Seattle Slip and Fall Lawyer
A “slip and fall” accident may not carry the same immediate sense of disaster as a motor vehicle accident. But slips and falls are often minor incidents in name only. A slip, trip, or fall can lead to severe injuries and have far-reaching repercussions.
With over 30 years of experience, the team at Siegfried & Jensen has seen the damage a slip or fall can do and has fought tirelessly and with great success to get victims substantial compensation for those damages. Partnering with a seasoned, knowledgeable Seattle personal injury lawyer can make a significant–and positive–difference in your case outcome.
Our firm offers free case reviews and only gets paid if you receive compensation, so reaching out to a Seattle slip and fall lawyer from our team is a no-risk, smart way for you to seek the justice you deserve.
Conditions Leading to Slips and Falls Accidents
A variety of conditions can lead to slip and fall accidents. Property owners must take measures to prevent these conditions or to warn visitors of the potential danger. Conditions potentially causing a slip or fall incident include:
- Wet surfaces: A spill on a grocery store aisle, if left unmarked, can cause a shopper to slip. Business owners need to have procedures in place to recognize and address these kinds of dangers.
- Icy or slippery surfaces: Icy walkways or stairs are especially dangerous. Property owners must take care to remove ice, snow, and slush from their parking lots, walkways, and entrance and exit points.
- Other floor or ground hazards: Broken steps, uneven floors, torn carpeting, or debris or clutter left in hallways or walkways can present hazards.
- Inadequate handrails: A rickety handrail, or missing handrails altogether, can cause someone to lose balance and fall.
- Bad lighting: Dark hallways, poorly lit parking lots, stairwells, or other areas open to visitors also pose significant slip and fall opportunities.
Our Seattle premises liability lawyers will look into your accident carefully to determine the cause of your fall and expose the property owner’s negligence. The team at Siegfried & Jensen knows the legal responsibilities property owners hold. When they maintain conditions that show a disregard for safety, we work to hold them accountable.
Consequences of a Slip and Fall Accident
If you are fortunate, a slip or fall will only cause you embarrassment and possibly a scrape or bruise that heals within a few days. But not everyone is so lucky. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls can cause:
- Broken bones: Often to the wrist, arm, ankle, or hip.
- Head trauma: Victims who fall and hit their heads can sustain concussions or more severe injuries, such as brain bleeds.
- Emotional trauma: Some victims experience a fall and subsequent injury and suffer lasting emotional effects. Their fear of falling again prevents them from engaging in activities.
Falls can also cause back, neck, or facial injuries. Victims may experience limited mobility temporarily or permanently or be affected by chronic pain. These consequences then produce financial instability, and victims may not be able to work and earn income.
Steps to Take Following a Slip or Fall Incident
It is important to know what to do after a slip and fall. Do not assume a lack of visible injury or immediate pain means you are in the clear. The effects of some injuries can take time to show, and even more frighteningly, the evidence for some deadly injuries, including brain bleeds, only appears internally at first, so it is critical to seek prompt medical care.
Then, connect with a slip and fall accident attorney in Seattle, WA, for legal representation. After investigating the incident to determine negligence, your attorney will file your injury claim with the court. An experienced attorney also knows how to calculate a fair compensation amount–an important role of an accident attorney in Washington State.
Siegfried & Jensen has managed 24 slip and fall cases and secured average settlements of $45,000. Though every case is different, you can count on your attorney to fight for your medical costs, lost income, and any additional expense incurred by your fall. Your lawyer will also seek financial acknowledgment of your pain, emotional distress, and negative changes to your quality of life.
How Washington’s Laws Can Affect Your Compensation
Washington State Legislature RCW 4.22.005 codifies the civil court’s system for handling personal injury claims. Victims have the right to hold negligent parties accountable for damages, but if victims hold a percentage of fault for the incident, they will have their compensation reduced by that percentage.
An attorney from our firm will work to gather evidence to both prove the property owner’s fault and protect you from unwarranted assignments of blame.
As per RCW 4.16.080, victims have three years to file their accident claims with the court. To ensure timely filing, reach out to a slip and fall lawyer in Seattle, WA, quickly after your accident. A swift connection gives our team time to determine the negligent party and file your claim within that legal deadline.
Washington’s laws can have a major impact on the amount of your compensation or whether you are allowed to pursue compensation at all. They represent one important reason why you need an accident injury lawyer following a slip and fall accident.
But our team offers even more than exceptional legal knowledge and insight–you can trust Siegfried & Jensen for compassionate support and consistent communication throughout your case.
Representation from Seattle Slip and Fall Lawyers Who Care
We know you will see many choices when searching for a Seattle slip and fall attorney. With all those options, it can be difficult to know which firm is the right legal partner for you.
It may help you to know that the team at Siegfried & Jensen truly cares about clients as people, not just cases. When we fight for you, we are not just looking to add a successful case to our history–we want to deliver the justice you deserve.
