Personal Injury Law Firm Kenneth S Nugent, P.C. Attorneys At Law is Providing Attorney Services in Macon, GA

Personal injury law firm Kenneth S. Nugent Attorneys At Law is helping victims of slip-and-fall accidents in Macon, Georgia, get the compensation that they are owed.

According to statistics from the NFSI (National Floor Safety Institute), over a million people visit the ER each year for slip and fall accidents. The average cost of each hospital visit ends up being anywhere in the range of $30,000 to $40,000. Around 20 to 30 percent of the cases end up causing severe bodily harm to the victim with around a quarter of those accidents involving broken bones that take time and hospitalization to heal. Senior citizens over 65 years of age are especially vulnerable. The total medical costs of slip and fall accidents in the country reach around $34 billion each year.

A slip and fall injury is a premises liability claim, which is a type of personal injury claim. Premises liability is the liability that the property owner or occupier has for certain torts that occur on their land. There are three aspects that are critical to establishing a case of premises liability. Firstly, the defendant in the case should possess the land or “premises” where the accident took place. Secondly, the plaintiff must be an invitee or a licensee. This second requirement is to exclude trespassers who are not protected under the premises liability law. Finally, there should be proof of negligence or a breach of duty of care. The problem that led to the accident or injury to the victim should result from a direct lapse of responsibility on part of the defendant. In some rare cases where a person is injured by a third person’s wrongful act, for example, assault, the court can still find the owner of the premises liable for failing to provide a safe environment for the plaintiff.

Those who have been in a slip-and-fall accident have to exhibit the presence of mind in the moments following the accident to ensure that they are able to build a strong case for themselves. The most important step is to seek urgent medical treatment and to get thoroughly examined by a qualified medical professional. The findings of the doctor will be crucial to calculating current and future medical expenses as the full physical effects of the fall may not manifest for many months after the accident.

The next step is to let the concerned parties such as the owner or landlord know about the accident and to get a written report that acknowledges it. The report is the first of many documented proofs that need to be collected including the names, addresses, and phone numbers of witnesses, their statements, photographs of the location, the time and date, and video evidence if there was a camera recording the premises. An experienced attorney can help a victim secure the latter as a part of an inquiry. The victim should also refrain from divulging too many details to the property owner or manager or their insurance company as the statements can be misconstrued and it can muddy the waters later when the due legal process is underway. Finally, a victim should contact their attorney, before they begin the negotiations for the settlement with the owner of the premises, as an experienced legal counsel can guide the proceedings to the victim’s advantage.

A spokesperson for the law firm talks about its services by saying, “We are vulnerable creatures that are bound to get caught in a mishap sooner or later. However, when you are suffering due to someone else’s fault, it is easy to get disheartened and give up all hope of restitution. That is why you need an experienced attorney on your side that is looking out for your best interests. If you are suffering from a personal injury due to a slip-and-fall accident on a negligent landlord’s property, give our law firm a call to be guided by the best personal injury attorney Macon has to offer.”