Every year, over 8 million Americans visit emergency rooms because they have slipped and fell on someone’s property. Fractures are one of the most common injuries in slip and fall accidents. About 5% of people who fall suffer one or more fractures. Because slips and falls are a common type of accident claim, insurance companies often try to minimize or deny them to save money. If you were hurt in a fall in Columbia, MO, a Columbia slip and fall accident lawyer can protect your right to compensation.
If you slipped and fell while visiting someone else’s property in Columbia, Missouri, Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers can explain your legal rights and options. Call us at (314) 444-4444.
We have over 100 years of combined legal experience, which we can use to help you secure fair compensation for your injuries. Contact us today for your free case review with a Columbia slip and fall accident attorney.
How Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Slip And Fall Accident in Columbia, MO
If you slipped and fell on property belonging to someone else in Columbia, Missouri, you may be suffering from painful injuries. You may not have the time or patience to deal with insurance companies that just want to minimize the money they have to pay for someone else’s negligence. Having an award-winning law firm on your side can help you level the playing field.
Our Columbia personal injury attorneys have been recognized as National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America. We have also been named Best Lawyers in St. Louis by St. Louis Magazine and are members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Our clients have received over $100 million due to our hard work and dedication.
When you hire a Columbia slip and fall accident attorney from Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers, you can reasonably expect us to:
- Investigate your slip and fall accident claim and identify who is at fault
- Gather evidence to establish liability
- Accurately assess the full extent of your damages
- Handle communication and legal claims with the insurance company and other parties
- Fight for fair compensation
Our Columbia slip and fall accident lawyers can discuss your legal options during a free case review. Call us today to get started and learn how we can represent you on a contingency fee basis.
Common Types of Slip and Fall Accidents In Columbia
There are various types of slip and fall accidents that can occur in Columbia, MO, including:
- Slips and falls in parking lots
- Slips and falls on the job
- Falls at grocery stores, restaurants, and bars
- Slips and falls at retail stores and big box warehouses
- Falls from heights
- Falls on construction sites
- Child injuries at parks and playgrounds
- Falls in nursing homes and hospitals
- Slips and falls on governmental property
- Falls at schools, universities, and colleges
- Slips and falls on private property
- Falls caused by dog bites and attacks
A slip and fall accident lawyer can review your situation and determine if you have a viable claim against the property owner or other liable party.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents In Columbia, Missouri
Some of the main causes of slip and fall accidents include:
- Wet floors and walkways
- Waxed floors
- Food or spills on the floor that have not been cleaned up
- Lack of warning signs
- Snow and ice
- Inadequate lighting
- Broken or missing handrails
- Broken pavement
- Torn carpeting
- Poor maintenance
- Damaged flooring
Property owners can be held responsible when visitors slip and fall because of these hazardous conditions.
Common Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents
Slips and falls can cause serious injuries. Sometimes, accident victims suffer from broken hips or other broken bones. Other times, they may fall on their head. Some accident victims may walk away from a fall with only cuts or bruises.
Some of the most common injuries from slips and falls include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Closed head injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Ruptured discs
- Arm, hand, or finger injuries
- Sprains or strains
- Nerve damage
- Torn ligaments or tendons
- Wrongful death
Not all injuries after a fall are immediately apparent. It’s important to seek medical attention promptly so medical professionals can properly diagnose and treat you.
What Is My Slip and Fall Accident Case In Columbia Worth?
Every slip and fall case is different, and its value can be affected by various factors such as:
- Your health and age
- The type of injuries you suffered
- The severity of your injuries and whether they are permanent
- The type and duration of your medical treatment
- How much time you miss from work
- Whether you are able to return to work
- The extent of your pain and suffering
- Whether you were partially at fault for the accident
- The impact your injuries will have on your life
The best way to determine the value of your case is to contact an experienced Columbia slip and fall attorney. Our law office provides a free case review to discuss your case.
Who Is Responsible for My Slip and Fall Accident In Columbia?
Every slip and fall accident case is different.
Different parties can be responsible for a slip and fall, including:
- Property owners
- Landlords
- Property management companies
- Residential or commercial tenants
- Employers
- Government agencies
Your lawyer can investigate your case and determine all potentially at-fault parties.
How to Prove Negligence in a Slip and Fall Accident in Columbia
To recover compensation for your injuries, you must be able to show the following legal elements by a preponderance of the evidence.
Duty of Care
The duty of care is the legal duty that the defendant has to prevent the accident from occurring.
Property owners in Missouri are required to follow certain rules regarding their property, based on the legal status of the visitor, as follows:
- Invitee – An invitee is someone who the defendant invited on the property, usually for their financial gain, such as a store customer. Because these visitors are on the property for the owner’s financial gain, the defendant owes the highest duty of care to them. Property owners must protect invitees from known dangers and those they could reasonably discover upon inspection.
- Licensee – A licensee is someone who is allowed on the property for non-business purposes, such as a social guest. Property owners must fix known hazards to protect licensees or warn them about them.
- Trespasser – A trespasser is not legally on the property. The defendant did not expressly or impliedly invite the visitor onto the property. Property owners need only avoid intentionally injuring trespassers.
Property owners must regularly inspect the property and promptly fix hazards or warn visitors about them. Failure to do so can result in liability.
An experienced lawyer can review your circumstances and explain your legal status and the property owner’s duties toward you.
Breach of Duty of Care
A breach of duty of care occurs when the property owner fails to uphold their legal duty. For example, they may fail to inspect the property, fix hazards, or warn visitors about these hazards.
Causation
Your lawyer can gather and preserve evidence to help show the defendant’s breach caused your injuries, such as:
- Accident reports
- Reports of similar problems to show the defendant was aware of the hazardous condition
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Personnel records
- Maintenance records
You must be able to show the connection between the defendant’s breach of their duty and your injuries.
Damages
Damages are the losses that accident victims experience because of their injuries. In order to recover compensation, you must show that the defendant’s breach of duty caused you to suffer damages.
Your lawyer can help you establish these elements and advise you of the deadline that applies in your case.
What if I’m Being Blamed for the Slip and Fall Accident?
Missouri is a pure comparative negligence state. This allows you to recover compensation if you are partially at fault for the slip and fall accident. However, the amount of compensation you can receive will be reduced in proportion to your amount of fault.
What Damages Are Available After a Slip and Fall Accident?
Damages that accident victims may be able to recover through slip and fall claims may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Disability, disfigurement, and/or scarring
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
A skilled personal injury lawyer can work with you to establish the full extent of your damages and recover fair compensation.
What Is The Deadline for Filing a Slip and Fall Accident Case In Columbia?
Each state has its own time limits for filing certain legal action. Most slip and fall cases are based on the legal concept of negligence. In Missouri, accident victims have five years to file their lawsuit under Missouri’s statute of limitations.
However, if you are filing a wrongful death claim based on a slip and fall, you have three years to file the lawsuit.
If the applicable deadline expires before you have filed your case, you can lose your chance to recover compensation through the courts.
Contact Our Trusted Columbia Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Review
Did you slip and fall while visiting someone else’s property in Columbia, MO? If so, you might have the right to pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Reach out to our Columbia slip and fall accident lawyers for help.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers has successfully recovered more than $100 million for our deserving clients. We are ready to fight for your fair compensation. Call us today for your free, no-obligation consultation.
