The Great Equalizer: Slip and Fall Accidents

The Great Equalizer: Slip and Fall Accidents

As evident by a recent lawsuit filed by a pro athlete, slip and fall cases are not limited to falls in grocery stores by average individuals. The lawsuit also brings to light how serious slip and fall accidents can be and how important it is to seek treatment immediately to determine whether a lawsuit is necessary. Regardless of your station in life, an accident caused by someone else’s negligence can have a very serious and long term effect on your life.

The professional treatment

Many believe that slip and fall accidents are a gimmick, created by greedy plaintiffs who are seeking a fast, lucrative paycheck for something as simple as falling down. The reality, however, is much more serious. As in the case of the tennis professional referenced above, her injury caused her to suffer serious head trauma that led to her being forced to withdraw from numerous tournaments. Because of these withdrawals and her inability to perform at the same level as before the accident, she has also allegedly fallen in the world rankings. An unsympathetic mind may not believe this is all that terrible, given the fact that she is a famous individual and therefore perceived as having sufficient wealth to cover any harm. However, when thought of in the context of an average citizen, such an injury can lead to missed work or even termination if the injured person cannot perform at the level they once could.

Negligence

What many people forget when discussing slip and fall accidents is that they are most often the result of someone else’s derogation of duty. Whether it is the traditional example of a grocery store manager not paying attention to dangerous conditions in his store or a world class sporting venue not properly maintaining the areas commonly used by participants, the law remains the same. Negligence has been defined by Wisconsin courts as being comprised of four elements: “duty, breach, cause and damages.” What this means is that in order for someone to be held legally responsible for a slip and fall accident, they must have owed a duty to the injured person, breached that duty (through carelessness or wanton disregard for others’ safety), the breach caused the person’s injury, and the injury was such that it caused the person to suffer damages (i.e. bodily injury leading to monetary loss).

The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C.

Questions?

The court system was designed to allow people who have been injured to bring the alleged wrongdoer before a neutral body and obtain a fair judgment that places them in a position that is equal to where they were before the accident. It is not greed to want what you are entitled to by law and right. If you have been injured by someone else’s negligence, call the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C in Antioch and speak to an attorney today. Our team can help you decide the best path forward toward full recovery.

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