Slip and fall accidents in Palm Beach Gardens, FL are common. Unfortunately, they can cause severe injuries and disabling conditions. If a property owner or other party was negligent in causing your injury, you could be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain, and suffering.
Our Palm Beach Gardens personal injury lawyers at Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Stuart have more than 40 years of combined legal experience. We use our considerable legal knowledge, skills, and resources to fight for the rights of injured victims. Since 2014, we have won millions of dollars for our clients.
We accept cases on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay us until we recover money in your slip and fall accident case.
Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Stuart at (561) 944-4000 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Palm Beach Gardens slip and fall accident lawyers.
How Our Palm Beach Gardens Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help if You’ve Been Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident
Slip and fall accidents can result in devastating injuries and significant damages. However, slip and fall claims can be complicated personal injury cases. Property owners often blame the victims for causing their injuries to avoid paying damages under comparative fault laws.
Our Palm Beach Gardens slip and fall accident attorneys at Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Stuart are prepared for the tactics property owners and insurance companies use to avoid liability. One of our founding partners, Jordan R. Wagner, is a former insurance defense attorney and Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. His insider knowledge of how insurance companies fight claims gives our law firm an advantage when fighting insurers for fair compensation.
Our legal team handles the toughest personal injury cases, and they win. Our successful track record, legal skills, and dedication to clients have resulted in numerous awards and recognition from organizations, including The National Trial Lawyers, Expertise.com, and Super Lawyers.
When you hire our top-rated Florida personal injury lawyers, we’ll handle all matters related to your case; we will:
- Complete an independent investigation to determine how your slip and fall accident occurred
- Identify all parties who are liable for the damages caused by a slip and fall accident
- Work with leading expert witnesses in their fields to gather additional evidence supporting your claim
- Prepare and file all documents for insurance claims and personal injury claims
- Handle the negotiations for slip and fall accident settlements
- File a lawsuit and proceed to court if settling is not in your best interest
Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Stuart to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Our attorneys are here to help you as you continue to recover from your injuries and seek compensation for your damages.
Common Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
In 2021, there were 4,178 fatalities from unintentional falls in Florida, with 345 of those deaths being in Palm Beach County. Victims of slip and fall accidents can suffer severe injuries and life-threatening conditions.
Our legal team at Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Stuart handles slip and fall accident cases involving all types of injuries, including:
- Back injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries, including whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Ankle and wrist injuries
- Soft tissue injuries and nerve damage
- Facial injuries
Prompt medical care is necessary after a slip and fall accident. It protects your health and helps increase the chance you recover fully from your injuries. Medical treatment also documents your injuries and helps your attorney link the injuries to your slip and fall accident.
Leading Causes of Palm Beach Gardens Slip and Fall Accidents
Slips, trips, and falls happen for many reasons.
Common causes of slip and fall accidents in Palm Beach Gardens include:
- Slippery surfaces
- Damaged staircases
- Uneven flooring
- Obstacles on walkways
- Exposed wiring and cables
- Cracks and potholes
- Loose rugs and mats
- Poor visibility and inadequate lighting
- Lack of handrails
Property owners and other parties can be liable for your damages. However, you have the burden of proving the legal elements of a slip and fall case. Our Palm Beach Gardens premises liability lawyers will diligently and aggressively investigate to uncover evidence to help prove your claim.
Proving Liability for a Slip and Fall Accident in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Typically, slip and fall accidents fall under premises liability law. Property owners in Florida have a duty of care to maintain safe premises. When they fail to meet their duty, they can be held liable for damages.
In addition to property owners, other parties in control of the property could be liable. Landlords, businesses, tenants, management companies, and other parties responsible for the property conditions could also be financially accountable.
Proving liability for your claim requires you to provide evidence that proves each of the following legal elements:
- A legal duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
You must establish that the party responsible for the property owed you a duty of care. They failed to meet their duty of care because of their negligence. The negligence was the direct and proximate cause of your fall, injuries, and damages.
The burden of proof in a slip and fall accident claim is by a preponderance of the evidence. If your case goes to a jury trial, the evidence must convince the jurors there is a more than 50% chance that the defendant is responsible for your slip and fall accident.
What Is My Palm Beach Gardens Slip and Fall Accident Case Worth?
The factors of your case determine the value of your damages.
Factors we’ll analyze when calculating how much your injury claim is worth include, but might not be limited to:
- The types of injuries you sustain in the fall and whether those injuries cause permanent impairments
- The medical treatments you were required to receive to recover from injuries
- The length of your recovery
- Whether you can return to work, including reductions in earning capacity
- Whether you share blame for causing your injuries
- The severity of the impact your injuries have on your daily activities and quality of life
Generally, the more of an effect the injuries have on your life, the greater the value of your damages.
What Types of Compensation Can I Recover After a Slip and Fall Accident in Florida?
Florida personal injury laws provide for economic and non-economic damages.
Examples of damages in a slip and fall case include:
- Past and future medical bills
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Physical pain and suffering
- Reduced earning capacity
- Lost wages and benefits
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life and diminished quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Impairments and disabilities
Our legal team will work with you and your doctors to document the extent of your injuries and damages. We may also hire financial professionals and other experts to assist in valuing damages for future losses and permanent disabilities.
Can I Recover Compensation After a Slip and Fall Accident if I’m Partially to Blame for My Fall?
Blaming the victim for causing their injuries is a common tactic used by insurance companies and at-fault parties. The parties use the state’s modified comparative fault laws to avoid paying the total value of a victim’s damages. Florida’s new law could bar victims from receiving any money for their claims.
Florida’s modified comparative negligence law includes a 51% bar for recovery. If you are 51% or more at fault for causing the slip and fall accident, you are barred from recovering any money from the other party. If you’re 50% or less responsible, your damages are reduced proportionately to your share of fault.
Our lawyers at Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Stuart understand the best ways to defend against allegations of shared fault. Before you speak with an insurance adjuster or property owner, talk with one of our Palm Beach Gardens slip and fall accident lawyers.
How Long Do I Have to File a Slip and Fall Accident Lawsuit in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida?
Premises liability cases are usually based on negligence. Most negligence claims have a two-year statute of limitations in Florida. The time begins on the date of your slip and fall accident.
However, the two-year deadline applies to cases that occurred on or after March 24, 2023. Before that date, victims might have longer to file a claim. Additionally, other factors could change the deadline to file a slip and fall claim.
Judges can dismiss lawsuits filed after the statute of limitations passes. Therefore, seeking prompt legal advice can help you avoid losing your right to pursue a court claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Palm Beach Gardens Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers
Slips, trips, and falls are not minor personal injury cases, even if an insurance adjuster tells you that your claim is worth a very small amount. Contact our law office at (561) 944-4000 to speak with an experienced Palm Beach Gardens slip and fall attorney to discuss your case. We’ll provide trusted legal advice about your right to fair compensation for a slip and fall injury.
