Birmingham Slip & Fall Lawyer
If you’ve slipped and fallen in Birmingham, AL, you could be entitled to compensation. The negligent property owner may owe you compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. An experienced slip & fall lawyer at Lattof & Lattof, P.C. can help you get the money you deserve.
We’ve been standing up for accident victims in Birmingham and across Alabama since 1952. In that time, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions in compensation for clients when they needed it the most.
Our attorneys have the proven experience you need in your corner. Don’t take our word for it. Call our law offices today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.
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How Lattof & Lattof, P.C Can Help After a Slip & Fall in Birmingham, AL
Slips, trips, and falls happen all the time in Birmingham, Alabama. Most of the time, we brush ourselves off and get on with our lives. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
If you were hurt because someone else failed to take reasonable steps to maintain their property, the responsible party should have to compensate you for your losses. In fact, Alabama premises liability laws require property owners to pay up when their negligence causes your injuries.
At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., our personal injury lawyers invest whatever manpower and resources your case requires. We don’t sit back and wait for the insurance company to offer up a fair settlement. Instead, we go out and investigate for ourselves.
When you hire us, you’ll have an attorney who will:
- Gather relevant evidence, including accident reports, video footage, witness statements, and more
- Consult respected experts to put a fair value on your slip and fall case
- Defend you when the insurance company tries to escape liability by blaming the victim
- Work with specialists to put a fair value on your injury claim
- Evaluate the insurance company’s offer to determine whether it’s fair
Whether you’re just getting started or have an insurance offer on the table, our Birmingham personal injury attorneys can help. Collectively, we have over 100 years of experience helping clients like you. Give us a quick call today for a free case evaluation to learn how we’ll use that experience to your advantage.
How Common Are Slip & Fall Accidents in Birmingham?
According to CDC estimates, over 3 million Americans visit the emergency room for fall-related injuries each year. In 2018, 18 Alabama residents lost their lives in work-related slips and falls. Thousands more are hospitalized for serious fall injuries every year.
What is My Birmingham Slip & Fall Accident Case Worth?
Our slip and fall accident lawyers analyze all the facts before giving an exact opinion about what a personal injury case is worth. Every case is unique. The results are often different even when two people sustain the exact same injuries.
That said, there are a number of factors that influence the value of your injury claim, including:
- The cost of your medical treatment over time
- The value of your lost wages, income, and earning potential
- Your prognosis–and whether the disability will be permanent
- The effect of the injury on your daily activities
- Whether liability has been clearly established
At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., our primary goal is maximizing your settlement award. We’ll reach an estimate before we sit down with the insurance company–and if the insurer insists on sticking to a lowball amount, we’ll argue for what’s fair in court.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Slip & Fall Accident Victims?
The physical, emotional, and financial costs of a slip and fall injury can be shocking. You might be unable to work while you recover–and the pain can keep you from enjoying your everyday life.
When someone else caused the injury, you deserve fair compensation. At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., we’ll fight to recover full compensation for your losses. Slip and fall victims in Alabama are entitled to two primary forms of damages: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover the financial cost of your injury.
Economic damages provide compensation for things like:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and income
- Diminished earning potential
- Medical devices
- Medications
- Rehabilitation
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are meant to compensate for your pain and inconvenience.
Common types of non-economic damages in Alabama include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Anxiety and depression
- Chronic pain
- Loss of consortium
Non-economic damages can be difficult to value. Experts in medicine, life planning, and other specialties can often help us put a dollar value on these losses.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Slip & Fall Accident in Alabama?
Alabama is a contributory negligence state. That means accident victims are barred from recovering damages if they’re partly responsible for their accident. If you’re found to be even 1% liable, you can lose your right to compensation entirely.
Alabama is one of the few states that follow such a harsh comparative fault rule. Insurance companies almost always try to use this to their advantage. They might try to twist the facts to scare you into accepting a lowball settlement or pressure you into settling before speaking with an attorney.
Don’t get stuck with the bill for an injury you didn’t cause. Call an experienced personal injury lawyer for help right away if you’re being blamed for an accident. At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., our lawyers in Birmingham can help you fight back.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Slip & Fall Accident Injuries
Slip and fall injuries can be minor or serious. Bear in mind that even a relatively “minor” injury can require expensive medical care and keep you out of work.
Some of the most common slip and fall accident injuries we see include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue damage
- Knee injuries
- Broken hips
- Ankle and wrist injuries
- Shoulder injuries
An extremely serious slip and fall can lead to paralysis and even wrongful death, especially among older Alabama residents.
Regardless of the type of injury involved, it’s always important to seek medical attention immediately if you’ve slipped and fallen on someone else’s property. Getting quality medical care is crucial to your health–and following doctor’s orders can be key to preserving your right to compensation under Alabama law.
What Causes Most Slip & Fall Accidents in Birmingham, Alabama?
Slip and falls happen all the time–in grocery stores, restaurants, and even private homes.
Some of the most common causes of trip and fall accidents in Birmingham include:
- Slippery floors
- Spills
- Broken or crumbling pavement
- Missing handrails
- Uneven stair treads
- Loose cables and wires
- Loose carpeting or floor mats
- Poor lighting
- Broken pavement
- Holes in a parking lot
- A buildup of debris or clutter
- Lack of supportive equipment or handrails in restrooms
- Lack of protective safety equipment on worksites
Were you injured on someone else’s property? Call our Birmingham slip and fall attorneys today for help holding the negligent property owner accountable.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Slip & Fall Accident in Alabama?
Property owners aren’t strictly liable for damages even if a fall accident occurs on their property. Instead, these cases depend on whether the property owner exercised reasonable care to keep their property safe. In other words, you’ll have to prove negligence to recover compensation for your injuries.
Negligence is a failure to exercise ordinary care.
In legal terms, plaintiffs have to prove four elements to recover damages, including:
- A duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
The duty of care in premises liability cases depends upon why the injured party was on the property. Business owners owe a heightened duty of care to their customers, who are called “invitees.”
Business owners, who profit when invitees visit their premises, have a duty to:
- Fix any known hazards
- Conduct regular inspections to identify any unsafe conditions on the property
- Place adequate warnings if they’re unable to fix a dangerous condition immediately
Private homeowners don’t have to go to such lengths to keep you safe. These owners have a duty to warn social guests, or licensees, about hidden dangers–but they don’t have to inspect the property to locate unknown hazards.
Alabama premises liability laws don’t offer much protection for trespassers. The owner can’t intentionally harm a trespasser, but they aren’t required to warn about any dangerous property conditions in most cases.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Slip & Fall Accident in Alabama?
The Alabama statute of limitations puts a deadline on your right to file a lawsuit for damages. Slip and fall victims have only two years to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Understanding the statute of limitations in your personal injury case is critical. Once the two-year anniversary of your accident has passed, you lose your right to compensation if you have not filed your case.
Contact a Birmingham Slip & Fall Lawyer for a Free Consultation
At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., we’ve been helping slip and fall victims in Birmingham, Alabama, recover fair compensation for over 65 years. Our aggressive and thorough approach has helped countless clients recover the fair compensation they deserve. If you were injured, call an experienced Birmingham slip & fall lawyer who will fight for you today.
