Indianapolis Slip-and-Fall Lawyer
No accident is pleasant, but getting hurt on someone else’s property because of a hazard the property owner should have corrected is unacceptable. For help recovering the compensation you deserve, get in touch with an Indianapolis slip-and-fall attorney as soon as possible.
The injuries in a slip-and-fall accident can range from bruises and lacerations to broken bones and spinal injuries. When these injuries could have been prevented if the property owner had exercised an appropriate level of care, the owner should be held accountable for your damages.
You shouldn’t be saddled with mounting medical expenses and household bills that can’t be paid while you’re out of work. Connect with a knowledgeable Indianapolis slip-and-fall lawyer at Kooi Law. We can help you secure the compensation you’ll need to cover the costs of your injuries. Recovering without financial worry doesn’t have to be an impossible dream—we can make it a reality for you.
Who Is Liable for Your Injuries?
When you’ve fallen on someone else’s property in Indianapolis, whether it was at a popular downtown business or the neighbor’s house, the property owner will be responsible for covering your damages if his or her negligence was the cause of your slip-and-fall accident.
For instance, if it had been snowing and you were on your way into a coffee shop and fell, the owner could be penalized if he or she didn’t take steps to melt the ice on the walkway to prevent people from slipping.
Another example could be a restaurant where a drink was spilled. In this scenario, staff cleaned up the spill using soap and a mop but failed to put up a caution sign to let patrons know that the area was wet. Then you slip and fall because you aren’t able to immediately see the danger. The restaurant owner would be responsible for compensating you accordingly.
The ‘Open and Obvious’ Rule
There are exceptions to the property owner’s liability for your injuries when you fall on his or her property. Indiana utilizes what’s known as the “open and obvious” rule when considering liability in a slip-and-fall claim. Essentially, this means that, as an invitee to another person’s property, you are expected to exercise a certain level of care while on the premises.
Say you were invited to a friend’s house, where he was completing renovations to his back deck. The homeowner let you know that the deck was not finished, but you chose to step out onto it anyway and fell on a piece of wood or slipped on some tools. In such a case, you would not be able to sue your friend for your damages because the hazard was both open and obvious.
Defendants in Indianapolis slip-and-fall cases may try to use this rule unfairly to prevent you from receiving the compensation you deserve. But a qualified lawyer can prove to the court what really happened.
Compensation for Your Losses
Slip-and-fall injuries are often severe and can lead to significant time out of work and in recovery. The property owner will be responsible for covering the full extent of your damages. As a general rule, these damages will include those that are financial in nature and those that have an impact on your life in other ways.
Economic losses, or the ones that are easily quantified with a monetary value, will be any lost wages, damage to your future earning potential, and your medical expenses. It’s important that we consider every medical expense that pertains to your injuries. In the typical slip-and-fall accident in Indianapolis, these could include the following:
- Hospital bills
- Copays
- Costs of prescription medications
- Medical equipment
- Transportation costs
- Physical therapy
Many people fail to consider the other impacts a slip-and-fall injury can have on their lives. For instance, someone who suffers severe damage to his or her leg may never be able to run a marathon again, when that was an activity that he or she routinely enjoyed before being injured. This is known as the loss of enjoyment of life.
Other non-economic damages could include pain and suffering, loss of companionship and love, and emotional distress. In truth, you deserve compensation for every hardship you’ve suffered because of a property owner’s negligence. We’re here to make sure you get every cent you deserve.
Get In Touch with an Indianapolis Slip-and-Fall Attorney
For help getting started on your Indianapolis premises liability claim, consult with a qualified Indianapolis slip-and-fall lawyer at Kooi Law. Give us a call at (317) 569-1335 or head to the bottom of this page and fill out our online contact form to schedule a free, no-pressure consultation.
