Jacksonville Slip & Fall Lawyer
Children seem to fall all the time without even getting a bruise, but as we get older falls become more and more serious. Common injuries victims of falls receive include serious contusions, cuts, broken ankles or wrists, torn ligaments, fractured ribs or collar bones, spinal cord or spinal column damage, dislocations, broken hips, and Traumatic Brain Injuries TBIs (falls are the most common cause of TBIs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The severity and type of injury can vary widely, and so too can the recovery time depending on the fall victim’s age.
Falls are the leading cause of injury among Florida adults aged 65 and older, according to Florida’s Department of Health. An older person will have a much longer period in which they recover, making the pain and suffering all that more serious. If you have been victim to a slip and fall in an unsafe premises, contact an experienced Jacksonville slip & fall lawyer today to discuss the possibility of filing a lawsuit to help with your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages during your trips to the doctor and forced time off work. If the fall was not your fault, you should not have to suffer the financial burden as well as the physical.
Business Owners Owe Their Attendees a Duty of Care And Are Liable If They Fail This Duty
If you are in a store, stumble, fall, and break your wrist while walking over a perfectly flat, dry, and non-slippery surface with good lighting and no obtrusive obstacles in your path, chances are that the fall was your fault and a lawsuit will not succeed in a Jacksonville court. However, if the floor was wet or dirty, if the lighting was poor where it should have been good, if there was spilled merchandise or extension cords in places where there should not have been, or if the floor tiles were torn up or otherwise dangerous, then there is a good chance that the store owner will be found liable because the fall was not your fault, but theirs. This is because all business owners owe their clients, customers, and employees a duty of care, meaning that their place of business must be safe for everyone who enters during business hours. If the store owner had knowledge that their floor was cluttered, damp, greasy, or unsafe in any way, they will likely be held liable.
Two Types of Knowledge: Actual and Constructive
There are two types of knowledge when it comes to a store owner’s knowledge about an unsafe aspect of their business. The first is actual knowledge. Actual knowledge is when a store owner hears from an employee or walks by and sees a patch of floor with heavy grease on covering a large area. Constructive knowledge is the second type of knowledge, and an example of that is if the store owner knew that the floors of their fried chicken restaurant had not been cleaned in over a week, meaning that they would likely be slippery with grease and other grime. In both cases, they could be found liable for causing you to fall.
Our Jacksonville Slip & Fall Lawyers Can Help You Today
If you need assistance with your case, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today in Jacksonville at the Pendas Law Firm. We have served personal injury clients in the area for years, and we are prepared to advocate aggressively on your behalf today. Let our Jacksonville slip & fall lawyers help you today.
