Colorado Springs Slip and Fall Attorneys
Slip and fall accidents can happen unexpectedly almost anywhere. Most people will experience this type of injury at some point, and most slip and fall injuries are minor, and treatable with over-the-counter first aid supplies. However, some slip and fall accidents have more serious consequences, including potentially life-changing injuries that result in permanent disability. When these incidents occur, victims must know how to prove liability if they sustained their injuries on private property.
Experienced Legal Counsel for Slip and Fall Claims in Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado law requires that every private property owner ensure their property is reasonably safe for lawful guests and visitors. This means identifying and addressing any foreseeable safety risks that could cause harm to lawful visitors. It’s important to note that property owners in Colorado Springs do not owe this same duty of care to trespassers or intruders. You only have grounds to file a premises liability claim if you were lawfully present on the property where the incident occurred.
The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal can provide comprehensive personal injury representation in Colorado Springs to victims of slip and fall accidents, helping them prove liability and secure compensation for their damages. Our firm has cultivated a strong reputation as a leading choice for personal injury counsel in the Colorado Springs area, and we are confident in our ability to handle the most challenging civil claims pertaining to premises liability.
How to Prove Fault for a Slip and Fall in Colorado Springs
A premises liability suit is a type of personal injury claim filed against a property owner. To succeed with this type of case, the plaintiff must prove that the property owner knew or reasonably should have known about the hazard that caused their injury but failed to take proper steps to prevent it from harming anyone. Slip and fall accidents can happen because of cluttered walking paths, unmarked wet floors, damaged stairs, and poor lighting in certain areas of a property.
The legal question of foreseeability is often central to a slip and fall accident case. The plaintiff must show that the hazard that caused their injury was an obvious or reasonably apparent safety issue that the property owner had a responsibility to address. Property owners must either fix such safety issues, post visible warning signs near them, or provide lawful visitors with clear verbal warnings.
Claiming Compensation for Your Slip and Fall Injury
Once you have proven that the property owner is responsible for the hazard that caused your slip and fall, you can proceed with claiming compensation for the damages you suffered in the incident. Many slip and fall accident victims sustain serious injuries like broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage. Some of these victims will eventually recover while others are left permanently disabled by their injuries.
The goal of any personal injury claim is for the plaintiff to prove liability for their damages and secure the compensation they need to recover as fully as possible from those damages. State law allows a personal injury plaintiff in a slip and fall accident claim to seek compensation for:
- Medical treatment costs. The defendant who caused your injury is responsible for the cost of all medical care you need to recover as fully as possible. Your Colorado Springs slip and fall attorney can help ensure that you receive appropriate compensation for both immediate and future medical expenses resulting from your injury. This means that if you suffered a serious injury that requires ongoing rehabilitative care, the defendant is liable for these future medical expenses.
- Property damage. If any of your personal belongings were damaged in the accident, the defendant is responsible for all associated repair and replacement costs.
- Lost wages. When you cannot work because of your personal injury, the defendant is liable for the income you are unable to earn during this time. If you have been permanently disabled by your injuries, the defendant is also responsible for the future income you are no longer able to earn. Your Colorado Springs slip and fall attorney can be essential for helping you accurately calculate these projected losses.
- Pain and suffering. It is possible to recover compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress you suffered from your accident and injuries. State law limits how much you can claim, but your attorney can assist you in maximizing this aspect of your case award.
Your Colorado Springs slip and fall attorney can help accurately calculate the full extent of damages you can include in the claim and streamline your receipt of compensation. The majority of personal injury suits each year end in settlement negotiations, but this requires the defendant to accept liability and agree to negotiate. If settlement is not an option for your case, your claim will instead proceed to court, and litigation will take much longer to conclude.
When you choose the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal to represent your case, you are not only more likely to succeed in proving liability for the injuries you suffered, but also more likely to maximize the total compensation secured from the defendant in your claim. Our goal for every client we represent is maximum recovery in the shortest time possible.
As soon as you secure our firm’s counsel we can begin building your case, gathering the evidence needed to firmly assert liability and prove the full extent of the damages you can claim from the defendant. We aim to settle our clients’ cases whenever possible, but we are fully prepared to take your slip and fall claim to court and litigate if necessary. The sooner you contact our team, the sooner we can begin developing a strategy for your case.
FAQs
Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Slip and Fall Injury in Colorado Springs?
A: If you can successfully prove that a local property owner is liable for your recent slip and fall injury, you can seek compensation for the full extent of economic losses you suffered because of their negligence. Damages you may be able to claim include your medical bills, lost wages, and lost future earnings if you are disabled from the accident and will not be able to return to work in the future. You can also claim pain and suffering compensation up to the limit enforced by state law.
Q: Will I Win More Compensation if I Hire a Colorado Springs Slip and Fall Attorney?
A: The average plaintiff should be able to account for immediately recognizable damages like their hospital bills, but calculating the full extent of long-term economic damages and determining appropriate pain and suffering compensation are more difficult. If you want to maximize your case award from a personal injury claim, hiring an experienced attorney to represent you is one of the most effective methods to do this.
Q: What Happens if I Partially Caused My Slip and Fall Accident?
A: The state enforces the modified comparative fault rule, which comes into play in any case in which the plaintiff shares liability with the defendant for causing the damages. If you bear partial liability for your recent slip and fall, you will lose a percentage of your case award to reflect your level of fault. However, if you are found 50% or more at fault you would lose the right to claim compensation from the defendant.
Q: How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Slip and Fall Claim in Colorado Springs?
A: The time your case could take to reach a conclusion largely depends on whether the defendant accepts liability and agrees to settle the claim. When a defendant is clearly at fault, settlement is beneficial to them because they spend less on attorneys’ fees than they would in litigation. However, settlement requires the parties involved to engage in constructive negotiations and compromise on a mutually agreeable conclusion. This process may take several weeks to complete compared to the several months that litigation may require.
Q: How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Colorado Springs Slip and Fall Attorney?
A: Most of the personal injury attorneys representing clients accept cases on a contingency fee basis. This makes legal counsel more accessible to those who need it most because the client only pays a fee to their attorney after the attorney wins their case. The fee is a percentage of the total amount recovered, and the client keeps the rest. However, if the attorney is unable to secure compensation for their client, the client pays nothing.
The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal has successfully represented a wide range of personal injury claims on behalf of Colorado Springs clients, including slip and fall injury claims filed under the state’s premises liability laws. We excel at resolving complex injury cases and whatever your unique claim entails, you can trust our firm to provide ongoing support and guidance through all stages of your proceedings. Contact the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal today to schedule a free consultation with our team and learn what a Colorado Springs slip and fall attorney can do in your case.