Slip And Fall Attorney in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., property owners are legally required to make their property reasonably safe for visitors and patrons. Failing to do so can cause tragic fall accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the number one cause of injuries and deaths among those 65 years and older. While many victims eventually recover, some suffer permanent disabilities and require around-the-clock care.

If you get hurt due to a poorly maintained property, you could be entitled to compensation for your healthcare expenses, pain and suffering, wage losses, and more.

Morgan & Morgan understands the consequences of a severe fall injury on your physical health, emotional well-being, and finances. Our Washington, D.C., slip and fall lawyers want to help you get justice. Contact us now for a free consultation to determine your legal options and the best next steps.

What Is a Slip and Fall?

Falls can happen anywhere and at any time. Sometimes, we trip and fall due to inattention or wearing ill-fitting footwear. Getting hurt in a fall does not automatically qualify for a lawsuit. However, if you are injured due to the carelessness of a property or business owner, you could have a slip and fall case and recover damages.

Causes of Slips and Falls in Washington, D.C.

Slip and fall accidents commonly occur when a business or property owner fails to maintain their premises adequately, allowing hazards to persist. Common dangerous conditions leading to injuries in Washington, D.C., include the following:

• Ice and snow accumulations
• Wet or recently waxed floors
• Broken and loose floorboards
• Cracked or uneven surfaces
• Tripping hazards such as unsecured cables and clutter
• Cracked sidewalks
• Potholes in parking lots
• Loose mats
• Broken or missing lights
• Defective elevators

Under Washington, D.C., premises liability laws, property owners must keep their premises safe for lawful visitors. If you suffered an injury on private, commercial, or public property, you could be entitled to compensation. Morgan & Morgan’s Washington, D.C., slip and fall lawyers can assess your claim and identify your options for recovering damages.

Where Do Most Slip and Fall Accidents Happen in Washington, D.C.?

Slip and fall accidents can happen at work, in public transit stations, or in a friend’s apartment building, among other locations. Some of the most common locations for slips and falls in Washington, D.C., include:

• Grocery stores
• Apartment buildings
• Restaurants
• Parking lots
• Shopping malls
• Sidewalks
• Government buildings
• Hotels and motels
• Medical centers
• Nursing homes

A severe slip and fall injury can change a person’s life forever. However, if you or a loved one is affected, you don’t have to pay the price for a property owner’s negligence and could be entitled to compensation for medical costs and other losses. Morgan & Morgan’s Washington, D.C., slip and fall lawyers are here to help you get justice and compensation.

A Washington, D.C., Property Owner May Be Responsible

D.C. business and property owners generally have a “duty of care” towards legal visitors. In other words, the responsible party must ensure that their premises are free of dangerous conditions that could injure guests. Examples of property owners neglecting their duty of care can include:

• Failing to repair a known problem or hazard, such as missing handrails
• Neglecting to place warning signs, for example, near slippery floors or malfunctioning elevators
• Failing to provide adequate security measures

A property owner may also be responsible for your injuries if they did not ensure that their property was generally well maintained and adequately lit, leading to tripping and slipping accidents.

If you suffered harm on another’s property in Washington, D.C., you could have a legal case and pursue compensation. However, you must show adequate proof of the responsible party’s carelessness. Typically, the injured victim must prove that the business or property owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition causing the fall and failed to take action.

You Could Be Entitled to Compensation

Those injured in slips and falls in Washington, D.C., could be entitled to various damages, depending on the facts of their case and the severity of their injuries.
Examples of compensation awards you could receive include:

• Medical expenses
• Loss of wages
• Medical devices such as a wheelchair and crutches
• Household assistance
• Miscellaneous accident-related expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Disability
• Loss of life enjoyment

Our Washington, D.C., slip and fall lawyers can assess the impact of your injuries on all aspects of your life and accurately calculate your damages, including future expected medical costs and wage losses. Knowing the total worth of your claim is essential for receiving what you deserve.

Your Best Next Steps After a Slip and Fall in Washington, D.C.

The time immediately after a slip and fall can be confusing. You may not know what to do for the best, especially if you suffered injuries. However, taking some necessary steps could help you heal from your injuries faster and receive the compensation to which you are entitled.

Seek Immediate Medical Help

One of your best steps is immediately seeing a doctor after a slip and fall, even if you feel fine. Not all fall injuries are apparent; some can take days or weeks to present with symptoms. Seeking medical help right away can help to diagnose injuries and start treatment as soon as possible, potentially shortening your recovery time.

Importantly, getting medical help and documenting your injuries, no matter how minor, can help to establish credibility for your compensation claim. If you developed an injury weeks after the accident and failed to see a doctor after your fall, the other side could argue that your injuries are unrelated to the slip and fall.

Determine the Cause of Your Fall

Immediately after the fall, it may not be clear why you fell or what caused you to slip or trip. Try to look around and identify the cause of your accident, whether it was a lack of lighting, a broken step, or a wet floor. If you can, take as many cellphone pictures as possible of the cause, the area where you fell, and your injuries. Photographs of the hazard that caused your fall and your injuries can be critical evidence for your claim.

Collect Witness Contact Information

In most cases, a responsible property owner has a different version of events leading to your fall and may try to argue that you fell due to inattention rather than a hazard on the premises. Therefore, it can be crucial to gather witness statements that could help to prove your claim. Ensure to collect the contact details of any employees or witnesses that saw your slip and fall.

File an Injury Report

If you can, file an injury report while still at the scene. If the business or property owner does not provide you with an injury report, you can draft the document yourself. Include your name, contact details, and the time and date of the accident. Make sure to note down all the vital details of the accident and the injuries you suffered. Since memories change and fade over time, the sooner you complete an injury report, the better.

Contact a Washington, D.C., Slip and Fall Lawyer

There are many reasons to consult a slip and fall lawyer if you get hurt in a fall. First, an attorney can assess your accident and determine whether you have a legal claim. If you suffer significant injuries, an attorney can avoid the insurer or at-fault party shortchanging you and help you get fair compensation.

Having an experienced and tenacious Morgan & Morgan slip and fall lawyer by your side can prevent you from having to shoulder the financial burden due to someone else’s negligence.