St. Louis Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slip and fall accidents often occur without serious injury. Despite a bruised ego, most are still able to get up, dust themselves off, and have a good laugh about it. But sometimes, slip and fall accidents result in serious personal injury.

Have you or someone you know been seriously injured in a St. Louis slip and fall accident? If so, you know firsthand how something seemingly innocent, like a wet floor or a snag in a rug, can lead to serious financial hardship. After you total up the medical bills, physical therapy, and lost wages, that clumsy moment is certainly no laughing matter.

The good news is that if your injury was caused by the negligence of a property owner or business, then you have the power to fight for the compensation that you deserve. However, you will likely need an experienced St. Louis personal injury attorney on your side to prove the property owner’s negligence caused your accident.

The St. Louis personal injury lawyers at Miller & Hine have more than 50 years of combined experience representing the people of St. Louis in slip and fall accidents and other personal injury cases, with a high degree of success taking on insurance companies and protecting victims in premises liability cases. Contact Miller & Hine law firm today to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation. Call (314) 413-2053, or visit our contact page anytime.

Why Hire a St. Louis Slip and Fall Attorney?

After being injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property, you can’t always rely on property owners and businesses to hold themselves accountable for your injury, and they will likely contact their own legal team or insurance company before you even make it to the hospital.

Proving that the owner of the business or property was responsible for your injuries is not easy. That is why it is crucial for you to contact an experienced St. Louis slip and fall attorney as soon as possible, so we can begin to build your

case against the property owner by contacting witnesses and documenting hazards on the property.

Where Do Slip and Fall Accidents Commonly Occur?

No one expects to experience a bad fall accident while they’re enjoying a meal in a restaurant, shopping in a mall, or running errands in town, but busy commercial properties require careful management to keep visitors safe. When a hazardous condition is present and you slip and fall on a commercial property, the property owner’s liability insurance must cover your damages. Some common places where slip and fall accidents occur include:

Retail stores
Restaurants and cafes
Hospitals
Nursing home facilities
Shopping malls
Parking garages and parking lots
Public parks
Museums
Airports

Commercial property managers and owners are typically liable for injuries if you suffer a fall accident on their property due to a hazardous condition, but in some cases, a government agency may be held liable; for example, if you fall in a public park or in a post office.

Proving Liability in St. Louis Slip and Fall Accidents

Property owners have a duty to keep others safe when they visit as a guest, a patron, or a customer. This duty requires them to perform routine inspections and promptly address any safety hazards present. It also requires them to place warning signs in a visible location near any hazardous conditions while they are present. Proving liability in a slip and fall accident requires the plaintiff to show the following points:

That the property owner or manager had a duty of care to keep others safe by taking reasonable measures to prevent injuries
That they breached this duty by acting negligently
That the negligence directly caused the injury
That the injury victim suffered real economic and non-economic damages due to the injury

Once an investigation shows clear liability on the part of a property owner or manager, your St. Louis slip and fall attorney has a compelling case for your complete compensation.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in St. Louis

Slip and fall accidents happen every day in department stores, restaurants, grocery stores, parking lots, at work, or someone’s house. Slips and falls are usually caused by poor maintenance or design:

Spills or food left on the floor
Cracks in sidewalks or stairs
Uneven steps
Lack of handrails
Poor lighting

Slip and fall injuries can be serious, ranging from head trauma, spinal injuries, damaged knees, broken limbs, internal injuries, and paralysis.

What Kind of Injuries are Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents in St. Louis?

Fall accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injuries in the United States. This is especially true for the elderly, but a person of any age can experience a fall and sustain painful injuries. Some common injuries from slip-and-fall accidents include:

Whiplash
Back and neck injuries
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
Spinal cord injuries
Fractures
Dental injuries
Broken bones
Soft tissue injuries like sprains and torn ligaments

Injuries from fall accidents can cause physical trauma and expensive medical bills. When your injury was preventable if only someone had taken reasonable precautions, you shouldn’t have to suffer the financial consequences.

What to Do Immediately After a Slip and Fall Accident in St. Louis

Check the floor. Look to see if there was something on the floor, if there was a crack or defect in the floor, or another dangerous condition. If you have a camera phone with you, take a picture.
File an incident report. Contact a manager or supervisor immediately. Get the manager’s card or at least their name and phone number. If the manager prepares a report at the scene, make sure that you get a copy of the report. If they tell you they will not give you a copy of the report, please ensure you get everyone’s name and try to take a picture of them or their name tag. Additionally, gather a name and contact information for the property owner.
Witnesses. Obtain the names and telephone numbers of any witnesses to the accident.
Seek medical attention. Seek immediate medical attention for any injuries you have sustained. In fact, you should get checked out by a doctor even if you feel fine.
Call Miller & Hine. Call our law firm to consult with an experienced St. Louis slip and fall accident attorney about what you should and shouldn’t do to preserve your right to compensation and maximize your slip and fall injury claim.

What Damages Can I Recover After a St. Louis Slip and Fall Accident?

When you’ve experienced significant injuries, the costs quickly escalate. Your bills are now compounded by medical expenses and you may be out of work for recovery either temporarily or permanently. When the slip and fall attorneys at Miller & Hine advocate for your rights throughout the legal process you can maximize your chances of gaining full compensation for the following damages:

Medical costs
Future medical expenses if you have further treatments and procedures scheduled
Lost wages and future lost wages
Diminished earning potential if you’ve experienced disabling injuries that impact your ability to stay in your chosen career
Pain and suffering

If you’ve suffered a preventable injury due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve full compensation from the liable party—typically paid through their property insurance or commercial property insurance.

Miller & Hine | Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers in St. Louis, MO

If you have been injured in a St. Louis slip and fall accident, then you need the services of an experienced St. Louis premises liability attorney who will fight day and night for the compensation you deserve. Call Miller & Hine law firm today at (314) 413-2053, or visit our contact page to get your slip and fall accident case started.

We handle slip and fall accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you pay us no out-of-pocket fees until we recover compensation for you.