Slip and Fall Lawyer in Charleston

The vast majority of slip and fall cases require victims to secure legal representation. Typically, it is difficult for claimants to prove legal liability without the help of an attorney. 

Business and property owners will always attempt to downplay their own responsibility in accidents. Also, insurance companies are incentivized to pay as little as possible on every slip and fall accident claim that is submitted. 

Insurance providers usually try to downplay the victim’s damages and injuries to protect their bottom lines. Do not let a greedy insurance provider deny you the compensation you need to recover after an injury. 

Skilled slip & fall lawyers in Charleston, South Carolina, will ensure that the opposing side takes your claim seriously. 

The team at Morgan and Morgan has decades of experience negotiating forcefully with uncooperative insurance providers. We will fight tirelessly to prove that your slip and fall accident resulted from the other party’s carelessness or negligence.

We Will Work to Establish Fault

In order to recover a fair settlement or verdict amount in your case, it is crucial to prove that the property owner’s negligence was a significant reason for your injury. When you hire an attorney at Morgan and Morgan, we will review the circumstances of your injury. 

Falling accidents happen fast, and it can be difficult to show what caused the injury. We review the answers to important questions, including: 

• What shoes were you wearing?
• Was there a defect on the flooring or step?
• Were you relying on a safety handrail?
• Were you engaging with your phone or another digital device?
• If steps were involved, were they of equal height?
• Was the floor or surface unreasonably wet or slick?
• Was there proper signage for obstacles and hazards?
• Were there any obstacles in your path?

Answering these questions will help establish which parties are liable for the damages that result from your injury. Skilled attorneys will investigate thoroughly to determine how best to proceed.

Like most tort claims, slip and fall cases turn on the legal concept of “negligence.” Proving negligence involves four distinct elements: 

• Showing that the defendant owed a duty of care
• Proving that the defendant breached that duty
• Showing that the breach was causally related to the fall
• Providing evidence of actual damages 

The knowledgeable Morgan and Morgan slip & fall lawyers in Charleston, South Carolina, will leverage the available evidence to bolster your claim. We will work diligently to prove negligence in your Charleston falling accident case.

According to research from the National Floor Safety Institute, nearly 12% of emergency room visits are caused by slips and falls. If you have experienced an injury as the result of a falling accident, you are not alone.  

Knowing the most common injuries from falling accidents can help you accurately communicate with your physician following an incident. Effective communication with your doctor will ensure that you receive adequate treatment. This will also help in case of a resulting legal claim. 

Some of the typical injuries that result from slip and fall accidents in Charleston include:

Fractured and Broken Bones

Because falling accidents usually involve immense force, victims often sustain fractures and broken bones. Young people and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to these types of injuries. 

When falling backward, individuals tend to land on their hips. Alternatively, some victims attempt to catch themselves. This can result in broken wrists or fractured arm bones. 

Even minor breaks can require long recovery periods. Speak with an attorney if you have broken a bone because of a property owner’s negligence.

Neck Damage

These injuries may be caused by spinal cord damage. However, victims may also experience these injuries when the neck's muscles, ligaments, or other soft tissue is harmed. 

Falling backward can result in “whiplash.” A whiplash injury happens when a person’s torso and neck move forcefully in opposing directions, resulting in a “whipping” motion.  

Some victims do not realize they have been injured for hours or days after their falling accident. That is why you should seek medical care after a slip and fall, even if you do not believe you are hurt.

Spine and Back Injuries

Back injuries are incredibly common for victims of falling accidents. Spinal cord injuries can present a diverse range of effects and symptoms. 

Some of the most common signs and symptoms include: 

• Loss of movement or range of motion
• Altered sensations
• Loss of sensitivity
• Decreased bladder and bowel control
• Continuing muscle spasms 
• Difficulty catching your breath
• Intense pain in and around the spine
• And more 

In extreme cases, victims may experience varying levels of paralysis. When someone has become paralyzed because of a property owner’s negligence, they have the right to pursue financial recovery for the losses that they experience.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

Brain injury is likely when a falling accident victim’s head contacts the hard surface of a floor. Even minor traumatic brain injuries are very serious.  

The mildest type of TBI is known as a “concussion.” These injuries often go undiagnosed after an accident.  

Even if you feel fine after a slip and fall accident, it is vital to seek medical attention. Failing to treat TBI could result in long-lasting damage. 

More serious brain injuries can result in lifelong symptoms and issues for victims. Some of the common symptoms of moderate and severe TBI include: 

• Difficulty holding attention or concentration
• Memory problems
• Confusion
• Impulsiveness
• Difficulties with language processing
• Expressive aphasia — difficulty speaking
• Inability to read and write
• Perceptual problems
• Blurry vision
• Loss of hearing
• Recurring seizures
• Convulsions
• Ongoing pain and discomfort
• Sleeping disorders
• And more 

Traumatic brain injuries can completely alter a victim’s quality of life. If you believe you have sustained a TBI from a slip and fall accident, do not wait. Reach out to an attorney to pursue the compensation that you need.

Lacerations and Cuts

When a falling victim collides with the ground, they may experience significant damage to their skin. In some cases, the victim falls on sharp debris, metal, or glass.  

Deep lacerations can require sutures or stitches. These injuries may also require long recovery periods and prevent victims from working.  

If a cut is severe enough, the victim may suffer damage to the muscles or nerves below the skin. This can cause functional problems in the person’s hands, feet, arms, or legs.

Elbow, Wrist, and Shoulder Damage

When you fall unexpectedly, your instincts may cause you to brace yourself against the ground. Although this is a natural reaction, bracing during a fall can cause serious injuries to your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. 

When you land hard on your elbow or wrist, you may suffer broken bones or damage to the surrounding soft tissue. Victims may require long-term physical therapy or surgery to recover in severe cases.

The amount of financial recovery you can hope to secure from a legal claim will depend on many factors. The nature and severity of your injuries will be the primary determinant of the value of your case. 

However, the strength of your legal claim will also be decided by the available evidence. When you contact a skilled tort attorney, they will review your case and determine the amount of compensation you can pursue. 

Most slip and fall claims involve two primary categories of financial repayments. These are known as “economic” and “non-economic” damages. 

Economic damages are payments intended to restore the victim to their previous financial state. In other words, these damages compensate injury victims for the resulting monetary expenses.  

Typical kinds of economic damages are: 

• Property damage
• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and income from missing work
• Medical travel
• Losses from decreased earning capacity
• And more 

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are meant to compensate victims for personal and emotional harm. Common examples in slip and fall injury cases include: 

• Mental anguish and distress
• Depression and anxiety
• Loss of quality of life
• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• Loss of consortium or relationship — following fatal injuries
• Disfigurement and scarring
• And more 

Insurance companies typically attempt to downplay the value of non-economic damages. Because of this, it is vital to have a legal professional negotiate with adjusters on your behalf.

Like all reputable tort law firms, the team at Morgan and Morgan operates based on contingency fees. With this approach to legal fees, clients pay nothing upfront. 

When we take your case, we will agree to work for a percentage of the recovery in your slip and fall claim. You will not pay a single penny unless our attorneys get the money that you rightfully deserve. 

Once we have successfully won your claim, the agreed-upon portion of compensation will be used to cover attorneys’ fees. Never hire a lawyer who requires payment before winning your case.

The accomplished Charleston lawyers at Morgan & Morgan know what it takes to successfully fight for falling accident victims. When you call us, we will work hard to hold the liable parties accountable.

Schedule a no-cost legal case evaluation by completing the contact form on our firm’s website. At the firm of Morgan & Morgan, we will fight tirelessly for you.