4 Things To Know About Slip And Fall Injuries This Winter

What are Slip and Fall Injuries?  It seems obvious, but the truth is they can be tricky to define.

In Minnesota, a slip and fall injury is one that happens on private or public property and is the result of someone’s negligence – either due to poor maintenance or unsafe conditions. Here is what you need to know.

Slip and Fall Facts – Minnesota

1. Slip and fall injuries are also known as premises liability. – water on the floor at the grocery store or a loose carpet in an office building are both examples of situations where a slip and fall injury could occur.
2. Slip and Fall Injuries are also Personal Injuries.
3. They can occur in a business, in a public location, or in a private residence. In a business, the responsible party is either the owner of the company, the manager, or both. In public locations, such as a sidewalk or park, the governmental agency in charge of that area is responsible. In a private home, the homeowner is usually the responsible party, but this may not always be the case.
4. The Statute of Limitations is two years for slip and fall injuries. The time begins to tick for this when you are aware of the injury or two years from the date the injury occurred. If you fell and hit your head and were unconscious for the next year, then when you wake the time would begin to tick, and you would have two years from the time you woke up to file your case.

What To Do If You Slip and Fall This Winter

The addition of snow and ice can increase the risk of an accident. One of the first things to do is seek medical help if you have an injury. The second thing to do is contact a personal injury attorney. It may not be necessary to file a case as your goals will be to:

1. Find out your rights – each personal injury case is unique – the surrounding facts of the incident, the responsibility of the person at fault, etc. A personal injury attorney will help you sort all of this out and determine if you have a case for slip and fall injuries.
2. Find out if you have a personal injury case – If you slip and fall due to a misstep of your own, it’s possible there may not be a case.  However, discussing this with an experienced attorney will help you to determine if you have a personal injury case or not. 
3. Find out what you need to do to prove your case – that can include gathering medical evidence, statements from witnesses, or getting copies of the closed circuit (CC) video if one is available.

Call NGSW&B Today For More Information About Personal Injury Cases

NGSW&B helps victims of personal injuries find the justice they deserve. To learn about your unique case, reach out to our team today at 715-268-6130.