Southfield Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer

Unsafe properties lead to slips and falls and cost injury victims time and money. They also take a heavy toll on the victims’ well-being and emotional health. If you have been injured on someone else’s property, you can potentially recoup your losses with the aid of an experienced Southfield slip-and-fall accident lawyer.

Why Choose Goodman Acker Firm to Represent You?

Trust Our Record of Success

The stakes are always high with slip-and-fall and other personal injury cases. Injuries lead to significant losses that destroy people’s lives. Goodman Acker always pursues the maximum compensation for its clients, and 99% of the time, we win.

After years of fiercely representing clients, the Goodman Acker Firm has won respect and the reputation of being a fierce client advocate that is ready to go all the way to trial whenever necessary.

When you choose the Goodman Acker to fight for you, you get a firm with:

• Nearly 200 years of combined experienced
• Years of representing Southfield, Grand Rapids, and other Michigan communities
• A track record of multimillion-dollar wins for clients
• Free initial consultations and complimentary case reviews
• Round-the-clock availability for clients
• Award-winning and industry-recognized attorneys
• The top slip-and-fall lawyers in Southfield, MI.

Who Is Liable for Slip-and-Fall Accidents?

Various parties may be held liable for your slip-and-fall injuries, depending on the context. Sometimes, two or more parties might share the blame. Whoever the responsible parties are, your slip-and-fall injury attorney will identify them using the facts and evidence of the case.

Slip-and-fall cases are governed by the law of premises liability, which holds that property owners are responsible for keeping their properties reasonably safe for the public. This obligation applies equally to private, commercial, nonprofit, and government property owners as well as to tenants and property managers.

Private Residences

Homeowners have the duty to keep their property from causing harm to others. If a delivery driver breaks their foot on a homeowner’s porch step, they may have a compensation claim. The duty also extends to tenants who may not be the owner, such as renters.

Commercial Property

Grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and other commercial establishments must be kept reasonably safe for the public. But sometimes, patrons encounter unexpected dangerous conditions that cause them harm.

Property of Nonprofit Organizations

Churches and community organizations play important roles in society. Because they open their doors to the public, they have the duty to keep their facilities safe. At an elevated risk are the elderly, who suffer far worse injuries in falls compared to younger individuals.

Government Property

The government and its various agencies and subdivisions, such as schools and government offices, can be held liable for unsafe conditions leading to slip-and-fall accidents and injuries. However, individual employees enjoy immunity from suit for negligent but not intentional acts. Additionally, special rules are involved with claims against the government that apply to claims against people and non-governmental agencies.

Slip-and-Falls at Work

If you suffer a slip-and-fall accident at work, the rules of compensation are different. You must file your claim through workers’ comp instead of against a negligent party’s insurance company. Additionally, you will not be entitled to all the compensation available in a traditional lawsuit, and you cannot sue your employer.

Instead, the law provides standard remedies that cover many, but not all, of the financial losses workers experience. Workers’ comp benefits include:

• Medical expenses
• Partial wage replacement
• Lump-sum payments
• Death benefits.

But workers’ compensation does not cover non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Third-Party Lawsuits

In some slip-and-fall cases, however, injured workers can pursue full compensation for their losses. If a worker’s injury comes about through the unlawful acts of a third party, then that third party can be held liable. For example, if a worker suffers an injury caused by a defective staircase, they can potentially sue the building’s owner if the owner is not the employer.

How Slip-and-Fall Accidents Often Happen

Slip-and-fall accidents can occur in many ways. However, most take place under one of a handful of circumstances.

Dangerous Walkways

Wherever members of the public walk on someone else’s property, they expect to be able to get where they are going without slipping or stepping in a hole. But this is precisely what sometimes happens when a property is not kept in a safe condition. Pooling water, black ice, and broken steps are examples of conditions that make walkways dangerous.

Clutter

Walkways and doorways are supposed to be free of clutter and debris. When they are blocked by such, the risk of slip-and-falls rises significantly. Of particular danger is clutter on or at the top of staircases.

Inadequate Lighting

Inadequate lighting can turn a perfectly safe walkway into a path fraught with hazards. Often, simply changing a burned-out or dimming bulb is all that is necessary to avoid a serious slip-and-fall accident. However, negligence leads property owners and tenants to put off necessary action until it is too late.

Tripping and Stumbling Hazards

Various tripping hazards can cause serious falls and injuries, such as loose carpets and rugs, and protruding and uneven walkways. Wires and cords in pathways are also frequent culprits of trips and stumbles that lead to falls. Sadly, preventing them is often simply a matter of tidying up.

Handrail Issues

Handrails create an expectation of reliability. Hence, handrails must meet specific code requirements when they are designed and installed. Sadly, negligence leads to dangerous handrail situations, such as:

• No handrail where there should be one
• Improperly installed handrails
• Deteriorated handrails
• Damaged handrails.

Once a building’s owner is aware of a handrail issue, they must act immediately to protect the public. Failure to do so can and does lead to serious falls and injuries.

Justice After a Slip-and-Fall Accident

Compensation for Your Losses

If you are experiencing overwhelming financial and emotional losses because of a slip-and-fall accident, know that you may be entitled to some relief. Michigan law allows you to seek compensation for various losses as a way of getting justice for your injuries.

Financial Losses

Medical costs are at an all-time high. And although you may have your own health insurance, it may not cover all the medical bills and expenses related to your slip-and-fall accident. It certainly will not cover your transportation costs to and from healthcare providers. But a compensation claim can demand recompense for these financial losses.

Your claim may also demand compensation for the wages or salary you have missed due to lost workdays. Keep in mind that if you are seeking lost wages due to an on-the-job slip-and-fall, workers’ comp only pays a percentage of your lost wages.

Another financial consequence that slip-and-fall victims face is the expense of hiring domestic care service workers to help them around the house. If a slip-and-fall injury is bad enough, the victim may not be able to perform even the most basic home maintenance tasks, such as cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping.

Non-Financial Losses

Intangible losses also factor into claims for compensation based on injuries. However, they are not available for workers’ comp claims. For slip-and-fall injuries occasioned outside of work, victims can seek compensation for:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life.

In cases of gross negligence or intentional acts that cause a slip-and-fall accident, punitive damages might be appropriate in addition to compensation for financial and non-financial losses.

Slip-and-Fall Injuries

When a cartoon figure slips and falls on their back, you do not think much about their injuries. However, in real life, falling to the ground is something that can never be ignored. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident, such as the height of the fall and the condition of the injured victim before the fall, an individual can potentially face life-threatening injuries from a fall.

Common slip-and-fall injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) caused by blows to the head and whipping forces
• Back and spinal cord injuries
• Nerve injuries and paralysis
• Bone and joint injuries
• Sprains and hyperextensions
• Death.

Slip-and-fall victims may also suffer a variety of emotional and psychological conditions after a slip-and-fall, including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• PTSD.

Each of these injuries can lead to tremendous financial losses and a substantial reduction in the quality of a victim’s life, much more when they suffer two or more injuries concurrently.

Frequently Asked Questions

We can help you get answers to your questions. Call our office anytime to speak with a Southfield slip-and-fall accident attorney. In the meantime, we have posted some common questions with answers to review.

Is there a time limit to file a slip-and-fall claim?

Yes. If you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you have three years from the date of the accident to take legal action. Afterward, most slip-and-fall claims are no longer valid. There are exceptions, however. A slip-and-fall accident lawyer can review your case to determine its validity if three years have passed.

How long does a slip-and-fall lawyer take to settle a case?

It varies from case to case. Our slip-and-fall lawyers in Southfield, MI, always work to get their clients a timely settlement. However, some cases require more time than others. Claims involving simple, straightforward accidents can be completed in a few months. More complex cases can take many months and sometimes years if a trial is necessary. In most cases, trials are not required.

What is the cost of slip-and-fall lawyers in Southfield, MI?

The cost of a Goodman Acker slip-and-fall accident lawyer from our firm depends on the specifics of your case. Goodman Acker charges personal injury clients on a fee-contingent basis. This means the fees you pay your slip-and-fall injury lawyer are based on the amount your attorney recovers for you. If you get zero, you pay zero.

How much is my slip-and-fall case worth? 

The value of a slip-and-fall claim can vary widely from case to case. The seriousness of a victim’s injury is a crucial factor, as well as the competency of the slip-and-fall attorney you hire. Hiring a slip-and-fall attorney with a track record of high-dollar settlements and verdicts increases your chances of getting the same.

Call Goodman Acker today for help understanding how slip-and-fall cases work and what you can do about your injuries.

How a Slip-and-Fall Lawyer from Our Firm Can Help

With a Southfield slip-and-fall accident attorney from our team representing you, you get the assurance that all is being done to get you justice. You never have to worry about any aspect of your claim because your slip-and-fall attorney handles everything, including:

• Claim paperwork and documents
• Accident investigations
• Hiring and consulting experts when appropriate
• Gathering and presenting evidence of fault and damages
• Evaluating and negotiating insurance company offers of settlement
• Representing you at trial when necessary.

Bottom line: your slip-and-fall injury lawyer takes care of every stage of your claim so that you have the time to get well.

Schedule a Free Consultation and Case Review Today

A Southfield Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer Is Ready to Help

You deserve to be fully compensated for slip-and-fall injuries caused by another’s negligence. Do not settle for a low-end offer from an insurance company. Let Goodman Acker fight for what you deserve.

Call (248) 286-8100 for a free consultation with a Southfield slip-and-fall accident attorney from our firm today.

LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN

Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]