If you fell and suffered injuries as a result of that fall, you may feel embarrassed and assume that the accident is your fault. In some cases, slip-and-fall accidents and trip-and-fall accidents are not actually the result of clumsiness or personal error, but rather, they may happen due to dangerous conditions and other preventable circumstances.
A slip-and-fall accident may not initially seem like a big deal, but in reality, you could suffer injuries that can be quite painful and debilitating. Even if you are unsure of the circumstances that played a role in your accident, you would be wise to reach out to an attorney to learn if you may have grounds to seek financial compensation through a civil claim.
Who or what is at fault?
It is possible that circumstances beyond your control are to blame for your accident. Your slip and fall could be the result of negligent maintenance, hazardous property conditions and other factors that are not your fault. In order to have a valid personal injury claim, you must be able to prove that a dangerous condition caused your injuries and that the Minnesota property owner or manager knew about it. Your claim must prove the following:
- Property owner or operator caused the condition
- Owner or manager was negligent by failing to fix the dangerous issue
- Condition existed long enough for property owner to know about it and fix it
The evidence and documentation that you include in your claim must clearly establish that the hazard or dangerous property condition was such that it was reasonably foreseeable that it would cause harm. Proving negligence can be complicated, but it is possible to successfully pursue a civil claim in order to recoup your accident-related financial losses.
Understanding your legal options
You may have reasonable grounds to seek compensation for a slip-and-fall accident, regardless of the type of property you were on at the time of your accident. You could have a valid case whether you were hurt on privately owned residential property, government property or commercial property.
Understanding your legal options is a positive first step after a slip-and-fall accident. You may be unsure about your choices or if you even have a claim, but you always have the right to know the legal options available to you. A case evaluation with an experienced personal injury attorney can not only reveal your legal options, it can provide you with the support you need if it is appropriate to move forward with a premises liability claim.