New Haven Slip and Fall Attorney

A slip and fall may sound like it would be a minor accident, but depending on the circumstances, they can be quite serious or even deadly. When an injury from a slip and fall occurs on someone else’s property, the owner may be liable for damages if failed in their duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors. Contact Loughlin FitzGerald, P.C. today if you believe you may have a New Haven premises liability claim and have your case evaluated for free.

Why Choose Our New Haven Slip and Fall Lawyer?

• We have over a century of combined legal experience negotiating slip and fall injury cases.
• We understand what it takes to get our clients’ maximum compensation for the losses they have suffered.
• We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we will only when we achieve a favorable result, will we get paid.

Common Slip and Fall Accident Injuries

A bad fall can cause severe and even catastrophic injuries. In the wrong circumstances, such as down a flight of stairs or from a height, falling can inflict life-changing harm on a victim. At Loughlin FitzGerald, P.C., we recognize the seriousness of slip, trip and fall accidents. We can represent clients with all types of injuries from slip and fall accidents in New Haven, including:

• Broken bones
• Dislocations
• Muscle sprains or strains
• Soft-tissue damage
• Bruising or contusions 
• Hip fractures
• Knee or ankle injuries
• Elbow or wrist injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Slipped disks
• Nerve damage
• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries

We work hard to secure the financial outcomes that our clients need to help them pay for required medical care, ongoing treatments, lost wages and other damages after serious injuries. Our attorneys can handle even the most complicated or challenging slip and fall accident injury claim. We will connect you to top doctors in the area and guide you through the recovery process from start to finish.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in New Haven

 Slip and fall accidents can often be traced back to the negligence of a property owner. Negligence is the failure to exercise reasonable care, such as the failure of a landowner to adequately maintain a premises. A dangerous property can contain many slip and fall accident risks for visitors. The potential ways for a slip and fall accident to occur is too extensive to list, but here are common culprits for injury claims:

• Wet or waxed floors
• No “Caution: Wet Floor” signs
• Spilled food or drinks
• Uneven walking surfaces
• Cluttered walkways
• Torn or ragged carpeting
• Exposed wires or cords
• Substandard lighting
• Old or narrow stairs
• Loose floorboards
• Surface defects, such as potholes
• Snow and ice

In some cases, there may be multiple factors leading to the injury accident, or in contrast, an unidentifiable cause. As with many personal injury cases, a slip and fall injury can happen in any number of locations, including both public and private spaces, along with the workplace. If the slip and fall accident was caused by a property defect or hazard that the landowner should have prevented, it could lead to a premises liability claim.

How to Prove a Slip and Fall Injury Case in New Haven?

A slip and fall accident falls under premises liability claims when they occur on another person’s property. Premises liability is a legal theory that holds land and property owners accountable for injuries that occur on their properties due to defects. If a reasonable and prudent property owner would have remedied the slip and fall risk before the accident occurred, the owner could be held liable for damages. Proving a slip and fall injury case requires evidence of the following elements:

1. The defendant or accused party was the owner or controller of the property at the time of the accident.
2. The defendant was negligent in caring for the property, meaning he or she did things (or failed to do things) that a reasonable and prudent property owner would have.
3. The defendant’s negligence resulted in a dangerous condition or defect on the property.
4. The dangerous condition caused your injury and related damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

These types of cases are built on photographs, witness testimony, and other proof that a dangerous condition existed. The danger might be obvious, and at other times not. A detailed look at the timeline of events may help, witness testimony, as well as any security footage that may have captured the incident. Safety or engineering experts can also be consulted to assist in proving a dangerous condition was present.

Why Hire a New Haven Slip and Fall Lawyer?

Choosing not to hire an attorney creates an uphill battle when attempting to obtain compensation for slip and fall injuries. Getting a property owner to compensate you will require knowledge of Connecticut laws related to premises liability, proper collection of evidence, and negotiation skills. The owner of the premises will likely claim that you were responsible for your injury. Under the state’s rule of modified comparative negligence, you only have to be 50 percent at-fault to be barred from recovering compensation. With legal help, you will ensure that your right to financial recovery is not taken away. Additionally, an attorney can help you calculate the approximate total value of your claim, including future costs for care. This will give you a clear idea of the amount of damages you are entitled to, that way you won’t be tempted to settle for a low offer that would only cover your immediate costs.

Statute of Limitations for Slip and Fall Accidents in New Haven

If you or a loved one was injured in a slip and fall accident in New Haven, be aware that you only have a limited amount of time in which to file a personal injury claim in New Haven. Connecticut has a statute of limitations, or a law that places a strict legal deadline on the ability to file a lawsuit. If you miss your time limit to file, you will most likely lose the right to seek financial compensation from a property owner forever. 

In Connecticut, the statute of limitations is two years for most slip and fall accident cases. This is the standard deadline on all personal injury claims in the state, including premises liability lawsuits. Typically, the clock starts ticking on the date of the accident. If you do not notice your injuries right away, however, you will have two years from the date of reasonable injury discovery. If you are bringing a wrongful death claim on behalf of a deceased loved one for a fatal fall, you will have two years from the date of death to file.

Contact Our Skilled New Haven Attorneys

f you have been injured in a slip and fall accident in New Haven or the surrounding area, call Loughlin FitzGerald, P.C. today for a free consultation at (203) 265-2035. You likely only have two years to pursue a claim, and you can trust our law firm to fight for the justice you deserve.