Slip and fall accidents may make for great slapstick comedy in the movies. However, in real life, these types of accidents can often result in serious injuries that have long-lasting ramifications on your life. If you suffer an injury due to a slip and fall accident, recovering compensation from the liable party can be critical to getting your life back on track.
At the 1Law Richfield office, we have helped countless slip and fall injury victims get the money they need and deserve after an accident. Contact our experienced slip and fall accident lawyers today to get a free consultation and learn more about your options after a slip and fall accident.
When a slip and fall lawyer takes on your case, one of the first things they will do will be to launch an investigation into your slip and fall accident. The purpose of this investigation will be to determine all potentially liable parties and gather evidence to support your injury claim. This investigation will likely involve:
Once your slip and fall lawyer has completed their investigation, they will assess your damages and calculate the value of your claim. They will then proceed to file paperwork with the appropriate party. If you are filing an insurance claim, this means submitting the claim to the liable party’s insurer. If you are filing a lawsuit, they will submit the documents to the court.
When filing a lawsuit, your slip and fall accident attorney will then go through the pretrial process before representing you in court, if necessary. During each step of the process, your attorney will be in contact with the legal representatives from the other side, attempting to negotiate a fair settlement deal and avoid a court battle.
Slip and fall attorneys typically work on a contingency fee basis. That means that unlike many other attorneys that will charge you for every minute they spend working on your case, no matter the outcome, slip and fall attorneys only get paid if you collect compensation. If you do collect, your lawyer’s fee will be taken as a predetermined percentage of your payout.
With this system, you can feel confident that your attorney will do everything in their power to win your case. Not only that, but since the amount they collect increases with each additional dollar you receive, you can rest assured that they will work hard to get you as much money as possible.
There are a wide variety of damages that you may qualify for after a slip and fall accident. The precise damages you can recover will depend on the specifics of your case. Compensatory damages can generally be divided into economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are the losses you suffer that have a direct impact on your financial situation. They include things like:
Non-economic damages are far more challenging to quantify. These are the losses that really change your life and which no amount of money can truly make right. Because of this, non-economic damages often make up the bulk of a compensation package after a slip and fall accident. Non-economic damages cover:
Punitive damages are only awarded in special cases. The purpose of punitive damages is not to compensate accident victims for their losses. Instead, these damages serve to punish the at-fault party.
Punitive damages are only awarded in cases when it is determined that the actions of the responsible party were grossly negligent and performed with wanton disregard for public safety.
The Utah statute of limitations for slip and fall accidents is generally four years. However, you should be aware that under certain circumstances, the amount of time you have to file may be altered. For instance, if the liable party was a government agency, the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit will be significantly reduced.
Even when there are no special circumstances that limit your window for filing, getting started early will always put you in the best position. Delays can lead to evidence becoming lost or corrupted. In addition, witness testimony is less reliable with each passing day. By hiring an attorney early, they can collect and preserve all evidence and record sworn witness depositions.
When hiring a slip and fall accident attorney, it is critical to find someone with experience and a proven track record of getting favorable results for their clients. At the 1Law office in Richfield, our legal team has helped countless accident victims get back on their feet after a slip and fall.
Give us a call, fill out our online contact form, or use our chat tool to get in touch with us about your case. We offer free consultations where we will review the facts of your case and answer all of your questions. There is no obligation to retain our services so contact us today to get started.