This year’s weather seems to be topping last year’s with its unpredictability. Snow and ice can be some of the leading causes for slip and fall cases, and we have seen a lot of it in the past month. When it comes to snowfall, Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, and Arlington residents are not always as experienced as those in other parts of the country. Because of this, people often are not prepared to use salt or snow shovels to keep their sidewalks clear and safe. When this happens, people get hurt.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall in Texas, you might have options for legal action against the property owners who failed to clear ice and snow. Call The Queenan Law Firm, at (817) 476-1797 to talk to an experienced Dallas slip and fall attorney.
Ice Slip and Fall Injuries
A slip and fall case might not sound very serious, but falls can leave people with severe injuries. Older adults, children, and people who are already injured are especially vulnerable to injuries in slip and falls.
Falls can cause relatively minor injuries like cuts and scrapes, but injuries can be much worse. Even injuries like broken bones can be extremely painful, and may cause greater complications for elderly individuals who are not able to heal as well. Plus, depending on your job, even a broken wrist could keep you out of work for a while.
Falling on your back or neck can cause pretty severe injuries. The bones in your spine help protect your spinal cord from injury, which is good, since your spinal cord is responsible for connecting your brain to the rest of your body. Any injury to the nerves in your spinal cord could completely cut-off signals from reaching those parts of your body. In the worst cases, this can mean paralysis, and in less severe cases can still include numbness, pins-and-needles sensations, or continuing pain and discomfort. In other cases that do not damage your spinal cord itself, the damage to the bones and other tissue in your back can still lead to life-long injuries and discomfort.
Even worse, life-threatening injuries can occur if you hit your head. The risk of injury is especially worse for elders, children, and the handicapped. Head injuries can cause concussions, which cause loss of consciousness, nausea, light sensitivity, and headaches. In even worse cases, the brain can suffer severe injury. A particularly strong blow to the head can damage different parts of the brain to different effects. Brain injury could result in memory problems, changes in personality or mood, loss of body functions, loss of sight, loss of smell, loss of taste, or hundreds of other issues. In some cases, brain trauma can require surgery and years of recovery, even from something as seemingly simple as a slip and fall.
How Can I Get Compensation?
Homeowners, business owners, and other property owners usually have some sort of insurance that covers injuries that occur on their property. This often means that someone is able to pay for your injuries, even if the landowner might not be able to afford to do so, out of pocket.
These insurance companies are hired by the landowner – and many of you probably carry similar insurance for your own homes and businesses. The insurance companies do not work for you, though, and work to keep pay-outs as low as possible. This means that they will often deny your injuries exist, or try to blame you for the slip and fall.
In cases of icy sidewalks, puddles in stores from snow, and other slip and falls due to snow and ice, the fault clearly belongs to the property owner. It is undoubtedly the responsibility of home and building owners to clear their sidewalks. Whether or not Dallas residents have much experience with ice and snow removal, it is still their legal duty to keep the premises safe for guests and customers.
When people fail to keep ice and snow clear, they should be liable for the injuries. Whether insurance will pay for these injuries, or you need to go to court, they can be held responsible for all of your injuries.
Especially if you sustained severe injuries, such as brain or spinal injuries, your medical bills and recovery could be extremely expensive. Additionally, prolonged injuries may reduce your ability to work, or make you miss work to recover. In Texas, taking a responsible party to court can get your medical bills paid, reimburse you for lost wages, and get you compensation for pain and suffering.
Dallas Personal Injury Attorneys Available Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall because of this year’s heavy ice and snow, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney. We have seen all kinds of slip and fall cases, and are always looking to help clients recover when they have been injured. For a free consultation with our Dallas personal injury attorneys, call The Queenan Law Firm, P.C., today at (817) 476-1797.