Slip and Fall Accidents Lawyer Minneapolis, MN

You have the right to bring a legal claim when you injure yourself by slipping or falling on property that was negligently maintained by the property owner. People can slip or fall because of ice buildup, puddles of water, uneven walking surfaces, or any other hazardous condition. People over the age 65 are most susceptible to sustaining serious injuries as the result of a slip and fall incident.

Slip and fall victims may be entitled to compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Property owners are not automatically liable for a slip and fall accident.

To be successful, a Plaintiff (injured party) must prove:

– That the Defendant (property owner) owned, controlled or leased the property at the time of the accident;
– The Defendant was negligent by creating an unreasonable risk of harm by maintaining the property in an unsafe condition;
– The Plaintiff was harmed on Defendant’s property;
– The Defendant’s negligence caused the Plaintiff’s harm.

Out of these four factors, proving negligence is the most challenging. To establish negligence, a plaintiff must prove that:

– The property owner created the hazardous condition; or
– That the property owner either knew or should have known about the hazardous condition but made no effort to fix it.

Comparative Negligence

The concept of comparative negligence is almost always an issue in a slip and fall case. Minnesota is a modified comparative fault state which means that if a jury finds the plaintiff more than 50 percent fault for the accident, the Plaintiff recovers nothing. Even if a Plaintiff is found to be less than 51 percent for the accident, his or damages will be reduced by the percentage a jury determines a Plaintiff to be at fault. For example, if a court finds a Plaintiff to be 30% responsible for the slip and fall incident and the Defendant 70% responsible, the Plaintiff would only receive 70% of the damages awarded to him or her as opposed to the full 100% of damages.

Injuries

Some of the most common injuries that people sustain in a slip and fall accident are:

Hip Fractures

Most of the hip fractures reported in the United States are caused by some type of fall. In some cases, hip fracture victims require surgery which is followed by a lengthy physical therapy and rehabilitation process.

Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries occur when the spinal cord is either severed or compressed. These injuries can be life-threatening and demand immediate medical care as well as ongoing treatment.

Brain Injury

Sometimes, and individual hits their head on the ground or an object after they slip and fall which results in a concussion. These concussions can range from mild to a severe traumatic brain injury.

Shoulder Injury

You can dislocate your shoulder as a result of a slip and fall accident.

Please contact the Manga Law Firm immediately following a slip and fall accident to discuss your case.