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Tampa Slip and Fall Lawyer
We should not have to risk our health and well-being when visiting a restaurant, hotel, store, or another property. Business owners in Florida are legally required to keep visitors and patrons reasonably safe and ensure that their premises are free from dangerous conditions that could cause falls and injuries.
Unfortunately, not all business owners understand their duty of care toward visitors. Even worse, some property owners deliberately try to cut corners by neglecting employee training and urgent maintenance.
If you get hurt due to another’s mistake or carelessness, you do not have to stand for it and could pursue compensation for your injuries and expenses. Morgan & Morgan is here for you. Our dedicated slip and fall attorneys in Tampa, FL, want to help you get adequate compensation if you were hurt in a slip and fall accident in the city. Get in touch with our legal team today and determine, for free, whether you have a case.
Tampa Locations Where Slips and Falls Occur
While falls can potentially happen anywhere, slips and falls in Tampa can occur in the following businesses and properties:
Grocery and Department Stores
During peak times, such as holidays and sales events, grocery and department stores can be extremely busy and chaotic. When customers are trying to push their way through crowded aisles, spillages of produce or liquids can occur, causing slipping hazards for others. Moreover, staff stocking up on produce and other items may leave boxes, crates, and ladders behind, blocking aisles and cluttering walkways.
If grocery store employees fail to clean up slip and fall hazards promptly, and customers get hurt, the store could be liable for damages.
Restaurants
Food and drink spillages and wet restroom floors can be common in busy restaurants and bars. Patrons of restaurants, fast-food chains, and bars may suffer severe injuries when employees neglect to clean up spills of food and liquids promptly.
Hotels and Motels
Hotels, motels, and resorts in Tampa can be full of slipping and tripping hazards, such as:
- Slippery surfaces in pool areas
- Wet floors in reception areas and restrooms
- Bulging carpets in hallways
- Broken or missing lights in and outside the property
- Slippery floors due to leaking pipes in guest bathrooms
Parking Lots and Garages
Parking lots and parking garages are sometimes in disrepair with multiple tripping and slipping hazards, such as:
Lack of lighting at night
Cracks and potholes
Broken stairs
Missing handrails
Workplaces
Slips and falls are the third leading cause of workplace injuries, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). Most Tampa employees qualify for workers’ comp and may not be able to file a lawsuit. However, employees could have a legal case, depending on who or what caused their falls and injuries.
A slip and fall attorney in Tampa, FL, can assess your workplace injury and help you receive what you deserve, whether with a workers’ comp claim or a personal injury lawsuit.
Common Reasons for Slips and Falls in Tampa
Property and business owners are responsible for keeping their premises in good repair and fixing any maintenance issues and hazards as soon as possible. Therefore, stores and other premises should be free of dangerous conditions that could trip patrons or cause them to slip on slick floors.
If a property owner or manager neglects their duties, slips and falls can occur due to numerous dangerous conditions, such as:
- Varying floor levels
- Bulging or frayed carpets
- Unsecured mats and rugs
- Dark staircases without adequate lighting
- Missing handrails
- Food and drink spillages
- Wet and recently waxed floors
- Cracks and potholes in parking lots
- Floors cluttered by boxes, cables, and other items
Never assume that a slip and fall is your fault. Business and property owners may have ignored hazards, and you could be entitled to damages. Morgan & Morgan’s experienced slip and fall lawyers in Tampa, FL, can assess your claim, walk you through your options, and move forward with a compensation claim.
What Are Some Typical Fall Injuries?
Many of us have slipped or tripped and fallen without suffering any long-term health problems. However, a severe fall can significantly compromise an individual’s health and mobility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that those aged 65 and over are particularly at risk of suffering severe and life-changing injuries from falls. Severe fall injuries can include:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
TBI and other head and brain injuries commonly occur when the head suffers a heavy blow in a fall, either by hitting an object or the floor. According to the Mayo Clinic, a significant TBI can cause permanent brain damage, causing long-term consequences for sufferers who may never be able to return to their everyday life and require assistance with the daily tasks of living.
Broken Bones
While all individuals could break bones in severe falls, older adults are particularly at risk of suffering fractures of major bones, such as the pelvis. A major bone break can take months to heal and may cause loss of function and other impairments.
Spinal Cord Damage
Spinal cord injury can occur if there is major trauma to the back in a fall, for example, when an individual falls down stairs. Spinal injuries can include the following:
- Damaged nerves in the spine
- Fractured vertebrae
- Herniated discs
- Spinal cord severance
Spinal cord injuries can be severe and lead to loss of mobility, loss of sensation, and partial or complete paralysis.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries in falls commonly occur in the back and neck area. Strains, sprains, and even tears can occur in muscles, tendons, and ligaments. While rarely serious, severe sprains and tears can be excruciatingly painful, cause individuals to miss weeks of work, and result in considerable wage loss.
Facial and Dental Injuries
Dental and facial injuries can be common when an individual cannot cushion their fall with arms and hands. Cuts to the face, chipped or broken teeth, and a broken nose can all occur in falls. Facial injuries can be painful and distressing and may require expensive dental and reconstructive surgery.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall in Tampa
In the first few moments after a fall, individuals may feel embarrassed and blame themselves, even if they tripped or slipped due to a hazard. Some may want to return home or to work immediately, not wanting to make “a fuss.” While this is understandable, you could jeopardize your health and potential compensation claim.
While still at the scene, try to identify what caused your fall and take pictures of the accident scene. Your next best steps should include the following:
- File an injury report with the business or property manager
- Gather names and contact details of witnesses
- See a doctor as soon as possible
- Collect evidence of your damages, such as receipts of healthcare costs and miscellaneous expenses
- Call a slip and fall lawyer in Tampa, FL, for advice and help
Seeking medical advice after a fall can be critical as you may suffer from an underlying injury. Following these simple steps can protect your health and legal rights.
Get answers to commonly asked questions about our legal services and learn how we may assist you with your case.
Morgan & Morgan
Who Is Responsible if I Get Hurt in a Grocery Store in Tampa?
Grocery store owners invite you to their premises to sell their merchandise. Therefore, they have a duty of care toward customers and visitors. If you suffered an injury in a grocery store fall, and you can prove that management did not take adequate care to remove hazards, you could be entitled to damages. Common hazards in grocery stores include:
- Wet floors and debris on the ground due to spillages
- Recently waxed and mopped floors
- Boxes and other clutter in aisles
- Cracks in sidewalks and store parking lots
However, standing up to a national or international grocery giant and teams of lawyers can be intimidating and challenging. If you suffer a fall injury in a grocery store, get medical help immediately and contact an experienced slip and fall attorney in Tampa, FL, to help you clarify your options and the next best steps.
How Long After a Slip and Fall Can I File a Lawsuit in Tampa?
The time to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida is generally limited to four years, according to Florida Statutes §95.11. While this may seem like plenty of time, waiting until the last minute to file your lawsuit can be a mistake, as important evidence could disappear over time, and eyewitnesses may move away. Moreover, you may have to observe shorter deadlines if you have a case against a local government agency.
Consulting a slip and fall lawyer promptly after your fall injury in Tampa can be crucial for receiving the compensation you deserve.
How Much Is My Slip and Fall Claim Worth?
Without assessing your particular accident and circumstances, it can be challenging to determine how much your slip and fall claim may be worth, as every case is unique. A settlement amount can depend on different factors, including the following:
- The severity of your injuries and the extent of your pain and suffering
- The degree of negligence of the property or business owner
- The nature of the hazardous condition on the premises
- Whether you were lawfully present on the premises
- Evidence proving that your injuries resulted from the slip and fall
- Proof of your damages, such as medical bills, loss of income, and others
- Estimated future damages
The best way to determine what your specific case is worth is to speak to a Morgan & Morgan slip and fall attorney. We can assess your claim and damages, determine the value of your case, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Which Damages Could I Receive With a Tampa Slip and Fall Lawsuit?
If you win your slip and fall claim, you could qualify for a range of economic and non-economic damages, depending on your specific case.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are intended to compensate you for any expenses you incurred as a result of the slip and fall accident and injury, such as:
- Healthcare costs
- Future expected medical expenses
- In-home healthcare
- Medical devices
- Loss of income
- Future expected loss of wages
- Miscellaneous accident and injury expenses
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages can be tricky to quantify as they relate to losses that do not come with set dollar amounts, such as reduced life quality and physical pain. However, if you suffered significant injuries in a fall accident, you could be entitled to the following non-economic damages and others:
- Pain and anguish
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Emotional trauma
- Permanent scarring
- Disability
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages, designed to punish the responsible party for particularly malicious and reckless conduct, are rare in personal injury claims. However, in some cases, victims can recover punitive damages in addition to compensation for their injuries and financial losses.
The damages you could recover will be unique to your accident and injuries. Our slip and fall attorneys in Tampa, FL, can calculate your damages, determine what you are entitled to, and move forward with a lawsuit.
We Never Settle for Less
Morgan & Morgan understands the difficulties injured victims and their families face. However, you don’t have to fight for what you deserve on your own. Let us stand up to a negligent property owner or corporation and handle your claim while you concentrate on healing. You pay nothing unless and until we win compensation for you.
You will be in good hands with America’s largest personal injury firm. Our tenacious attorneys have been fighting for the injured for over 35 years, recovering billions in damages. Unlike other law firms, we never accept a business owner or insurer’s last best offer. We can take big corporate bullies to trial if necessary to secure fair compensation.
Contact us today to learn about your legal rights and options in a free and confidential case evaluation.
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