A slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident in New York can cause devastating injuries
ranging from head injuries to bone fractures and sprains. Our experienced New York City personal injury lawyers know that such victims face the possibility of disabilities and disfigurement and may also end up being unable to work for long periods of time — in some cases permanently.
Regardless of how minor you believe the effects of the fall you had suffered, it is important that you see a medical provider immediately after the incident. Whether you fall at work, slip on ice in a parking lot or trip on debris on a stairway, you should always see a doctor. Many slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents result in hidden injuries such as sprains, soft tissue damage or concussions, which may not surface for days or even weeks after an accident.
Seeking medical attention as soon as possible after such an incident can reduce your risk of experiencing more serious health effects and at the same time, create documentation detailing the types of injuries you sustained and the treatments you received, should you decide to seek compensation for your losses by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Types of Injuries in a Slip-and-Fall or Trip-and-Fall Accident
There are a number of injuries that may occur as the result of a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident depending on the type and severity of the fall. Here are some of the most common injuries resulting from such accidents:
• Head injuries
• Joint injuries (knee, hip, shoulder, ankle)
• Back and spinal cord injuries
• Hip fractures
• Broken bones
• Soft tissue damage
• Lacerations
• Internal bleeding
Recognizing the Red Flags
Even if you suffer a so-called “minor” injury in a fall, you may end up experiencing chronic pain that may keep you from working and decrease your quality of life. In addition, it may leave you with costly medical bills that are compounded by an unexpected loss of income. Here are some of the warning signs that should prompt you to seek medical attention as soon as possible:
• If you have severe or continuing pain.
• Obvious swelling or bleeding
• Headaches with or without loss of consciousness
• Issues with memory
• Loss of balance
• Bruising
• Back or neck pain
• Dizziness and/or nausea
• Stomach pain
If you have these or other symptoms, go to an emergency department right away. Also schedule follow-up appointments with your primary care physician. Your doctor may refer you to specialists for further treatment. Be sure to follow your doctor’s orders.
Proving Your Case
A victim who has been injured in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall case can file a personal injury claim to recover damages. In such cases, the burden of proof is on you, the plaintiff (victim), to show negligence (carelessness) or fault on the part of the defendant. You must prove that the defendant had a duty of care, that he or she violated that duty, and that you suffered verifiable injuries and damages as a result of such negligence (carelessness).
Medical records and documentation can be vital pieces of evidence in your slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall case. Such documentation may include hospital admission forms, daily heath charts, diagnosis records, discharge instructions, medicines prescribed, test results, treatment plans, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you were involved in a slip-and-fall or a trip-and-fall accident as a result of someone else’s negligence (carelessness), please remember that you have rights. Some of the damages that victims of such accidents can claim include, but are not limited to, medical expenses, loss of wages and benefits, cost of hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, past and future pain and suffering, permanent injury, etc.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. For over 50 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims.
Our law firm recovered $1,700,000 for a woman who slipped and fell and received no hospital or medical treatment for one month after the accident. Our law firm also recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and/or medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com