Were you hurt in a slip and fall injury in Virginia? If your injuries were caused by the recklessness or negligence of a property owner, manager, or government entity, contact CHASENBOSCOLO for help. With more than three decades of experience fighting for injured individuals and their families, you can rest easier knowing that you have a legal team with the right resources and skills to get you the compensation you are owed.
According to the law, property owners must reasonably maintain areas where visitors may frequent, such as hallways, floors, stairs and the outdoors area leading up to their entrance door. If they fail to do so and someone is seriously injured, they could be held liable for the harm that the victim suffered.
Call CHASENBOSCOLO, an experienced Virginia slip and fall injury firm, today at (703) 538-1138 to discuss your case with our compassionate and knowledgeable team. The consultation is free, and we’ll fight hard to get you compensated for this tragic event.
What Causes Slips and Falls?
Slips and falls have two distinct categories – same level falls, and elevated falls. Floors, sidewalks, and other flat surfaces are considered the same level as the individual; stairs, elevators and other areas with an incline are elevated. In America, 65% of all slip and fall injuries occur on same-level surfaces, with services, wholesale and retail sectors reporting the highest number of such injuries.
Uneven floors, wet or freshly waxed floors, ice, and unobtrusive objects cause many same-level accidents, with broken stairs and ice leading all elevated slip and fall injuries.
Why Do I Need a Slip and Fall Lawyer?
Virginia laws make proving slip and fall injuries much tougher than in other states. Although several court decisions have been reversed and remanded due to a trial court error, slip and fall cases must be strong enough to withstand cross-examination and any reasonable doubt. Most victims are either too sore to handle such an endeavor or would instead just settle the case before the court. In both scenarios, a slip and fall lawyer could be an asset to the victim.
When innocent people are seriously injured in any slip and fall accident, they deserve top-notch legal representation. That’s why many victims choose CHASENBOSCOLO to help them in situations where they cannot help themselves without fear of losing their case.
Steps to Take after a Slip and Fall Accident
Accidents that took place on another’s premises should follow specific steps to assure evidence is preserved, and to make sure unnecessary blame isn’t placed on the injured person. These steps are highlighted below:
- Unless you’ve been rendered unconscious, you’ll want to take note of the area in which you fell immediately. If you’re able to take photos, do so; video would work, too.
- Look around for witnesses, and ask them if they’d give a statement of the hazard, your fall, and reaction after the fall.
- Call an ambulance through 911. Describe what happened in detail, noting that witnesses saw the accident.
- When paramedics arrive, get treated. Even if injuries are minimal, take this precaution if you hit your head as concussions, traumatic brain injuries and internal bleeding won’t have immediate effects.
- Do not wash the clothing you were wearing or clean your shoes. These articles could be vital to any slip-and-fall injury claim that you may need to pursue.
- Phone a lawyer with experience in slip and fall cases in Virginia.
- Continue receiving medical care. You’ll need to get your body back to 100%.
Compensation Available to Victims
To get you the compensation that you need, CHASENBOSCOLO will need as much information as possible. This will include records or documents proving the premises owner violated their own maintenance and safety policies, records of other people’s recent injuries on the same property, medical bills and doctor’s notes regarding your post-accident condition, and any photographic evidence available.
Once your claim is built, we’ll then file our complaint in the Virginia court nearest to your accident. That complaint will trigger the business’s counsel to phone or email us and discuss potential settlement options, or at least open dialogue about your accident.
Any settlement received will reflect losses sustained by the victim, including:
- Wages which the injured person missed out on, including expected losses in the future;
- Medical bills, including any over-the-counter aids needed to help with recovery;
- Replacement of any personal property of value destroyed or damaged after the fall; and
- Pain and suffering, along with other noneconomic losses.
The exact amount victims may receive will depend on facts specific to their case.
Frequently Asked Questions about Slip and Fall Claims
Claims must be filed in the appropriate Virginia court within two (2) years of the accident. If personal property was damaged or destroyed, claims to recover money on that property must be filed within five (5) years. Slip and fall accidents that caused death must be filed within two (2) years from the date of death.
Virginia is one of few states that follows contributory negligence rules. If the defendant is able to prove the injured person was just 1% liable for their accident, the claim would be dismissed. It’s imperative to retain competent counsel in slip and fall cases where reasonable doubt may exist.
Property owners must have given the injured person some level of permission to exist on their property. As such, trespassers are generally excluded from filing an injury claim under most circumstances.
Let CHASENBOSCOLO Handle Your Slip and Fall Claim
Victims of accidents on another’s premises may miss several days, months or many years of work. They’ll accumulate medical bills and other expenses related to their accident. But what many victims fear the most is they’ll have to let the business or property owner off the hook because they can’t afford an attorney.
At CHASENBOSCOLO, we believe in fighting for victims of slip and fall accidents without asking for upfront payment. That’s why we take cases on a contingency fee basis. Victims will only pay for their accident if we win their case, and owe nothing if we lose. By adopting this structure, victims can concentrate on healing, and our firm can fight insurers and others until they are willing to settle.
Injured in a slip and fall accident? Schedule your free consultation by calling (703) 538-1138 or filling out an online contact form today, and let us put our experience to work for you.
