Pittsburgh Slip and Fall Attorney

Attorneys Handling Your Pittsburgh Slip and Fall Injury

Slip and fall injuries are some of the most common injuries in the country, leading to over 1 million hospital visits each year. Although a slip and fall may not sound like a serious injury to most people, such accidents are the leading cause of missed time from work and worker’s compensation claims. Although many may not immediately realize it, slip and fall accidents can cause serious damage including sprains, tears and broken bones. Some falls can also lead to severe head and spinal injuries that could potentially leave permanent damage to victims. If your slip and fall injury occurred because of negligence on another’s behalf, contact the Pittsburgh slip and fall lawyers at Ronald J. Bua & Associates to begin filing your claim.

Slip and fall accidents usually lead to personal injury lawsuits against negligent parties. Slip and fall cases enter the purview of premises liability law in some cases. Premises liability law governs the duty of care property owners owe to visitors on their property. If you feel as though a negligent property owner or other party is responsible for your slip and fall injury, it’s important that you retain the services of an experienced and dependable Pittsburgh slip and fall lawyer to navigate the details of your case and secure just compensation.

Slip, trip and fall cases can also stem from nursing home neglect or abuse. Negligent nursing home staff can cause patients to fall if they are not provided with proper walking assistance, or if there are objects left in the way. If you believe that your loved one slipped and fell because of negligent nursing home staff, contact the Pittsburgh nursing home abuse attorneys at Ronald J. Bua & Associates to see how we can help.

Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries

Numerous events can lead to a slip and fall injury. These include:

  • Wet/slippery floors
  • Improper lighting
  • Failure to remove snow
  • Safety violations
  • Failure to properly maintain railings
  • Trip hazards

Claiming Damages in Pittsburgh Slip and Fall Cases

Personal injury law heavily relies on the concept of negligence when assigning fault in an injury case. As with any other personal injury case, winning your lawsuit for a slip and fall accident will depend on your premises liability attorney’s ability to prove that the defendant was negligent in some way, and that negligence directly caused your injuries. A plaintiff (the injured party filing the lawsuit) and his or her slip and fall attorney must prove three things to the court:

  • The defendant (the person or party you are suing) had a duty to act with reasonable care. This applies to property owners, who must take reasonable care to ensure their properties are free of hazards that may injure visitors, or at least adequately warn visitors of any potentially hazardous elements on the property.
  • The defendant breached this duty in some way. This could apply to a store owner who failed to mark a wet floor with a warning sign, or a property owner who failed to address an unsafe structural hazard, such as a guardrail or stairwell.
  • The plaintiff’s injuries directly resulted from this breach. The plaintiff can sue only for damages and injuries caused by the defendant’s actions (or in some situations, inactions, such as failing to address known safety issues in a timely fashion).

Your Pittsburgh slip, trip and fall lawyer will help you gather the necessary evidence and documentation to build your case. This could include the medical report from your doctor that details your injuries from the slip and fall, photos of the scene of the accident, eyewitness accounts of the accident and any necessary expert witness testimony. Expert witnesses often act as professional, accredited sources of information for things like a victim’s level of pain from an injury, or offer insights as to what society should expect of property owners in certain circumstances.

In slip and fall cases, if the court finds the defendant negligent, then you can expect to collect compensation to help recover your losses. You can recoup medical expenses for emergency care, necessary surgeries and the costs of ongoing treatment. You may also be able to recover lost wages from the time you were unable to work due to your injury. If your slip and fall accident happened at work, your attorney will help you with your Pittsburgh worker’s compensation claim. In some cases, you will need to file a lawsuit against your employer for negligence. For example, if your employer knew about a safety hazard but failed to address it in a timely manner or fully nullify the danger, you can hold the employer accountable for any resulting injuries.

Ronald J. Bua & Associates serves the Pittsburgh area for all types of slip and fall cases. Our slip and fall firm operates on a contingency fee basis for most of our cases, so you don’t pay us anything unless we win. Contact our team of legal professionals for a free consultation so we can review your case and discuss your options.