Slip and Fall Attorney in New Orleans

If you’ve slipped and fallen on someone else’s New Orleans property, you could be eligible for compensation under Louisiana’s premises liability laws. Premises liability is the area of law that covers a property owner’s responsibility for injuries that occur on their property.

Owners of a property, such as a hotel, apartment building, grocery store, or even private home, are responsible for that property’s upkeep to a certain standard of safety. If they fail this standard, and someone is harmed due to the lack of maintenance, the owner can be held liable for that injury.

After your slip and fall, you might be facing medical bills, missed work, and months of rehab. You can suffer a slip and fall injury nearly anywhere: businesses, homes, apartments, malls, playgrounds, stores, parking lots, and more can all be dangerous properties causing injuries. You could even suffer a slip and fall at work.

In order to win your New Orleans slip and fall injury case, you’ll need to prove that the defendant was negligent in preventing, maintaining, or warning about a dangerous condition on their property. You’ll have to prove your injuries were caused by their negligence, too—which is where an experienced New Orleans slip and fall attorney at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys can help.

We have decades of experience helping our clients collect evidence, negotiate settlements, and get the compensation they need to heal. Give us a call today to get started on your journey toward becoming whole again.

Common New Orleans Slip and Fall Injuries

Slip and fall injuries are almost always unexpected and can cause major disruptions to your life. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), adults 65 years and older are at a higher risk, not only for falls but for serious injuries from those falls. A trip and fall accident can cause any of the following injuries:

• Spinal cord injuries that can lead to partial or total paralysis
• Whiplash and other neck and back trauma
• Traumatic brain injury can cause mood and personality changes, memory loss, loss in brain function, and an inability to take care of yourself
• Broken bones
• Severe strains and sprains
• Emotional trauma, even PTSD

Alongside the emotional and physical injuries you have to suffer, a premises injury can lead to thousands of dollars in medical bills, ongoing mental and physical therapy, and more. If your fall was the result of the property owner’s negligence, you shouldn’t be responsible for these costs. An experienced New Orleans slip-and-fall attorney will advocate for your interests and help you get the compensation you deserve.

How Do I Prove Liability in My Slip & Fall Injury Case?

Every personal injury case is different, and that’s especially true for premises liability claims. Proving liability in your slip, trip, & fall case is a complex process that requires diligence and perseverance on your lawyer’s part.

We’ll have to prove that the accident was caused by a dangerous condition on the property and that the property owner, manager, or a responsible party knew of that condition and failed to repair it. In addition, the condition must have presented an unreasonable risk that a reasonable person could not have anticipated.

In order to prove the property owner knew of the dangerous condition that led to your injury, you must also prove one or more of the following points:

• The owner created the condition
• The owner was aware of the condition and failed to fix it
• The condition existed for long enough that a reasonable person would have discovered it and corrected it before your accident

What to Do After a New Orleans Slip and Fall Injury

Immediately after your slip and fall accident, you’ll likely be dazed, confused, and unsure of what to do next. The following steps are crucial to recover the maximum compensation to which you’re entitled:

Get treated

After any injury, your first priority should be your health. Call 911 if your injuries are serious, and in any case, make sure to see a doctor within 72 hours of your slip and fall. By seeing a doctor, you’ll ensure that your injuries are treated in a timely manner. You’ll also ensure that your injuries are properly reported for the coming claims process.

Report your accident

Report your accident to the responsible party of the property where you fell. In a mall, hotel, or store, this might be the manager; in an apartment building or private home it could be the landlord, super, or owner. Get the details of the event in writing from them, and request a copy of the report before you leave the premises.

In addition, report your accident to your insurance provider to start the claims process. However, do not accept their initial settlement offer! It’s almost always going to be less than you need.

Document everything

Collect the names and contact information of not only the owner or manager of the property but of all the witnesses at the scene that you can. Their testimony can help your case should you decide to pursue a legal claim.

If you can, take photos of the area as well, including the exact place you fell and any hazards, including slippery floors, uneven floors, wonky stairs, and others. Take photos of your injuries too, and write down what you were doing, how you fell, and other details that are important to remember. Finally, put the clothes and shoes you were wearing somewhere safe since these can also be used as evidence.

Call a New Orleans slip and fall attorney

The final step to ensure you maximize your compensation following a slip and fall injury is contacting an experienced New Orleans slip and fall lawyer. Trip and fall cases can be difficult to prove liability for, so it’s especially vital in these cases to call Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys for help on your claim.

What Not To Do After a Slip and Fall Injury in New Orleans

There are also plenty of actions to avoid after a slip, trip, and fall injury, so take note:

Don’t admit fault

Any admission of fault can be used against you in a court of law. In some cases, apologizing or expressing remorse can be seen as an admission of guilt, so avoid doing these as well.

In addition, don’t accuse the other party of wrongdoing at this time. Leave it to the courts to determine liability and who owes who damages.

Don’t talk about your injury

If possible, talk to the other party as little as possible before calling a New Orleans slip-and-fall attorney. You should also avoid posting details about your injury on social media or giving statements to insurance, the news, or anyone else.

Don’t accept the initial settlement

Insurance might call you soon after your accident with an initial settlement offer. Don’t accept this initial settlement. It’s probably nowhere near the amount that you deserve or needs to fully account for your damages.

Insurance companies are not worried about your health. Instead, they’re trying to settle your claim as quickly and as cheaply as possible. The caring attorneys with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have our clients’ well-being at the center of our practice, so we’ll make sure you win the compensation you deserve.

New Orleans Slip and Fall Attorney

Slip and fall injuries catch their victims off-guard, and can lead to thousands of dollars in medical expenses and years of pain and suffering. You need an advocate to help ensure you get the compensation you deserve. 

Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys is an experienced New Orleans slip and fall firm with over 679+ years of combined legal experience and over $3 Billion in recovered compensation for our clients. You can trust that we’ll do our best to help you win the maximum compensation available for your claim.