Ponchatoula Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slips and falls are often caused by the negligence of the person who owns the property it happened on. When this is the case, a skilled personal injury attorney might be able to help you win compensation in the form of monetary damages. If the fall was not your fault, but was the due to the negligence of some other party, you are entitled to file a claim. A Ponchatoula slip and fall lawyer could present your case and seek compensation that covers all of your losses from the accident.

Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

A slip and fall case may occur in any number of different ways. Some of these might result in relatively minor injuries, while others can permanently harm someone. Broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and even paralysis have been known to happen. Slip and fall accidents are mostly commonly caused by:

• Defective staircases
• Displaced objects on the ground
• Liquid spills on the floor
• Holes in the ground
• Damaged sidewalks or entryways
• Icy sidewalks and roads

Even if the incident occurs on public property, a Ponchatoula trip and fall attorney has the ability to determine who might be legally liable for what happened to you.

Seeking Financial Compensation in Louisiana

Different categories of property owners are subject to different standards under Louisiana law. Several legislative acts, as well as case law, set forth these standards for slip and fall accidents.

State law requires, for example, a different standard for claims against “merchants.” A merchant is defined as a business that sells goods, wares, foods, or merchandise in a fixed place of business. This includes grocery stores, inns, hotels, restaurants, and many other types of businesses. A slip and fall lawyer in Ponchatoula could help a plaintiff determine if their claim would be made against a merchant, and therefore subject to these requirements. To be successful in a slip and fall accident claim against a merchant under Civil Code § 9:2800.6, the plaintiff must prove the:

• Dangerous condition existed and it created an unreasonable risk of harm
• Risk of harm was foreseeable
• Merchant had constructive or actual knowledge of the hazard
• Merchant did not exercise reasonable care
• Plaintiff suffered injuries due to the merchant’s failure to rectify the situation

In addition to this, the type of property visitor that the plaintiff is categorized as will play a part in how much care a property manager owed to them. While they must protect invitees and licensees from harm, they do not owe a high standard of care to trespassers, with the exception of preventing children from being drawn to a potentially hazardous area.

Available Compensation

The ultimate goal of a lawsuit is to secure financial compensation to pay for the losses. A successful slip and fall accident case may result in the following types of damages:

• Lost income and earning capacity
• Medical bills, including those expected in the future
• Property damage
• Loss of consortium
• Pain and suffering
• Any losses stemming from a wrongful death

These types of damages, and potentially more, may help compensate a person and get their life back on track.

Discuss Your Case with a Ponchatoula Slip and Fall Attorney

Slip and fall accidents have the potential to be catastrophic, depending on how and where it happens. If you were injured in this way, you have the legal right to hold the relevant party liable for the harm you suffered. An experienced Ponchatoula slip and fall lawyer could assist you in this process. Contact us today for a consultation.