Atlanta Slip and Fall Attorney

Cheves Briceno and Associates have handled numerous cases against big insurance providers and secured millions of dollars in compensation for our deserving clients. As experienced Atlanta slip and fall attorneys, we are prepared to negotiate a settlement or go to trial for the fair and just compensation that you deserve.

We’re proud to have earned a 5-star reputation on Avvo.com and a variety of other review websites through our excellent representation of and partnership with clients as their Atlanta slip and fall attorney.

A slip and fall claim occurs when someone accidentally falls while on property owned by another person or party. Although slip and fall cases don’t typically result from malicious intent, they are still often the result of negligence on behalf of the property owner or caretaker who is ultimately responsible for the condition of the environment. In a slip and fall suit, the claimant is the person who suffered the fall and the defendant is the property owner or their insurance company. 

Common reasons that a slip and fall accident occurs:

• Wet or slippery floors
• Icy walking paths
• Obstructed walkway
• Uneven surfaces
• Deteriorated stairs, railings or other crucial building components used for safe walking conditions 

Each of these potentially hazardous situations can have multiple contributing factors and can result in other safety concerns on the premises. A qualified  Atlanta slip and fall attorney will know exactly what questions to ask to determine the cause of your unfortunate accident and hold the negligent party responsible.

Slip and fall suits are typically brought against a homeowner or property owner’s insurance provider. The following are common examples of ways that negligence can be demonstrated: 

• Failure to notify of a slippery surface (e.g., due to cleaning);
• Lack of sanitary practices that might have prevented a fall or significantly reduced the risk of one occurring;
• Unsafe conditions due to disrepair or ongoing construction.

A key question when your Atlanta slip and fall attorney is determining liability will be: should the property owner have had a reasonable expectation that the current conditions of the property might cause someone to slip and fall?

The complexity of determining liability increases when a property owner has taken the necessary actions to maintain a safe environment but a product or service that they have used was defective or negligent. In these cases, the actions of a third party still resulted in a slip and fall happening, but not due to negligence on part of the property owner. This complexity is precisely why a qualified Atlanta slip and fall attorney is needed to help ensure that your case is properly handled and negligence is ascribed to the proper party.

In many cases, after conducting an investigation, the property owner’s insurance provider will determine that the property owner is not liable or only partially liable. This outcome may merit a slip and fall lawsuit to ensure you are fairly compensated.

The best course of action is to contact an Atlanta slip and fall attorney immediately after suffering an accident. The state of Georgia has a 2-year statute of limitations on personal injury suits like slip and fall accidents. This means that you have exactly 2 years to file from the time that an accident occurred. Hiring an Atlanta slip and fall attorney can help expedite your claim and resulting settlement. 

It’s also critical to note that your claim cannot be reopened once it has been closed (meaning you’ve accepted the settlement terms). If you worked directly with an insurance provider and did not have representation from an Atlanta slip and fall attorney, the amount of compensation provided may not actually be enough to meet your needs and you’ll have to cover the remaining costs by yourself. Unfortunately, this happens all too often.

In some situations, the property owner or homeowner may refuse to provide contact information for their insurance provider, either because they do not want the claim to affect their insurance premium or because they are uninsured. In these cases your only recourse to produce fair compensation is to sue the property owner. 

Starting the legal process and taking all necessary steps to document your case will require working with an Atlanta slip and fall attorney.

Though you might be shaken up and experiencing physical pain or embarrassment, it’s critical that you note certain conditions and quickly take follow-up measures. Information like that listed below could be instrumental in making your claim successful.

1. Seek medical attention
2. Where and when you fell
3. Notice whether there was signage
4. The weather conditions
5. Ask for contact information from relevant people
6. Contact an Atlanta slip and fall attorney from Cheves Briceno

In a slip and fall case, claimants will typically pursue general economic and non-economic damages for negligence that resulted in the accident occurring. Some suits will involve non-economic or punitive damages, though these are not as frequent. A qualified Atlanta slip and fall attorney can advise you further on how damages are related to your specific claim.

Slip and fall accidents may require a range of medical treatments, and the cost of medical care associated with your accident is the most significant determining factor in your total settlement amount. The amount of compensation awarded will be proportionate to how severe your injuries are. Of course, the total settlement amount will be highly dependent on whether you are represented by an effective Atlanta slip and fall attorney. Specific compensatory damages (economic and non-economic) often sought in slip and fall cases include:

• The total cost of your medical bills (most important)
• Loss of wages
• Pain and suffering
• Additional costs incurred due to the accident
• Out of pocket expenses

Categorizing, documenting and tracking these expenses can require professional consultation from an Atlanta slip and fall attorney. You might be surprised to learn how many costs associated with a slip and fall accident can be covered under the damages claimed in your suit.

The property owner’s insurance provider will do their best to prove that you share some fault in the accident, whether that’s true or not. The insurance company will have an entire team dedicated to investigating the claim and protecting their interests - why shouldn’t you? To demonstrate that you bear responsibility for the fall, investigators or legal representatives from the defendant’s insurance company might use evidence gathered from witnesses, video recordings, cell phone records, etc. To defend your case and secure the highest possible compensation, your Atlanta slip and fall attorney will need to respond to arguments and evidence offered by the defendant’s insurance provider.

A knowledgeable and effective Atlanta slip and fall attorney will painstakingly research and analyze the facts of your claim and build a case that helps you secure the compensation needed to fully recover your physical health and long-term quality of life.