The personal injury and slip and fall attorneys at d’Oliveira & Associates recently recovered an out of court settlement of $130,000 for one of their clients. According to the complaint, the client was injured when exiting a negligently maintained premise and slipped while trying to avoid the icy conditions. The resulting fall caused a fracture in her right hand and bruising her chest. After complaining of continued wrist pain, doctors discovered a displaced intra-articular radius fracture, which required an additional cast and surgery, as reported in the complaint.
Attorney Paul d’Oliveira stated that “I feel Attorney Laura Cameron got a great settlement here as slip and fall cases are difficult cases to win in court because juries normally rule that the injured person is partially at fault in a slip and fall case in wintery conditions. Juries generally feel people should be extra careful to look out for ice when it is winter and there is snow on the ground.”
Although slip and fall accidents are very common, it may be relatively unknown that the owner of the premises where the fall occurred may be liable for the injuries. Owners of private property, homes, businesses, and even public areas are responsible for the safety and maintenance of the premises. Even though many people believe that an owner is not responsible for hazardous weather conditions, the settlement in this case highlights the reality that owners still do have a duty to maintain their premises from dangerous conditions such as ice.
Because the responsibility and liability of the owners varies in regard to the type of property and the purpose of the visit, it can be very difficult to determine whether or not that owner is liable for your injuries. If having been injured in a slip and fall accident and entitled to compensation, the last thing wanted is go through the complex process of determining who is liable. That is why it is important to contact an experienced Rhode Island personal injury lawyer who will help guide you through the process and get you the damages you deserve.
d’Oliveira & Associates is a Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts law firm that focuses on personal injury and disability cases, including auto accidents, slip and falls, dog bites as well as other types of negligence cases. The firm also works with some of the leading attorneys in the United States for dangerous drug, defective medical product and medical malpractice cases.
For a free legal consultation, call 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.