Common Causes of Slip and Falls
We often associate a slip and fall with clumsiness or improper footwear. The truth is that many of these incidents are the result of safety hazards, some of which are preventable.
Many slip and fall accidents are caused by:
- Slick or wet surfaces
- Uneven flooring
- Loose or unsecured rugs or carpets
- Cluttered walkways
- Insufficient lighting
- Lack of handrails
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents, often overlooked as minor incidents, can lead to serious injuries that dramatically impact an individual's quality of life. A simple stumble may result in consequences that require expensive medical attention. Sometimes, these injuries can be so severe that they lead to chronic conditions or enduring disability.
Common slip and fall injuries include:
- Fractures
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
When you suffer a significant slip and fall, you should not instantly assume you are in the clear, even if you have no obvious injuries. You should promptly get a full medical evaluation, as some injuries have delayed symptoms. If you sustained harm that leads to costly medical bills, missed work, and pain and suffering, get in touch with our Atlanta slip and fall attorneys. We are ready to investigate what happened and get to work on building your claim.
Premises Liability, Explained
Slip and fall cases fall under premises liability law, which holds property owners liable for negligently failing to keep their properties free from hazards. If you suffer slip and fall injuries on another party’s property due to a safety hazard, you may have a case.
A property owner is only negligent if they failed to sufficiently address a safety hazard they knew or reasonably should have known about. For example, if a property owner observes a slick floor but does not clean it up or put up “wet floor” warning signage, any subsequent slips and falls would likely trigger liability. If a slick floor is left to sit for hours and nothing is done to deal with it, the property owner may still be liable for a slip and fall even if they did not directly see the safety hazard because it is reasonable to expect that they would regularly monitor the conditions of their property.
Determining whether you have a strong case can sometimes be challenging, especially if there are complicating factors involved. We are happy to review your circumstances and advise you of your legal options.
Put Seasoned Investigators on Your Side
Proving fault after a slip and fall accident can be extremely challenging, especially since the evidence you need to establish negligence can quickly disappear if you do not act fast. Put yourself in the best possible position by reaching out to Morrison & Hughes as soon as you can. We have the people and resources to carry out prompt, detail-oriented investigations that allow us to build compelling cases on behalf of our clients. Our Atlanta slip and fall lawyers leave no stone unturned and will fight to secure the best possible outcome.
If you recently suffered injuries after a slip and fall, do not wait to call (404) 689-2734 or contact us online. If your injuries prevent you from traveling, we can come to you!
Frequently Asked Questions about Slip and Falls in Georgia
-
What Should I Do If I Was Bitten by a Dog While on the Job?
If you sustained dog bite injuries while on the job, you likely have a workers’ compensation claim, regardless of whether the dog’s owner was at fault. You should immediately report the incident and your injuries in detail to your employer. We can help you explore your options for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
-
What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Dog Bite Lawsuit?
The value of your claim will depend on the unique circumstances of your case. With that said, you are generally entitled to both economic and non-economic damages.
We can help you get just compensation for many types of losses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage (such as torn clothing or a broken phone)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
-
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Georgia?
In Georgia, the statute of limitations for dog bites is typically two years from the date of the attack. If you miss this deadline, you will most likely be unable to recover any damages.
-
What Should I Do If I Cannot Locate the Attacking Dog’s Owner?
In some scenarios, you may be attacked by a dog with no apparent owner. It is possible that the dog escaped its home, or the owner may negligently fail to keep track of it. If you cannot immediately find the owner after an attack, consider calling your county’s animal control department. This neutral government agency will document the incident, secure the loose animal, and help track down the dog’s owner. Calling animal control may also be a good idea if the dog’s owner is present at the scene but refuses to give you contact information.
-
Should I Call Animal Control Related to an Animal Attack?Calling your county Animal Control Service after an animal attack is important for several reasons. First, it gets a neutral government agency involved to document the bite and to issue any citations to the animal owner for misconduct. Second, if the animal’s owner is not present, or they are unwilling to provide you with their name and phone number, Animal Control can help you track down the dog’s owner and obtain the information which you will need for any insurance claim. Finally, Animal control can help get the dangerous animal off the street, preventing other people from getting injured.
To find your local animal control phone number, just Google your county and “Animal Control.” For your convenience, major metro Atlanta animal control numbers are provided below, along with numbers for other large Georgia counties:- Bibb County Animal Control: (478) 621-6774
- Chatham County Animal Control: (912) 652-6575
- Cherokee County Animal Control: (678) 493-4080
- Clayton County Animal Control: (770) 347-0210
- Clarke County Animal Control: (706) 613-3540
- Cobb County Animal Control: (770) 499-4136
- DeKalb County Animal Control: (404) 294-2996
- Douglas County Animal Control: (770) 942-5961
- Fayette County Animal Control: (770) 631-7210
- Forsyth County Animal Control: (770) 781-2138
- Fulton County Animal Control: (404) 613-0358
- Gwinnett County Animal Control: (770) 339-3200
- Hall County Animal Control: (770) 531-6829
- Henry County Animal Control: (770) 288-7387
- Muscogee County Animal Control: (706) 225-4512
- Paulding County Animal Control: (770) 445-1511
- Richmond County Animal Control: (706) 790-6836
- Rockdale County Animal Control: (770) 278-8403
-
Are there Exceptions to These Rules?
Yes, and an experienced attorney can walk you through them. For example, the law makes an exception when the person claiming injury first provoked the animal. Likewise, dogs do not have to be on-leash in every location, such as in a private home or enclosed yard. In those situations, there must be proof of some greater negligence by the dog owner, or proof that the owner knew about past vicious behavior by the animal. Likewise, different rules apply to dogs than might apply to other domesticated animals, police K-9s, and farm animals. Additionally, if a dog has been classified as dangerous through a specific legal process, the owner may be required to purchase and maintain additional insurance. Courts may require such dog owners to take additional precautions, and the owner can face criminal penalties for non-compliance.
-
Does Every Dog Get One Bite?You may have heard that every dog gets one bite, and it’s true that some states have a “one-bite” law. In those states, dog owners are not automatically liable for harm caused by a dog, unless that dog has attacked or bitten someone in the past. How could the owner know the dog is dangerous, one might argue, unless that dog has been aggressive in the past?
Georgia’s law, however, is a little bit different. We could call it a “modified” one-bite rule. In Georgia, city laws called “ordinances” come into play. Most cities and localities have “leash laws”. The law presumes that a dog owner is responsible for any injury caused by the dog if: (1) there is a city ordinance requiring the animal to be on a leash or at the heel, and (2) the dog is off leash when the bite occurs. Across Atlanta, in almost all public areas, dogs are required to be on a leash. (Except for dog parks, of course). Therefore, in most places in Georgia, the owner of an off-leash animal is liable for injuries caused by that animal, because they allowed the animal to roam free, negligently failing to control the animal.
There is no separate requirement to prove that the dog is “vicious” or “dangerous” or that the dog had behaved aggressively before. As long as there was a leash law, and the owner ignored it by having the dog off-leash, the statute imposes liability on the owner for any resulting injuries. -
Damages Available After a Fatal Dog Bite Injury
Fatal attacks are tragic, and the entire family experiences a loss. The spouse and minor children of a victim are entitled to substantial damages in a wrongful death lawsuit. On top of burial and funeral costs, this compensation includes loss of companionship and income that the victim would have earned during their life, and sometimes punitive damages.
-
How Much is My Dog Bite Case Worth?
Getting bitten by a dog is often traumatic, and serious injuries require an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney. If you were bitten by a dog, requiring medical attention, you are likely entitled to financial compensation under Georgia law. However, the amount you can receive will depend on the extent of your injuries, the medical bills that you incur, lost wages, and the other circumstances of your case. Our attorneys work to gather proof of your injuries, then negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf, and file a lawsuit when necessary. Claims against owners for dog bites can lead to compensation in the form of money damages, including economic damages, non-economic damages, and maybe even punitive damages.
-
What Should You Do If You Get Bitten by a Dog?
- In an Emergency, Call 911. Keep in mind that this call will be recorded.
- Get the full name and phone number of each dog owner. If they will let you take a picture of their drivers’ licenses, that is an easy way to get what you need.
- Seek Medical Attention Immediately. If you need emergency care, that’s your top priority. If your injury is serious enough to require medical attention, get it quickly. If you have health insurance, notify the hospital and ask them to bill it. Also, be honest and thorough when completing medical intake forms – keep in mind that you are creating the medical evidence that a jury may someday see. Keep records from doctor's office or hospital visits, along with copies of bills, to give to your lawyer.
- Ask whether the dog has been vaccinated for rabies, or if has other conditions or illnesses you should be aware of. Keep in mind that dog bites can transmit rabies, MRSA, tetanus, and other illnesses.
- Get Insurance Information. If the owners have liability insurance, homeowner’s insurance, or renter’s insurance, get the name of the insurer, as well if the policy number if possible.
- Get the names and contact information of any witnesses. The people present at the time you were injured can vouch for your version of events, and help you prove your case. You and the dog's owner may later disagree about liability.
- Take pictures. If you can, get a picture of the dog, your injuries, and anything in the area that supports your version of what happened. For example, an open gate or a hole in the fence that the dog came through can demonstrate that a dog was not properly enclosed. A picture of the dog may prove that it did not have a leash on.
- Write a Letter to Your Attorney (even if you don’t have one yet). This allows you to document your injuries as best you can in a way that is not discoverable. Writing down the details of what happened while it’s fresh in your memory may give your (future) attorney the key information needed to prove your case.
- Talk to Your Employer: If you were injured by an animal on the job, even if no one was at fault, you have a workers’ compensation claim. You should immediately report it to a supervisor, preferably in writing, listing each part of your body that was injured. You may also have short-term disability or long-term disability insurance of your own through your job. Finally, your employer can keep records of time that you miss from work due to your injuries, which will support your eventual lost wage claim.
Stay In The Know
Morrison & Hughes's Blog
We always provide current legal information, updates, and stories discussing issues affecting our community.
.2401020647104.jpg)