SLIP AND FALL LAWYER

If you have been the victim of a slip-and-fall accident, you are not alone – over 1 million Americans are rushed to the emergency room every year due to slip and fall injuries. Some of these injuries are minor, but others can result in devastating injuries. Tragically, some have even lost their lives in Michigan slip-and-fall accidents.

The following are some types of slip and fall injuries that our law firm has helped our clients recover financial damages for:

• Broken bones
• Lacerations
• Internal bleeding
• Soft tissue damage
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord damage
• Paralysis
• Lost limbs

The Michigan statute of limitations (the time that you are allowed to file a lawsuit) is 3 years from the date that the personal injury occurred. There may be some exceptions to this that your lawyer can make you aware of, but this is the general law. For example, a child may have from when the accident occurred until 1 year after his or her 18th birthday to pursue compensation.

The statute of limitations may seem to allow for a long period of time to file a claim, but it’s best to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after your slip-and-fall accident. Necessary evidence may be quickly removed after the incident, so the sooner you contact a lawyer, the more likely evidence for your case may be preserved.

In addition, it may take time for the unsafe condition of the property to be clarified, and for your case to be firmly established. Your attorney will need to not only gather evidence but also speak to witnesses, file all necessary paperwork, and assess the extent of your injuries. Please get in touch with Mike Morse Law Firm’s legal team as soon as possible, while there is still sufficient time to prepare a strong case on your behalf.

The steps that you take immediately following your accident could mean the difference between whether or not your case can be proved. Even victims that sustained serious injuries in slip-and-fall accidents have lost out on needed benefits due to lack of evidence.

Here are five important steps to take after a slip-and-fall accident:

1. Seek medical attention. Your health should of course be your top priority after a slip- or trip-and-fall accident. Be sure to cooperate with medical responders and follow your doctor’s advice. Seeking medical attention ensures that your injuries are properly documented, and medical files can serve as highly effective evidence when you’re pursuing compensation.
2. Report the accident to the property owner or manager. Report the accident regardless of the circumstances, whether your injury occurred on a public, private, or government building. If you were injured on a commercial property, it’s likely that the owner has a system in place to report the accident. If he or she doesn’t have forms to file a report, you can request that the manager write a detailed report before you leave and obtain a copy of that document.
3. Document the scene. If possible, take photos of the exact location where you fell and anything that contributed to the accident. Photo documentation is very helpful in slip and fall cases. Make sure to speak to any witnesses of the accident and gather their contact information so that your lawyer can later obtain statements from them. Record any important information such as the date and time, condition of the property, and what you were doing right before the accident occurred.
4. Don’t give out too much information. Besides reporting the accident, try to keep your communication with the business or property owner to a minimum. Things that you say could be construed as an admission of fault. Decline to give a statement to the insurance company until first speaking to your Michigan premises liability lawyer, and resist posting any details about your accident and condition on social media.
5. Hire a Michigan slip and fall attorney. Slip and fall injury cases are often complex and can be difficult to prove. You need personal injury lawyers on your side who are skilled at handling these types of cases. Mike Morse Law Firm’s legal team has the experience, knowledge, and resources needed to obtain a just and fair settlement for your injuries. Call us today to schedule your free consultation.

You may be surprised at how fast you hear from the property owner’s insurance company after your Michigan slip-and-fall accident. It’s important to know what to say when they call, because your reaction or response could potentially decrease your settlement. You should avoid giving a recorded statement or signing any documents about your slip and fall case.

Insurance companies often contact Michigan slip and fall victims immediately after an accident report has been filed in an effort to pressure injured victims into accepting a low settlement offer. Their primary goal is to reduce the amount that they have to payout. They want to settle the case before victims even have a chance to fully assess the condition of their health and the costs associated with their injuries, not to mention any future expenses that may arise due to the injuries sustained in the slip-and-fall accident.

If you’re tempted to accept the insurance company’s offer, keep in mind that once you accept the offer from the insurance company – that’s it. Typically, you will have waived your right to file a lawsuit and pursue additional compensatory damages. If it turns out that the settlement wasn’t even enough to cover your medical bills, you likely have no recourse at that point.

We recommend that you consult a Michigan premises liability attorney before accepting a claim settlement. Our slip and fall lawyers will be able to accurately assess what your claim is worth and give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you won’t be taken advantage of by greedy insurance companies. Call 855-MIKE-WINS today to schedule your free case consultation and get the compensation you deserve.

When people are injured due to slip-and-fall accidents, payout from property owners is not automatic; there are certain elements that must first be proven. For this reason, it’s important to have an experienced Michigan slip and fall lawyer on your side.

The attorneys at Mike Morse Law Firm are knowledgeable in Michigan premises liability law, have over 25 years of experience, and are skilled at handling slip and fall cases.

After taking on your case, our Michigan personal injury lawyers will work to establish the following elements:

1. Duty of care: Your lawyer will first need to establish that the defendant owned, leased, or in some other way was responsible for the property and it’s condition. It must be proven that the party had a clear duty to inspect, maintain, and ensure that the property is reasonably safe for its intended use.
2. Breach of duty: Next, your Michigan personal injury attorney will show how the property owner breached their duty of care. A breach takes place when a business, home, or property owner fails to act within a reasonable time frame to correct a dangerous condition that he or she was either aware of or should have been aware of by then. For instance, a business owner knew that there was ice on the steps but failed to put down salt or properly warn customers.
3. The breach of duty caused the injury: Lastly, your lawyer will need to establish how the breach of care directly caused your injuries. Once all these elements are established, your Michigan slip and fall attorney will be able to pursue the monetary settlement you deserve.

Slip-and-fall accidents can happen almost anywhere in Michigan and are often caused by unsafe property conditions which should have been preventable. The following are some dangerous property conditions that could result in slip and fall injuries:

• Waxed or wet floors
• Inadequate lighting
• Improperly secured mats
• Spills that have not been cleaned up
• Uneven flooring
• Broken stairs or handrails
• Potholes
• Uncleared ice
• Cracked or crumbling staircases
• Inadequate supervision at swimming pools or other high risk areas
• Debris or clutter in the walkway
• Safety code violations

If you or a loved one was injured in a Michigan slip-and-fall accident caused by a property owner’s negligence, you may be due compensatory damages. The amount that a fall victim receives, though, is dependent on a number of different factors.

Some facts taken into consideration include the severity of the injury, the impact that the injury will have on the victim’s life, the extent of negligence shown by the property owner, and the amount of financial hardship that the injury caused the victim.

During your initial free consultation with one of the Michigan slip and fall attorneys at the Mike Morse Law Firm, we will sit down with you to examine your case, inform you of your legal rights, and determine what compensation you may be due.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding your claim, our attorneys may seek damages on your behalf for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Physical pain and anguish
• Disability
• Emotional distress
• In-home care
• Wrongful death

Under Michigan premises liability law, a property owner can be held liable for dangerous conditions on their property. However, if the dangerous condition was “open and obvious,” that individual may escape liability.

To put it simply, the law states that even if a slip-and-fall was the direct result of a dangerous condition, the legal property owner won’t be held liable if the person would have or should have known of the hazard by paying better attention.

The open and obvious doctrine is another reason why it’s essential to have our skilled legal team of personal injury lawyers on your side after a slip-and-fall accident. Our attorneys are well versed in Michigan state premises liability law and know what is needed to counter the open and obvious defense. Call us today so that our legal team can start building a solid case on your behalf.