Tacoma, WA Slip and Fall Accident Attorney
With about 200,000 residents, Tacoma is the third-largest city in Washington. Sometimes known as “T-Town,” Tacoma is known for its unpretentious vibe and community spirit. Locals will tell you they enjoy Tacoma’s urban amenities, as well as the relaxed pace of life. Tacoma is well-known for its outdoor spaces, including beautiful parks like Point Defiance Park. Point Defiance consists of 700 acres of beaches, nature trails, and the popular Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. Cultural exhibits abound in Tacoma; visitors and residents alike enjoy the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Washington State History Museum. Tacoma residents love the natural beauty surrounding the city, but even amidst such majestic views, accidents can happen.
A slip and fall can occur when a person slips or trips, causing injury. When that individual is on public or private property, the owner of the property may be liable for the accident, depending on the circumstances. These are known as premises liability claims. Any number of hazards can cause a slip and fall accident, but if the hazard was known—or should have been known—by the owner of the property, he or she is liable for the resulting injuries. It can be extremely helpful to have an experienced Tacoma slip and fall attorney by your side to guide you through the process and ensure you receive an equitable amount for your damages. The attorneys at Palace Law have helped many people just like you who have suffered a serious slip and fall accident. We can help you get your life back on track because we truly care about your future.
Why Choose Palace Law for Your Slip and Fall Case?
At Palace Law, we know you have choices when looking for a Tacoma slip and fall attorney. We hope you will consider the stellar qualifications of the Palace Law attorneys and choose us! We have extensive knowledge of the laws in the state pertaining to slip and fall accidents and personal injury claims. We will fight aggressively for your rights, ensuring you are properly compensated for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients and are available 24/7 to assist you after your accident. At Palace Law we provide you with:
- Four lawyers that have tried more than 200 cases each
- Service at your home or medical facility if you are too injured to travel
- Free legal forms
- More than 1,500 positive client reviews
- A fast and free case assessment—you can afford to hire an attorney; it costs $0 to hire us. We only get paid if we win your case.
We believe you will benefit from hiring Palace Law for your slip and fall accident. We will look out for your rights at every turn, and we truly care about your future.
How Do Most Slip and Fall Accidents Occur?
Almost every individual will experience a slip, trip, and fall accident at some point in their life. In many cases, it is nothing but an accident and causes no real injury. Other times, however, a slip and fall accident is clearly due to the negligence of another person or entity. Slip and fall accidents are personal injuries that fall under premises liability claims. Owners of properties must ensure their buildings, homes, parking lots, and walkways are properly maintained to ensure there are no existing hazards that can cause a slip and fall accident. Some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents include:
- Torn or frayed carpeting
- Uneven flooring heights
- Poor lighting
- Narrow staircases
- A wet, or slippery floor
- Broken or cracked sidewalks
- Lack of handrails on stairs
- Boxes or objects in walk paths
- Loose rugs
- Snow and ice on flooring
- Oily surfaces
- Debris on the floor
- Uncovered cables stretched across a walkway
- Potholes
- Missing or uneven steps
How Do You Prove Liability in a Slip and Fall Accident?
If you are filing a claim for your Tacoma slip and fall accident, it is essential that you be able to show liability. Premises liability claims hinge on whether the property owner acted in a careless manner by ignoring a known hazard. The owner or the owner’s employees must have known the hazard existed and failed to remedy it—or, at the very least, posted a sign warning of the hazard. So, the owner must have known the condition existed (or reasonably should have known) and failed to correct the condition.
In some cases, the owner may have actually created the condition, or the condition must have existed for such a length of time that the owner should have discovered and corrected the condition. As an example, if a sudden rain occurs and a shopper walks into a grocery store, slipping and falling because they have tracked in moisture—but the employees or owner have not had any time to put up hazard signs, then they are unlikely to be held liable.
If, on the other hand, someone spills a drink at the grocery store and the spill has been there for an hour, causing a slip and fall, the owner of the store would likely be held liable. For a property owner to be held liable for a slip and fall accident it must have been foreseeable that the negligence would create a hazard.
What Should You Do Following a Slip and Fall Accident?
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, it is important to remember the following steps to take immediately following the accident:
- Seek immediate medical treatment. Even if you do not think you are hurt that badly, it is important that you are checked out by a medical professional. In many cases, injuries can manifest days or weeks following the slip and fall accident—if you did not seek immediate medical attention the insurance company may attempt to claim your injuries were not due to the slip and fall. Your medical records will be extremely important for your attorney as he or she builds your slip and fall claim.
- If you are physically able, you should take photographs with your phone of the hazard that caused your slip and fall accident.
- If there were witnesses to your slip and fall, obtain contact information from all witnesses.
- Make sure you fully document everything, even if you think the detail may not be important. Write down what you were doing prior to the slip and fall, what caused the slip and fall, how management or employees responded to your slip and fall, the date and time of your fall, and even what shoes and clothing you were wearing at the time.
- Do not give a statement to the property owner, management, or employees, and do not post any details related to your slip and fall on social media. Do not give a statement to the insurance company until you have had the opportunity to speak to a Tacoma slip and fall attorney.
- Contact a Tacoma slip and fall attorney as quickly as possible.
What Type of Injuries Are Most Common Following a Tacoma Slip and Fall Accident?
Slip and fall injuries can be extremely serious, causing long-lasting and debilitating injuries. The CDC estimates that one out of every five falls leads to a severe injury, such as a brain injury, broken hip, or spinal cord injury. More than 800,000 patients a year are hospitalized due to a slip and fall injury, with at least 300,000 older people hospitalized for hip fractures following a slip and fall accident. Aside from bumps, bruises, and minor scrapes, some of the more serious injuries resulting from a slip and fall accident include:
- Concussions, head injuries, and brain injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Pelvic injuries
- Bone fractures
- Neck injuries
Many of these injuries will require extensive, long-term medical treatments and may also require considerable time away from work during your recovery.
What Damages Could You Receive for Your Slip and Fall Accident?
If you have suffered injury from a slip and fall due to negligence, you could receive various types of compensation for your injuries. While your exact compensation will depend on the facts surrounding your slip and fall accident, you will likely be entitled to receive the following damages:
- Medical expenses, both current and future
- Lost wages, current and future
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anxiety
- Physical pain
- Loss of quality of life
- Inability to handle day-to-day activities
- Transportation costs related to receiving medical treatments
How a Tacoma Slip and Fall Attorney from Palace Law Can Help
Having a Tacoma slip and fall attorney from Palace Law on your side can make a huge difference in the outcome of your accident with injuries. Our attorneys will handle all the details, including taking care of the paperwork and worrying about deadlines. At Palace Law, we always treat you like a person, never a case number. We keep you posted about the progress of your case, answering any questions you may have in a thorough, easy-to-understand manner. Because slip and fall claims can be complex—and property owners could fight your claim—having an experienced Palace Law attorney in your corner is essential. Contact Palace Law today for help with your slip and fall accident.