Slip and fall

Qualified Kansas City Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers

Legal help when you’re hurt on unsafe premises in Missouri and Kansas

Whether you are going for a leisurely walk, visiting a friend’s home, or doing some afternoon shopping, the last thing you might expect is to have your day interrupted by a slip and fall injury. For many, these injuries can be life-altering. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may require medical treatment for many months, or even years, to come. You may also find it difficult or impossible to return to your current job.

After a serious injury, this uncertainty about the future can lead to significant stress. The good news is that with the help of the trial lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your losses, allowing you to continue to support yourself and your family as you heal from your injuries. Our experienced slip and fall attorneys can help you hold negligent property owners liable for failing to protect your safety.

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How can a slip and fall attorney help?

After a slip and fall accident, you may have many unanswered questions:

  • How will I be able to pay for my current and future medical bills?
  • What am I going to do for income if I have had to miss work as a result of my injuries?
  • Am I entitled to compensation for my emotional pain and suffering?
  • Do I need to hire a lawyer?
  • Should I speak to an insurance company without first consulting my attorney?

The best way to get the right answers to these questions is to speak with a respected and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer. Our attorneys are ready to answer all your questions and guide you through every step of the legal process.

Can I make a claim when I fall on someone else’s property?

Yes. In both Missouri and Kansas, premises liability law protects invitees and licensees. The law does not protect trespassers.

  • These are people who are invited onto the property either to purchase a product or service, or to participate in a service the premises owner offers. Examples include anyone who buys food in a restaurant, shops in a store, visits their doctor, or spends a night in a hotel.
  • Property owners often open their buildings, parking lots, and sidewalks to everyone during business hours. Even if you were just passing through or waiting for a friend, you should be able to file a premises liability claim if you slip and fall.
  • Property owners do not owe a duty of care to anyone who does not have a right to be on the property. There is a limited exception, however, for “attractive nuisances.” Attractive nuisances apply to children who might be enticed to use a swimming pool or trampoline on someone else’s property.

How do slip and fall accidents and injuries happen?

Property owners can be held liable when visitors suffer injuries from dangerous conditions under premises liability law. This means they owe visitors a duty of care and must take precautions to protect those visitors. If they fail to do so, they can be held liable for any resulting harm.

Premises liability law applies to all property owners. This includes:

  • For-profit businesses, such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels, apartment complexes, and businesses that provide services for a fee.
  • Non-profit businesses, such as hospitals, schools, churches, and organizations that provide community services.
  • Homeowners, such as your next-door neighbor or any residential dwelling.

Slip and fall accidents can happen because the owner of the property:

  • Failed to inspect the property for the possibility someone on their property might slip and fall.
  • Failed to respond to any complaints that their property has a potential or existing hazard.
  • Failed to warn customers and visitors of any known dangers.

What are some examples of slip and fall accidents?

Our Kansas City slip and fall lawyers work with you, building and property inspectors, and anyone with knowledge of the accident to help show the premises owner was negligent. We question the property owners about any prior knowledge they had of the dangerous condition that caused you to fall, including complaints by local officials or by other customers.

Some of the many reasons you may fall while on someone else’s property include:

  • Poor lighting.
  • Failure to clean ice and snow in the parking lots, entrances, or tracked into the building.
  • Failure of a neighbor to shovel their sidewalk.
  • Spilled drinks and liquids.
  • Carpets that have tears or aren’t level.
  • Broken or missing tiles.
  • Uneven surfaces.
  • Stairs that aren’t evenly spaced or aren’t level.
  • Merchandise or debris on the floor.

In order for a successful claim, you must show that the property owner’s negligence led to your injuries. In other words, the property owner either caused the hazardous conditions, knew it existed, or should have had reasonable knowledge it existed.

Related Article: Slips, Trips, and Falls Are Common Truck Driver Injuries

What are common slip and fall injuries?

In the most tragic cases, slip and fall injuries are fatal. Senior citizens are more susceptible to fatal falls due to mobility issues and decreased reflexes. We file wrongful death claims on behalf of anyone who suffers a slip and fall accident, including seniors who fall at nursing homes. Falls can cause the following types of injuries:

  • Traumatic brain injuries. Injuries to the head are extremely dangerous.
  • Spinal cord injury. Falls often affect the victims’ neck, back, and spine. Some spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis.
  • Broken bones. Broken hips, legs, and arms are very common slip and fall injuries, and can lead to complications.
  • Injuries to muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tissue. Many slip and fall victims also live with chronic pain.

Other personal injuries include bruises, lacerations, internal bleeding, and organ damage.

What should I do after a slip and fall accident?

The answer to this question depends on the severity of your injuries. Your first priority is always your health. If you are seriously injured, seek emergency medical attention right away. If you (or a friend who is with you) are able, you should:

  • Taking pictures of yourself and your injuries.
  • Taking pictures or videos of the area where you fell to illustrate the dangerous conditions.
  • Reporting your fall to a store manager or supervisor.

You should not speak with anyone other than your Kansas City lawyer about the cause of the slip and fall accident.

Who is liable for a Kansas City premises liability case?

Generally, the primary defendant is the owner of the property. Sometimes, determining the actual owner requires that our slip and fall lawyers open an investigation. For example, the property owner may be leasing the space from a landlord, who in turn may be owned by a parent company. Our legal team gets to the bottom of who is responsible for your injuries.

Other possible defendants include:

  • A manufacturer, if the fall was due to a defective product, such as a broken escalator.
  • A repair or maintenance company that failed to make necessary repairs or conduct regular inspections.

If you suffer a slip and fall accident while doing your job, then you may need to file a workers’ compensation claim. Our workers’ comp lawyers can help you through the process.

Make the call to an experienced Kansas City slip and fall lawyer today

At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, we help you take the proper steps to pursue a claim after a slip and fall accident. Since the law imposes strict time limitations on filing a claim, however, it is important that you act quickly. We encourage you to contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation or use our contact form to schedule an appointment. We have locations in Kansas City, Lee's Summit, St. Joseph, and Olathe, MO, and in Overland Park and Parkville, KS, and represent people throughout Kansas and Missouri.