Have you suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident in Augusta, Georgia? Call Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys at (706) 750-8860 for a free consultation. The property owner may be on the hook for your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering. Our experienced Augusta slip and fall lawyers can help you fight to maximize your recovery.
We help victims of serious slips and falls stand up to businesses, government agencies, and private property owners in the wake of serious accidents, fighting to help them achieve financial justice for their devastating injuries and trauma. We can help you make the most of your slip and fall accident case, too.
Why Choose Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys to Help You After a Slip and Fall Accident in Augusta, GA
A slip and fall accident can leave you with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and an insurance company that is more focused on protecting its bottom line than treating you fairly. Having an experienced legal team on your side can make a meaningful difference in the outcome of your case.
Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys brings more than 40 years of combined experience representing injured clients throughout Georgia. Our Augusta personal injury lawyers understand the complexities of premises liability law, know how to gather the evidence needed to build a strong claim, and are prepared to challenge attempts by property owners and insurance companies to avoid responsibility.
Whether negotiating with insurers or presenting your case in court, we are committed to pursuing the full compensation you deserve. Contact our Augusta slip and fall accident attorneys for a free case review.
How Do I Recover Compensation After a Slip and Fall?
Slips and falls can happen when property owners in Augusta don’t keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. If they don’t inspect for slip and fall hazards regularly, fail to perform necessary maintenance, or forget to warn about potential slip hazards, they can be legally responsible when a lawful visitor falls and gets hurt.
So, if you’ve slipped and fallen on property owned by someone else, you can seek compensation from that owner for your injuries. To win your slip and fall case, you’ll have to prove the owner was negligent.
You need to show:
- A slip and fall hazard existed on the owner’s property
- The owner knew or should have known about the fall hazard, but failed to do anything about it
- You slipped, fell, and got hurt because the owner failed to maintain the premises in a safe condition, and
- You’ve suffered damages.
You’ll also have to establish that you were lawfully on the premises as an invitee or licensee. Property owners in Georgia generally don’t have a duty to protect trespassers from slip and fall hazards on their property.
Once you carry the burden of proof – meaning that you show that your claim is more likely to be true than not – the property owner can be required to pay for your damages.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Avoidable slips, trips, and falls are commonly caused by:
- Wet floors
- Recently waxed or overwaxed floors
- Puddles and uncleaned spills
- Broken floorboards
- Uneven transitions between floor surfaces
- Unsecured rugs and carpets
- Broken railings
- Broken and damaged sidewalks
- Potholes
- Unsecured electrical wires and cables
- Debris and garbage
- Poor lighting
When a hazard isn’t open and obvious, and it’s something that a property owner knew about or should have known about, you can take action to recover compensation for your losses.
Common Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
Slips and falls are a leading cause of unintentional injury in the United States.
Every year, emergency departments across the nation get visits from fall victims who’ve suffered:
- Broken bones, often to the fingers, hands, arms, legs, back, and skull
- Shoulder injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Dental injuries
- Eye injuries
- Brain injuries
- Nerve damage
- Sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries
- Chest injuries
- Degloving injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
When severe enough, slips and falls can also result in wrongful death, too.
What Compensation Can Be Awarded to Augusta Slip and Fall Victims?
Whether you fall at a restaurant or grocery store in Augusta, on someone else’s private property, or on public land, you may have the right to pursue a legal claim for compensatory damages.
Compensatory damages fall into two categories: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages help to offset the monetary costs and consequences of a slip and fall accident, such as:
- Hospitalization, medication, diagnostic tests, specialist consultations, surgery, and other current medical bills
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Future medical expenses
- Long-term assistance
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Diminished earning capacity
Non-economic damages help to acknowledge and compensate for the harder-to-value struggles you experience as a slip and fall victim, such as:
- Chronic pain
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Embarrassment
There are also times when punitive damages can be awarded in Augusta slip and fall cases. The lawsuit must go to trial, and a jury must find by clear and convincing evidence that the property owner’s conduct was malicious or grossly negligent.
What If the Property Owner Blames Me for Slipping and Falling?
Property owners and their insurance companies often try to shift blame onto the injured person to reduce or avoid paying compensation. In Georgia, these arguments are governed by the state’s modified comparative negligence law.
Under Georgia law, you can recover damages as long as you are less than 50% responsible for the accident. However, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are awarded $100,000 but found to be 20% responsible for the fall, your recovery would be reduced to $80,000. If you are found to be 50% or more at fault, you cannot recover compensation.
Insurance companies may argue that you were distracted, ignored warning signs, or should have noticed the hazardous condition. These allegations are common, but they are not always supported by the facts.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Slip and Fall Accident Attorney?
Our law firm handles slip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no upfront fees and no out-of-pocket costs to hire our legal team.
Our fee is only collected if we successfully recover compensation for you through a settlement or court award. At that point, the attorney’s fee is an agreed-upon percentage of your recovery, and case-related expenses are reimbursed from the proceeds of your claim.
If we do not recover compensation on your behalf, you owe us no attorney’s fees.
Is There a Time Limit For Filing a Slip and Fall Accident Lawsuit in Georgia?
Yes. In most cases, Georgia law gives injured victims two years from the date of a slip and fall accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party.
If you miss the applicable filing deadline, you may lose your right to recover compensation, even if you have a valid claim. Certain exceptions can affect the statute of limitations in limited circumstances, so it is best to speak with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.
Call an Experienced Augusta Slip and Fall Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property in Augusta, Georgia, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys is here to help you understand your rights and pursue the financial recovery you deserve.
With more than 40 years of combined experience, our Augusta slip and fall lawyers are prepared to investigate your claim, negotiate with the insurance company, and, when necessary, fight for you in court. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with an Augusta slip and fall lawyer.
