You go over to your friend’s house for dinner. You enjoy a wonderful evening together. At the end of the night when you leave, your shoe becomes caught in her cracked front step. As a result, you twist your ankle. You make a visit to the ER and have to wear a boot for the next six weeks. Should you bother hiring an attorney?
No matter the injury, hiring an attorney can save you money in the long run. The personal injury attorneys at Kidwell & Gallagher Personal Injury Lawyers would like to review the benefits of hiring a representation for your slip and fall case.
Slip and fall injuries can occur just about anywhere, on public or private property, at work, or at another’s home. An accident is considered a slip and fall when someone loses their footing and falls on another person’s property.
Since a slip and fall takes place on someone’s property, it is a premises liability claim. Often, the person who falls suffers an injury.
Common scenarios for slip and fall injuries are:
According to the American Bar Association, three out of five people represent themselves in civil cases in court, usually to their disadvantage.
Hiring an attorney has the following advantages:
It is probably in your best interest to hire an attorney, especially if you have suffered from any broken bones or property damage, as a result of the slip and fall.
If you are negotiating with an insurance company, you are less likely to receive a fair settlement amount. This is because an insurance adjuster’s main objective is to settle your case for as little as possible.
Generally speaking, the first settlement offer from an insurance adjuster is roughly 40% of what the case is actually worth. First settlement offers rarely take into account future medical expenses and lost earning potential.
Although you can technically negotiate your own settlement, an attorney has the skills and training to win you a larger award.
An attorney is used to communicating with insurance adjusters. An attorney is able to calculate your monetary losses (lost wages and medical bills), and non-monetary losses (pain and suffering). Your legal counsel will present the necessary evidence to strengthen your case.
With legal representation working on your behalf, an adjuster is more likely to offer you a fair settlement amount. An insurance adjuster knows that if your case goes to court, a jury is more likely to award you a much higher amount. This will cost your insurance carrier more money in the end.
A slip and fall injury can keep you from doing the things you love. Every year, slip and fall victims suffer serious injuries and death. If you have been in a slip and fall accident, you need representation that is tirelessly fighting for you. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Craig W. Kidwell is the managing partner of Kidwell & Gallagher, Ltd., and exclusively represents injured workers in Nevada. Mr. Kidwell has been practicing workers’ compensation law in Nevada since 1999 and has acted as lead counsel on over 2,000 contested workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Kidwell represents injured workers in Nevada through all stages of Nevada’s complex worker’s compensation system. Craig regularly appears in all levels of Nevada’s administrative workers’ compensation system and has represented injured workers in Nevada’s districts and Supreme Court.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Managing Partner, Craig W. Kidwell who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.