If you or a loved one were hurt in a slip and fall accident in Gautier, Mississippi, you might be able to recover financial compensation for your healthcare bills, lost wages, and other costs. The Morris Bart law firm can help you identify who is liable for your damages, gather evidence of their liability, and bring an insurance claim or lawsuit against them on your behalf.
Our firm has 15 offices throughout Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Alabama to help clients. Our attorneys provide free case reviews to new clients and explain how a Gautier slip and fall lawyer can help your case. Plus, we are a contingency fee firm.
Compensation You May Be Able to Recover in a Slip and Fall Case
Slip and fall accidents can lead to brain injuries, broken bones, and other types of injuries. A serious slip and fall accident can even prevent you from working and performing your everyday activities.
The amount of compensation that you may be able to recover in a slip and fall case will depend on the seriousness of your injuries, how your injuries affect your life, whether your own actions contributed to your injuries, and other factors.
In general, the potentially recoverable damages in a slip and fall case may include:
Medical Costs
Through a personal injury claim, you may be able to recover financial compensation for your accident-related medical costs, such as:
- Hospital or emergency room care
- Surgery
- Diagnostic testing
- MRIs, CT scans, and other imaging tests
- Physical therapy and occupational therapy
- Medications
- Medical equipment, such as a wheelchair
- Ongoing medical costs needed to treat your injuries
Lost Income
If you must miss work while recovering from slip and fall injuries, you may be entitled to reimbursement for your lost wages. If the accident has diminished your ability to make a living, compensation for your impaired earning capacity may also be available.
Pain and Suffering
Non-economic damages in a slip and fall injury claim may include:
- Physical pain
- Mental and emotional suffering
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Property Owner Liability for Slip and Fall Accidents
Property owners cannot be expected to prevent every possible injury on their property. However, they are expected to maintain their property so that it is reasonably safe. If a property owner allows a dangerous condition to exist on their property and fails to warn visitors about the danger, the property owner may be liable for the costs of any resulting accidents.
Unsafe conditions that often lead to slip and fall accidents include:
- Spilled liquids
- Slippery floors
- Clutter in walkways
- Broken floor tiles
- Loose floor mats and rugs
- Uneven pavement or sidewalks
- Potholes and other parking lot defects
- Unsafe electrical cords
- Debris in hallways
- Poor lighting
- Broken stairs
- Missing handrails
Slip and fall cases may be brought against the owner or occupier of a:
- Restaurant, bar, or nightclub
- Retail store
- Mall
- Apartment complex
- Residential property owner
A slip and fall injury claim may also be brought against a government entity, such as a city or state.
A Gautier slip and fall lawyer from the Morris Bart law firm can help you identify the liable party for your injuries and build a slip and fall case against them.
Elements You Must Prove for a Successful Claim
To bring a successful slip and fall injury claim, you will need to show that the property owner’s negligence led to your injuries and that you sustained damages as a result of your injuries. To win a slip and fall case, you generally must show that:
- The property owner or occupier owed you a legal duty of care, which means the property owner had a responsibility to provide reasonably safe premises.
- The property owner knew or should have known that the unsafe condition existed on the premises.
- The unsafe condition directly caused your injuries.
- Your injuries led to damages, like medical bills and lost income.
These elements may look simple and straightforward, but proving them may be challenging. The property owner or occupier may try to argue that they did not know about the dangerous condition. They may deny responsibility and even claim that your own negligence was the true cause of the accident.
We Can Help You Gather Strong Evidence
When you work with the Morris Bart law firm on your case, we will collect evidence to prove the responsible party’s liability. This evidence may include:
- Photographs and videos of the dangerous condition
- Security camera footage
- Medical records
- Statements from medical professionals
- Incident reports
- Eyewitness statements
How does Shared Fault Work in a Slip-and-Fall Accident?
As a possible complication in your case, the property owner may argue that you were the one at fault for your own slip and fall accident. For example, the owner may claim you were running in an unsafe area, or you were looking down at your phone at the time of the accident.
Per Mississippi Code §11-7-15, Mississippi slip and fall claims are subject to a legal doctrine called “comparative negligence.” An injured person’s negligence does not automatically prevent them from recovering damages through a personal injury claim. Rather, your compensation is reduced proportionately to your level of negligence. One of our Gautier slip and fall lawyers can explain how this could affect your case.
Your Statute of Limitations
According to Mississippi Code §15-1-49, there is a general three-year statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. There is also a 90-day deadline for claims against the government.
The Attorneys at Morris Bart, LTD Can Help You Build a Strong Claim
A Gautier slip and fall lawyer from the Morris Bart law firm can help you build a claim against the negligent property owner and fight for financial compensation on your behalf. It is crucial that you act before these important deadlines pass. Call the Morris Bart law firm at (800) 537-8185 today for a free case review.
Questions?Call (228) 207-5266
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
