Slip & Fall Accident Lawyers in Cherry Hill, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions About Slip and Fall Accidents

• What should I do if I have had a slip and fall accident?

  If you have had a slip and fall accident, seeking medical attention is first and foremost. This not only documents your injuries with a medical professional, but going to the doctor immediately after a slip and fall accident also conveys that your injuries were serious enough at the time to warrant a visit with a healthcare professional.
  
  When someone who has had an accident waits to go for medical treatment for the injuries, it makes a personal injury claim more difficult. Questions arise regarding the severity of your injuries at the time and whether or not the injuries you reported can be attributed to some other cause. So if you have been hurt in a slip and fall accident, head to the doctor’s office promptly.

• What type of slip and fall accidents are covered under personal injury law?

  Personal injury law is designed to protect those who have been injured in accidents that were caused by another person or entity’s negligent actions. Slip and fall accidents are a common source of personal injury claims and may be the result of any number of circumstances including: slippery floors, poorly lit stairways, snowy and icy conditions, cracked sidewalks, loose steps, poorly marked hazardous areas, and more.

• How much time do I have to file a claim for my slip and fall accident in New Jersey?

  Every state has legal deadlines for filing claims in the state’s civil courts, which are known as statute of limitations. In New Jersey, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the time the injury occurred. This is a firm deadline. If you do not file a personal injury claim within two years from when the slip and fall accident occurred, the New Jersey courts will dismiss your case. Furthermore, you will have lost the opportunity to recover compensation for injuries sustained in your accident.

• What kind of compensation can I receive for my slip and fall accident?

  When you file a personal injury claim in the state’s civil courts, you may seek damages for your injuries and other losses stemming from the slip and fall accident. You may recover compensation for existing medical bills as well as future medical expenses due to the accident. If you lost time at work due to the slip and fall accident, you may recover lost income and loss of earned vacation time. You may also recover compensation for the costs of rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life. Schedule a complimentary consultation with a personal injury attorney at Andres, Berger & Tran to ascertain what type of compensation you can reasonably expect to receive.

• What happens if someone slips and falls at a neighbor’s party?

  If someone slips and falls at a neighbor’s party, they may be able to recover compensation from the party’s hosts. It depends how the slip and fall accident occurred. Homeowners are obligated to inform their guests of any dangerous conditions at the house that the guests may not recognize, or to correct those dangerous conditions.
  
  For example, if a guest slipped and fell on a loose front step, the guest may be able to recover damages providing they can demonstrate that the party’s hosts were aware that the step was broken and that they knew party guests would be arriving to the party via those steps. The party hosts should have repaired the loose step, alerted party guests to the step’s hazardous condition and closed it off with tape, or provided another means for guests to enter the party.

• I had a slip and fall accident at a family member’s residence and I don’t want to sue them. What else can I do?

  Suffering a slip and fall accident at a family member’s residence can be particularly upsetting. Not only have you sustained injuries, but you now incurred medical expenses and don’t want to file a legal claim against a family member to recover damages. It is not an uncommon situation and is certainly an uncomfortable one.
  
  Keep in mind that most slip and fall accidents that occur on residential property are often covered under the homeowner’s insurance policy. So it is your family member’s insurance company that is paying your medical bills, not your family member. An experienced slip and fall accident attorney can provide guidance regarding your particular situation.

• What are “shared fault” rules for slip and fall accidents in New Jersey?

  When you have been hurt in a slip and fall accident, it may be determined that you are at least partially responsible for the accident. Perhaps you should have known that icy steps were unsafe or perhaps you did not heed the “Caution: Wet Slippery Floor” sign that was posted. In either case, the state’s “shared fault” rules will apply.
  
  Under New Jersey’s “comparative negligence” rules, the compensation that the injured party would have received for the slip and fall accident will be reduced by an amount that reflects their responsibility for the accident. In other words, if the injured person is 30% responsible for the slip and fall, then their compensation will be reduced by 30%.

• Should I consult with a personal injury attorney if I was injured in a slip and fall?

  It may seem like a slip and fall accident is pretty straightforward. Someone was negligent, and you were injured because of that negligence, so you should be compensated. But proving negligence in a slip and fall accident case is often quite complicated.
  
  The party responsible for the slip and fall will often argue that you share some level of responsibility for the accident. It is important to understand how to prove negligence under personal injury law to effectively hold the other party responsible and recover your damages.
  The personal injury team at Andres, Berger & Tran share more than 70 combined years of trial experience with a demonstrated track record of success in obtaining multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. Schedule a complimentary consultation with a slip and fall attorney at Andres, Berger & Tran to ascertain what type of compensation you can reasonably expect to receive.