A slip and fall accident in a parking lot can occur unexpectedly and it can be life-changing and traumatising. If you tripped and fell on someone’s property because of their negligence, you can file a lawsuit. The property owner should keep the area safe for every visitor who is legally there. If the property manager failed in his or her duty, they can be held liable. This is according to premises liability law, which states that owners are responsible for any injuries that happen on their premises. Therefore, if you sustained injuries because the owner failed to remove any dangerous hazards, they will have to compensate you for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering among others. The knowledgeable parking lot slip and fall accident lawyer at Salamati Law Firm in Los Angeles has provided several crucial scenarios where you may qualify to file a lawsuit for your injuries.
Even if the owner did not know about any dangers in the environment but should have known, you can still sue them. For example, if you trip and get hurt because the floor is full of ice, the attorney can demonstrate that the management should have known about the danger because of weather news or based on the normal conditions of the floor, that it could have become more unsafe. They should have either poured salt on the ice or shovelled it all to protect visitors. Alternatively, they should have put up warning signs to tell visitors to be careful when driving or walking on the skiddy surface. If they took none of these precautionary measures, you have grounds to sue.
Owners should avoid dangerous conditions such as poorly maintained pavements, poor lighting, confusing and inadequate signage, wheel stops and ice on their surfaces. If you get hurt because of someone’s negligence, you should:
Seek medical attention
If you have tripped and fell, you should seek medical assistance so any injuries can be treated. Moreover, this will enable you to document the injuries that you sustained and how they occurred.
Take evidence and file a report
You should take pictures or videos of the scene and any other dangerous conditions of the area such as cracked flooring, protruding surfaces and wet floors. Moreover, you should inform the business about the incident and fill a form about the injuries to create a timeline for the incident.
Gather information from witnesses and keep records
You should get the names and contacts of the witnesses, even if they saw events before or after the tragic incident happened. You should also save every paperwork, including bills, medical records and documentation showing lost work or wages.
Work with an attorney
The attorney will help to evaluate your claim, spot the important issues in your case and help you get compensation.
Conclusion
You can file a lawsuit and get rightful compensation if you tripped and sustained injuries in someone’s property. The owner may owe you monetary compensation if the unfortunate event happened as a result of cracked pavements, poor lighting, ineffective signs and poor maintenance among other things. To increase chances of getting your rightful compensation for any damages sustained, you should save all documents, take pictures of the scene, gather information from witnesses and work with amazing attorneys.