few years, some popular cable giants, including Comcast, have made headlines for their negligence, leading to various accidents, such as slips and falls.

Perhaps one story that dominated headlines in the summer of 2022 is the $7 billion settlement awarded to the family of Betty Thomas, an 83-year-old grandmother who had been brutally stabbed and killed in her home by a Spectrum employee. Although the incident occurred in 2019, the jury finally reached a decision in July 2022.

It should be noted that Spectrum is owned by Charter Communications, one of the largest cable companies in the United States. The lawsuit alleged that the company failed to conduct a criminal background check on the suspect, an employee of the company.

The incident occurred when the suspect was sent to the victim's house to help her fix her fax machine. The suspect reportedly tried to steal from the victim before stabbing her several times with a tool he obtained from the company's toolbox.

This was a form of negligence on the part of Charter Communications. The plaintiff's attorneys alleged that the victim would have been alive had the company conducted a criminal background check on the suspect. In addition, the plaintiff claimed that the suspect had lied about his employment record, something that could have shown up in the background check. For this reason, it would have been highly unlikely for the suspect to secure employment with Spectrum in the first place.

But this is not the only case of negligence involving cable companies.

Another cable giant, Comcast, was found to be negligent in a slip and fall case involving Anthony Dever, the plaintiff. According to the lawsuit, the cable company left unburied wires outside the plaintiff's front yard, creating a trip hazard.

The plaintiff had notified their landlord about the dangerous wires, but the latter did nothing about it. The lawsuit alleged that the plaintiff then slipped and fell while walking to the front door of the house, suffering multiple injuries.

As a result, the plaintiff required several spinal surgeries to fix a compressed cervical spinal cord, including disc protrusions at T4-5 and a lumbar laminectomy/fusion.

When Can I Sue a Cable Company for Slip and Fall?

Cable technicians are required to observe the highest standards of care when installing cables anywhere there is human traffic. Any form of negligence can lead to serious injuries, as seen in the real-life example discussed above.

From the example above, the plaintiff informed their landlord about the trip hazard left behind by the cable company. However, despite the notice, the landlord failed to do anything about it. This was a form of negligence, a valid reason to sue.

You can also sue a cable company if you suffered serious injuries due to their negligence. Again, using the example above, the plaintiff needed multiple surgeries. But even after the surgeries, the injury victim suffered permanent disabilities, another reason to file a lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, one important factor surfaced: failure to warn. The plaintiff alleged that the cable company, the defendant, in this case, breached their duty to warn them about the dangerous condition (the cable wires), which in itself is a form of negligence.

Here is why:

There is no guarantee that a cable technician will be able to finish a certain job on time and clear the site, making it safe for everyone around that area. You have probably seen it multiple times in your local community; construction projects take time to complete. Projects that would take a few hours under normal circumstances might take days or even weeks due to unexpected challenges.

When that happens, you expect the technicians or construction workers to set up clear warning signs, alerting pedestrians and the general public about the dangers of approaching that particular site. Unfortunately, that is one important thing the cable company forgot to do.

According to the lawsuit, the technician did not set up any warning signs to warn the plaintiff about the possible dangers posed by the cable in his front yard. As a result, the plaintiff tripped and fell, injuring his back.

Such an accident would have been avoided by setting up warning signs. But, sadly, the defendants failed to do so.

What Damages Can I Recover From a Slip and Fall Accident Caused by a Cable Company?

The exact damages you may be able to recover will depend on the nature of your injuries. If you suffered serious injuries requiring expensive treatment, you might be able to recover economic damages such as:

• Medical expenses
• Cost of medical transportation
• Caregiver cost
• Cost of medical equipment
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning potential

And so much more.

On the other hand, you might also be able to recover non-economic damages. These include but are not limited to:

• Mental distress
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disfigurement
• Inconvenience
• Physical impairment

What Do I Need to Prove Slip and Fall Injuries Caused by a Cable Company?

Many factors will come into play when determining liability for a slip and fall injury. In most cases, the court will look at the following four key issues:

Whether You Were Owed a Duty of Care

When a cable company works on a cable line on your property, they owe you a duty of care. In other words, it is their responsibility to keep the area safe. For example, when laying down the cables, they must ensure they are buried correctly.

Failure to bury these cables can lead to slip and fall accidents. And when that happens, the cable company might be liable for failure to exercise its duty of care.

The Existence of the Dangerous Condition

The plaintiff must also prove that the dangerous condition existed. For example, suppose the cable company forgot to bury cables into the ground, leading to a slip and fall incident. In that case, the unburied cable is considered a dangerous condition.

You Were on the Property Legally

Another thing the court will look at is whether the victim was on the property legally. In other words, if you slip and fall while trespassing on another person's property, you may not have a valid claim. But, on the other hand, if the incident happens at your property or any other property on which your presence is legal, then you might have a claim.

You Got Injured by the Hazard

As expected, you must also prove that you got injured by the dangerous condition. You can prove this by obtaining a copy of your medical report. The report will detail the kind of injuries you suffered due to the slip and fall incident.

You Suffered Damages Due to Negligence on the Property Owner's Side

Lastly, to collect a settlement, you must prove that you suffered damages. These damages could either be economic or noneconomic damages or both.

Do I Need a Slip and Fall Lawyer to Sue a Cable Company?

Simply put, yes, you do.

A slip and fall attorney can significantly increase your chances of winning the lawsuit. This is because the attorney understands how slip and fall laws work in your state and how they apply to your specific case.

Here is an overview of how such an attorney can help:

Your Attorney Can Determine Whether You Have a Valid Case

As mentioned earlier, a slip and fall case must meet the four elements in order to be considered valid. Therefore, your attorney will review your case to determine whether it satisfies all these elements.  

The Lawyer Can Help You Gather Crucial Evidence

You will need evidence to win this kind of claim or lawsuit. The evidence required to win will depend on the specifics of your case.

The attorney might help you collect crucial evidence, including but not limited to surveillance footage, witness statements, medical records, and photos.

Your Attorney Can Provide Important Legal Advice

You can count on a seasoned attorney to provide the legal advice you need to proceed with your claim or lawsuit. For example, an attorney knows what you should or should not do after getting injured in a slip and fall incident. They also know when it is best to file a claim or wait a little longer. Because they are experienced in handling these cases, they can help you navigate complex processes, increasing your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome.

Cable Companies Have Attorneys, So Should You

Let's face it—cable companies make millions in profits. For example, Comcast made $44 billion in profits for the 12 months ending June 30, 2022. In 2020 Charter Communications generated $51.7 billion in revenue. These astronomical figures can only mean one thing; cable companies can afford some of the best defense attorneys in the country.

The last thing you want is to come up against these giant companies without legal representation. You would be lucky to even have a chance to recover any damages.

Experienced Attorneys Are Skilled Negotiators

Good negotiation skills are part of the personal injury process. When you represent yourself in these cases, you may not truly understand what you are entitled to as compensation for your injuries. As a result, you may settle for less than what you deserve.

The other issue is that these companies are pretty good at bullying injury victims into accepting lowball offers or no settlement at all. Even if you are a great negotiator in other aspects of life, personal injury settlement negotiations are completely different. You need a deeper understanding of your rights, how these laws work, and what counts as a reasonable offer.

You Do Not Have to Worry About Complex Paperwork

Personal injury lawsuits require a lot of paperwork. In addition, these cases are time-sensitive. So even as you deal with mountains of paperwork, you will also have to worry about strict deadlines that you must beat to stand a chance at getting compensation for your injuries.

But you would not have to worry about that if you had an attorney handling the whole process. The attorney understands the paperwork you need to file, including where and when to file.

Where Can I Find a Slip and Fall Attorney to Sue a Cable Company?

There is no doubt that many personal injury law firms offer legal representation for slip and fall victims. However, when it comes to these kinds of cases, you want to ensure that you work with the best attorney this field offers. That is where Morgan and Morgan comes in.

How Can Morgan and Morgan Slip and Fall Lawyers Help?

To begin with, Morgan and Morgan is the country's largest personal injury law firm. Therefore, the decision to work with us sends a strong statement to the cable company that you are serious about your claim. Secondly, we have years of experience taking on some of the biggest companies in the country, including the likes of T-Mobile, Yahoo, and Tesla.

So when you choose to work with our attorneys, you can be confident that we have the experience to fight the cable company in and out of court.

Lastly, and most importantly, we have the resources to take on any company in the country.

If you or your loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident caused by a negligent cable company, fill out our free case evaluation form. We might be able to help.