Elizabethtown Slip and Fall Lawyer

If you fell on another person or business’s property, you may be wondering who is liable for your medical bills, lost wages, or other expenses stemming from the accident. If your slip and fall happened because of hazardous conditions on the property, you could file a legal claim to hold the property owner responsible.

While recovering from an injury, you may find it difficult to manage the bills and expenses, let alone think about your legal options. An Elizabethtown slip and fall lawyer might be able to help. As your advocate, an experienced personal injury attorney may be able to explain the laws that apply and what financial compensation you may be due.

Potential Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

Business and other property owners who invite others onto their premises should take care to ensure the space is safe. Common types of hazards that may cause a slip and fall include:

• Slick or wet floors
• Exposed wires
• Loose steps
• Loose floorboards or carpeting
• Snowy or icy sidewalks
• Obstructed walkways

When a property owner fails to address a hazard or adequately warn visitors about a potential danger, they may be responsible for the damages suffered in a slip and fall. A skilled attorney could work with an injured party no matter the cause of the slip and fall accident.

Personal Injury Laws in Elizabethtown

Visitors or other members of the public who are injured due to the negligence of the property owner may be able to claim compensation under Kentucky’s personal injury laws. Injured individuals may be facing medical bills and lost wages from missed work that they would not have experienced otherwise. They may also face future expenses related to their injuries.

Under state law, injured parties can seek compensation for those economic damages, as well as non-economic losses, including emotional trauma, inconvenience, pain, and suffering.

Can Partial Fault Negatively Impact Compensation?

If the property owner claims the injured party was partially responsible for the fall, that individual may not be able to obtain the full damages award. State courts follow a “contributory negligence model” when it comes to damages in a personal injury case. Under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 412.030, an injured party’s financial compensation may be reduced if they are found to be at fault for the slip and fall accident.

For example, if a business owner fails to properly clear snow and ice from the property and someone slips and falls, resulting in an injury, the injured party may file a personal injury lawsuit to cover the damages. However, if the business owner put up warning signs, the damages awarded to the injured party in the case may be reduced.

Financial compensation offered by an insurance company may reflect this concept as well. If the insurance company thinks that the injured party was partially at fault for the slip and fall accident, they may offer less than they would otherwise.

Legal Deadline for a Lawsuit

Lawsuits for personal injuries are subject to a deadline, also known as a “statute of limitations.” The statute of limitations restricts the timeline in which an injured party can make a legal claim. Under KRS § 413.140, injured parties have only one year to make a personal injury legal claim. A lawyer in the area could inform the injured party of crucial laws and keep track of important deadlines in a slip and fall case.

Talk to an Elizabethtown Slip and Fall Attorney

If you were hurt while on another person’s or business’s property, it may be in your best interest to contact an Elizabethtown slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible. You have limited time to make a legal claim for damages related to your slip and fall.

An experienced lawyer from our firm may be able to help you understand the financial compensation due, as well as act as your advocate during any settlement or legal process. Call us today to schedule a free consultation and get started.