If you are injured on someone else’s property in the state of Georgia by slipping and falling or by tripping and falling, you are entitled under state law to full compensation for your ongoing and future medical expenses, lost wages and lost earnings capacity, pain, suffering, and more.
Across the state of Georgia, the law requires the maintenance of private properties to keep those properties reasonably hazard-free and safe.
If you are injured in a slip and fall or a trip and fall accident because of a property owner’s negligence, you’ll need to be advised and represented by an Atlanta personal injury attorney who has dedicated their entire legal career to helping the victims get the justice they deserve.
If You Are Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident, Who Can Help?
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s private property in Georgia, you’ll need to contact The Angell Law Firm at once and arrange to speak with our team of injury lawyers.
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about slip and fall injuries that we have received in our office. Please note that every case is unique, and if you’ve been injured, you’ll need individualized advice from The Angell Law Firm.
How Do Most Slip-and-Fall Injuries Happen?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a million people are injured every year in the U.S. in slip and fall accidents.
Almost any existing hazard on another person’s private property could trigger a slip and fall accident, but the leading causes of slip-and-fall injuries are:
- dangerous or defective stairs, porches, and balconies
- poor lighting, both indoors and in parking lots
- potholes or broken pavement in parking lots and sidewalks
- slick or wet floors and broken floor tiles
- worn or curled carpeting
- retail displays tipping over, falling merchandise, and shopping carts
- accumulations of rain, snow, or slush
If you sustain a slip and fall injury in an accident caused by defective stairs, safety railings, or lighting, you may qualify to bring a premises liability lawsuit against the property owner on the basis of a building code violation.
What Does Georgia Law Require of Property Owners?
Property owners in Georgia may be held accountable for an injury if they:
- create a hazard on the property that causes an injury
- know of a hazard on the property but fail to fix or repair that hazard
The outcomes of premises liability cases usually hinge on the answers to these questions:
- Did the property owner honestly try to meet the legal duty to keep the property safe?
- Was the injured victim negligent for overlooking and not avoiding the hazard?
To be found liable for injuries in a premises liability slip and fall case, a property owner (or the owner’s designated property manager or property caretaker) must either have been:
- aware of the hazard, but failed to act on it
- unaware of the hazard, but should have known about it
The second scenario – an owner or manager was unaware of a hazard but should have known about it – makes for the most difficult slip and fall cases.
Judges and juries in these cases must decide if a property owner or manager took “reasonable” steps to maintain a property and keep it safe.
When Are Property Owners Liable for Injuries?
You’ll see the word “reasonable” frequently used in premises liability cases. That’s because a property owner may not be able to repair a hazard immediately – or may not yet even be aware of an emerging or developing hazard.
A property owner also may not be liable if someone is injured by an obvious hazard that an average person would naturally and normally see and sidestep.
Thus, many Georgia premises liability cases focus on this question: Did the property’s owner act with the same care and diligence that an average, reasonable property owner would exercise in a similar situation?
Listed below are some of the more precise questions that may arise in a slip and fall premises liability case:
- How recently had the hazard emerged? Was there enough time for the property owner to know about it?
- Does the owner regularly examine and clean or repair the property? Can the owner provide proof of regular maintenance?
- Could the accident have been prevented by marking or roping off the hazard area?
- Was poor lighting, defective stairs or railings, or broken or cracked pavement a factor causing the accident?
If any of the answers to these questions point to a property owner’s liability, that owner may be ordered to reimburse the victim for all current and future medical expenses arising from the injury, any wages or future earning capacity lost due to the injury, pain, suffering, and more.
Can an Employer Be Sued for Slip and Fall Injuries at Work?
In most cases, employers in Georgia cannot be sued for workplace and job-related injuries.
Workplace and job-related injuries are almost always handled through Georgia’s workers’ compensation system, so a workers’ comp claim – rather than a premises liability lawsuit – is typically the appropriate remedy for a workplace or job-related injury.
Nevertheless, when a third party has any responsibility for a workplace or job-related injury, the victim may be able to pursue a personal injury action against that party.
Premises liability law is complicated in Georgia, and as mentioned previously, every case is different.
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident at work, discuss the details with an experienced accident lawyer at The Angell Law Firm. Your first consultation and case review is free, so it will not cost you anything to learn where you stand and how the law applies to your own case.
In Georgia, What Can Slip and Fall Accident Victims Receive?
Victims who sustain slip and fall injuries on private property may receive compensation for:
- all injury-related medical costs, including future surgeries, therapy, and rehabilitation
- all lost wages as well as any loss of earning capacity
- past and future injury-related pain and suffering
- temporary or permanent disability
Of course, the victims who suffer disabling, catastrophic, or permanent injuries will require the maximum amount of available compensation.
Can Property Owners Be Liable for Other Injuries?
In addition to slip and fall and trip and fall accidents, private property owners may also be liable for:
- injuries caused by assault, battery, robbery, or other crimes
- drownings and other swimming pool injuries
- dog bites, bed bugs, contaminated water or soil, food poisoning, and other safety risks
Put the Angell Law Firm to Work for You
When you slip or trip on private property and you are injured, the team of skilled slip and fall attorneys at the Angell Law Firm can immediately launch an investigation of the accident, compile evidence, and question the witnesses on your behalf.
The Angell Law Firm will handle your injury claim and negotiate for your reimbursement.
Most slip and fall cases are settled out-of-court, but if a reasonable settlement amount is not offered, a lawyer will take your case to trial and will fight aggressively for your compensation – and for justice.
If you were seriously injured or permanently or temporarily disabled in a slip and fall accident, you’ll need the maximum compensation amount, and you’ll need the legal team that knows what it takes to win that compensation.
How Can You Learn More About Your Rights?
To learn more about slip and fall injuries and your rights – or to learn if you qualify to file a premises liability lawsuit – call The Angell Law Firm in Atlanta at (770) 217-4954.
We offer a free first legal consultation, and if we handle a lawsuit for you, you’ll pay us no fees until we obtain a settlement or verdict on your behalf.
If you’ve been injured by someone’s negligence in Georgia, compensation is your right. The Angell Law Firm can help.
