A Decatur slip and fall attorney from Morris Bart may be able to help you get monetary damages for your medical care and other expenses if you hurt yourself in a Morgan County fall. We hold property owners and lessees legally responsible for the injuries our clients suffered.
We provide complimentary case consultations. Additionally, we can assess your legal options and offer advice on your next steps. These case evaluations are free for potential clients hurt because of another party’s negligence. We can meet with you in Decatur at your home, in the hospital, or in another medical care facility.
Damages Recoverable in a Decatur, AL, Slip and Fall Claim or Lawsuit
The damages we pursue for our clients in a slip-and-fall case include:
- Medical care and related costs
- Future treatment needs
- Lost income and benefits
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damages
- Pain and suffering
- Other noneconomic damages
Many people think of fall injuries as relatively minor, but this is not always the case. Some victims can suffer life-changing injuries. They may live with lasting impairments and require ongoing care and support. Some even pass away.
If your loved one died from their injuries, Ala. Code § 6-5-410 may allow your family to pursue damages. However, Alabama awards these damages based on the at-fault party’s negligence, not on the expenses and losses your family experienced. This statute allows you only to recover punitive damages. These can be substantial with a strong case. You might want to work with an attorney to prove the claim.
For a free legal consultation with a Slip and Fall Accident lawyer serving Decatur, call (256) 666-3010
Property Owners Are Liable for Injuries Due to Unreasonable Hazards
Under Alabama law, property owners must keep their buildings, parking lots, yards, and other publicly accessible areas free from unreasonable hazards. When they fail to do so, and someone gets hurt, the victim might have a case against them. Many types of hazards could support a claim. Anything that causes a slip, trip, or fall from an elevated area will qualify when it comes to fall injuries.
Some examples include:
- Spills or leaksa
- Icy or frosty surfaces
- Cleaning products left on floors
- Slick flooring without rugs
- Loose items in an aisle, hall, or walkway
- Torn, broken, or cracked flooring
- Potholes or uneven sidewalks
- Unmarked step-ups
- Missing or faulty railings
- Uneven stairs
- Poor lighting
- Damaged banisters
To win a slip and fall accident case, you must show that the property owner or lessee knew or reasonably should have known about the hazard. For example, if you can prove that an employee of a restaurant had to step around a spill but did not clean it before you slipped and fell, you may have a case against the business.
How Does Alabama’s Contributory Negligence Law Affect My Case?
Shared fault does sometimes play a role in these cases. The liable party may blame your shoes, how much you had to drink at dinner, or many other factors for your fall. Alabama’s pure contributory negligence laws make this one of the most straightforward defenses for negligent parties.
Alabama is one of only four states that bar victims from recovering compensation if they contributed to their accident or injuries in any way. Anyone who can successfully argue this defense will not have to pay the victim any damages.
Our attorneys work based on a contingency fee and know how to counter allegations of shared fault. As a result, we could help you recover compensation even if the property owner blames you for the fall.
What Is the Deadline for Suing the Property Owner in a Decatur Slip and Fall?
Most injury victims do not need to sue to recover compensation for their expenses and losses. Instead, we can file an insurance claim and demand fair compensation, then use the evidence we recovered to support the claim. This process usually allows us to recover compensation for our client without suing.
However, when we need to sue, we must do so before the second anniversary of the accident. The two-year statute of limitations under Ala. Code § 6-2-38 applies to most cases. However, some exceptions could affect your timeline.
Click to contact our Decatur Personal Injury Attorneys today
Morris Bart Has a Proven Record of Success
The personal injury lawyers at our Huntsville office represent injury victims hurt on someone else’s property. Our attorneys have more than 40 years of experience navigating premises liability cases and recovering compensation for our clients. Our case results include more than 6,500 wins in 2019 across our four-state service area.
We handle Decatur, Alabama, claims from our Huntsville office. However, we will meet with you in your home, at the hospital, in a rehabilitation facility, or elsewhere in the area. You do not have to drive to Huntsville to work with our lawyers.
Talk to an Attorney from Morris Bart at No Cost to You
You can discuss your legal options with a lawyer for free today. Our attorneys provide complimentary case reviews and consultations for victims of premises liability injuries in Decatur and other nearby areas.
Our Huntsville office meets with potential clients by appointment only. Call (256) 666-3010 to get started today.
Questions?Call (256) 666-3010
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
