Slip and Fall Accidents

Georgia Attorney Skilled in Premises Liability Claims

People commonly encounter substances while they are walking that suddenly cause them to lose their footing and slip and fall. While some slip and fall accidents are inconsequential, many cause significant injuries, resulting in pain, impairment, and financial hardships. Frequently, falls occur due to a failure to maintain a property in a safe condition, and in many instances, injured people can recover damages for their losses. If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident, it is wise to speak to a lawyer to determine whether you may be able to pursue a claim for damages. Tracy Udunka is an experienced Stockbridge slip and fall lawyer who takes pride in helping people hurt by the negligence of others in the pursuit of compensation. If she represents you, she will craft compelling arguments in your favor to help you seek the best outcome available in your case.

Scenarios Leading to Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are typically caused by liquid or debris on the floor or ground. For example, they frequently occur in bars and restaurants, where beverages and food are likely to be spilled. Similarly, these accidents are common in grocery stores, where produce, broken containers, leaks, and other issues can lead to circumstances that cause people to fall. They can also result from inclement weather, which can cause puddles or slippery surfaces to arise in the interior of a property or in exterior areas like parking lots and stairs. Slip and fall accidents often cause fractures, strain and sprain injuries, concussions, abrasions, and contusions.

Recovering Damages for Injuries Suffered on Someone Else’s Property

Under Georgia law, whether a party that owns or occupies a property can be held liable for harm suffered by a person because of a slip and fall accident depends in part on why the person was on the premises. In other words, this involves whether the person was an invitee, licensee, or trespasser. A slip and fall attorney in Stockbridge can explain these terms in more detail.

An invitee is a person whom a property owner impliedly or expressly invites to the premises, like a customer. Property owners have a duty to exercise ordinary care to maintain safe premises and can be held liable for any damages that an invitee suffers due to a breach of this duty. Generally, this means that they must take reasonable steps to prevent dangerous conditions from developing and rectify or warn invitees about any harmful conditions of which the owner knows or reasonably should know. An invitee hurt in a slip and fall accident will typically need to rely on eyewitness reports, surveillance videos or photographs, and circumstantial evidence to establish the details regarding the dangerous condition that caused the fall.

Conversely, if a person harmed was a licensee or a trespasser, the property owner will only be deemed at fault for harm caused by the owner’s wanton or willful conduct. A licensee is a person whose presence on a property is lawful but who is not a customer or servant or engaged in a contractual relationship with the owner and who is permitted on the property for his or her convenience, interests, or gratification. A Stockbridge slip and fall attorney can review the facts of a case to determine whether an injured licensee may have a claim.

In many instances, a property owner will attempt to evade liability by arguing that the injured person’s negligence caused the accident, and therefore no damages should be awarded. Under Georgia’s comparative fault law, a plaintiff who was more than 50 percent at fault for his or her injuries will be denied compensation. The compensation granted to a plaintiff who was less than 50 percent responsible will be reduced proportionately to his or her fault, if any.

Discuss Your Accident With an Experienced Attorney

The impact of an unexpected fall can cause serious trauma, and parties that cause falls through their careless actions should be held accountable. If you sustained bodily harm in a slip and fall accident, you should meet with a lawyer to assess your options. Attorney Tracy Udunka is proficient at helping injured people prove the liability of negligent property owners, and if you hire her, she will advocate aggressively on your behalf. The Law Office of Tracy Udunka assists people who need a slip and fall lawyer in the Stockbridge area or in Lithonia, College Park, Union City, Decatur, or elsewhere in the Atlanta region. You can reach Ms. Udunka through the online form or at (770) 629-1383 to set up a confidential consultation.