Slip and fall accidents can occur in a variety of ways, both on public and private property. Anytime a person is injured due to a slip and fall accident caused by the negligence of the property owner, they should be able to recover compensation for their losses. Here, we want to discuss how a Pennsylvania slip and fall accident victim can go about proving negligence so they can recover compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages.
Gathering Evidence is Crucial for Slip and Fall Claims in PA
In order to prove the negligence of a property owner in a slip and fall case, there are various elements that have to be present in these situations. This includes:
- Showing that the property owner owed a duty of care
- Proving that the property owner breached their duty of care
- Showing that the breach of duty caused the accident and injuries
- Showing that the injury victim has sustained quantifiable damages
The first step that must be taken after a slip and fall accident is for the victim to seek immediate medical care. The goal behind this is twofold. First, victims must ensure their well-being in these situations. Additionally, seeking immediate medical care helps establish a solid link between the slip and fall incident and any subsequent injuries. Medical records and bills will most certainly be used as evidence in these cases.
If it is safe to do so at the slip and fall accident scene, injury victims should gather as much evidence as possible. This can include using a phone or another type of camera to take photographs of everything around the scene, including causes of the slip and fall, injuries, and more.
We strongly encourage slip and fall accident victims not to discard or wash any clothing or footwear they had on when the incident occurred. Often, causes of the slip and fall, such as spills or food or drink, end up on the clothing, and this can be used as evidence to prove what happened.
You Need to Work With an Attorney
One of the main steps towards proving liability for a slip and fall accident is showing that the owner or employee knew or should have known about a hazardous condition and failed to take steps to remedy the situation. Proving this can be challenging, but a skilled premises liability attorney in Pennsylvania can use their resources to conduct a complete investigation into the incident.
An attorney will work diligently to gather the various types of evidence we mentioned above, and they will also look into all of the inspection, safety, and training history of the property owner and their employees to establish a pattern of possible negligence.
Slip and fall accident victims may be entitled to various types of compensation for their losses. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Coverage of all medical bills related to the slip and fall
- Lost income if a victim cannot work
- Property damage losses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
The total amount of compensation available in these situations will vary depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the slip and fall incident. A premises liability attorney in Pennsylvania will work with trusted medical and economic experts who can help properly calculate total expected losses.