Olympia Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer

No matter how careful you are, one fall and suddenly you are hurt, with weeks or months of recovery ahead. Your injury makes it impossible to go to work, pay your bills, and care for your family. It may seem like bad luck, but someone may be liable for your hardships. 

In Washington State, businesses and private property owners must ensure their premises are safe for visitors. If your fall occurred through no fault of your own, you deserve compensation for your injuries. Our Olympia slip-and-fall accident lawyers can help.

Our team at NextLaw has over 50 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of accident victims. When you are injured in a slip-and-fall accident, Call Dan Next. Contact us today for a free consultation and find out how our Olympia personal injury lawyers can help. 

Should You Take a Settlement for a Slip-and-Fall Accident?

If you get hurt on someone else’s property, their insurance policy will cover your damages. Unfortunately, sometimes insurance companies do whatever they can to avoid paying you what you deserve. This can include offering a low settlement amount that is far less than you need.

They know they are undervaluing your case, but they are hoping you don’t understand what your claim is really worth. If you accept their offer, you lose the right to future compensation, even if your injury gets worse. They get off the hook for a fraction of what they owe you. 

It is never wise to accept a settlement offer from an insurance company without first speaking with an attorney. Our Olympia slip-and-fall accident attorneys will know what your case is worth, and we aren’t going to let insurance companies take advantage of you. 

What Is a Slip-and-Fall Case Worth?

Every case is unique, and your slip-and-fall case could be worth thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars. Our attorneys will assess your economic and non-economic damages to determine the maximum compensation possible. 

Economic Damages

Economic damages are those attached to a dollar figure. These expenses are real money that’s come out of your pocket as a result of your accident and injury, and you deserve restitution. Some of the economic damages we may be able to recover include the costs associated with:

• Emergency room visits
• Ambulance transport
• Doctor and specialist visits
• Medications
• Surgery and other procedures
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Lost wages
• Future medical complications
• Property damages

It is a good idea to keep track of all of your expenses after your fall. This will assist your attorney in understanding the full extent of your financial hardships and ensure nothing is left out. 

Non-Economic Damages

Sometimes, your attorney can include non-economic damages in your compensation totals. These damages are harder to prove, and they don’t directly relate to costs and money lost due to your injury. However, for many accident victims, they are no less real. 

Depending on your specific injuries, this could include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Keeping a journal of how the accident has impacted you and your family can help your attorney understand the hardships you have endured.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages aim to penalize a defendant in cases where they have acted with gross negligence, recklessness, or unlawfully. For instance, this may happen if a public store knew of unsafe conditions and deliberately skirted safety regulations, putting customers in danger.

Punitive damages are rare, and they would not be part of your settlement. A court imposes them after a civil trial.

Who Is Liable for Your Slip-and-Fall Accident?

In Oregon, property owners are obligated to ensure their businesses and private residences are reasonably safe for visitors. While businesses must comply with safety regulations and carry an added level of responsibility, every private property owner can also be held liable for falls.

Your slip-and-fall injury accident lawyer in Olympia will investigate the circumstances surrounding your accident and determine who is liable for your injuries. Many slip-and-fall accidents that point to the property owner as the at-fault party involve:

• Broken or unsafe sidewalks and walkways
• Spills left unattended and not properly marked
• Construction or maintenance areas not block off from the public
• Custodial work such as mopped floors without proper signage
• Slippery areas at entrances due to rain or ice
• Obstructions and clutter in public walkways
• Broken pavement and rubble in parking lots
• Broken hand railings
• Loose floor mats
• Poor visibility in public areas

Sometimes, other parties can share responsibility, such as an employee or another visitor to the premises. One of your attorney’s most important jobs is determining who was at fault so we can form an effective strategy for your case.

How Will an Attorney Handle My Case? 

We’ll deal with the insurance companies so you don’t have to. We can file your claim and ensure you meet important deadlines. We’ll keep your case on track and help you avoid many common mistakes that could prevent you from getting the compensation you deserve.

When the time comes, we’ll negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf. If everything goes well, this will be all it takes to get you the money you need. However, if the insurance company still doesn’t act properly, we can take things to the next level.

While we would rather not put you through a lawsuit, we aren’t going to back down from a fight. We can file a civil suit on your behalf and let a court determine your awards.

Contact an Olympia Slip-and-Fall Accident Attorney

A slip-and-fall accident can happen to anyone. For some accident victims, a fall means a disruption to their lives that costs them thousands of dollars in unexpected medical bills and other expenses. For others, a fall means a major injury that changes the trajectory of their lives. 

If you are in either situation or anywhere in between, it isn’t fair when the actions or emotions of another cause your hardships. Our Olympia slip-and-fall injury accident attorneys can fight to get you the compensation you need to get your life back on track. 

Our personal injury lawyers at NextLaw have the experience and knowledge to help you through this difficult time. Contact us today for a free consultation and tell us what happened.