Gravity is not always kind, and when you fall out in public, your embarrassment may force you to jump up. What if the incident is not so easy to bounce back from, and you find yourself dealing with an injury?
A slip or trip and fall may leave you with more than bruises. You may require extensive medical care and rehabilitation before getting back to normal, if possible. In the most severe cases, you may suffer an injury that leaves you impaired. Discover more about what this type of personal injury case entails.
Slipping and falling is not enough
Falling is not the only element that makes a personal injury claim possible. The fall has to occur due to a defect of some sort in the area around you. The most common cause of a slip and fall is water.
What is negligence?
The other prong of a personal injury claim is proving that the cause of the fall was avoidable. A property or business owner has the duty to ensure that everyone remains safe while in and around their home or business. Thus, if a condition exists that may make it likely someone will become injured, the owner should rectify it. For instance, if a grocery store has a leaking refrigerator and does not take steps to fix it or warn you of water pooling in the area, the owner is negligent.
Proving a personal injury claim hinges on whether you can show that the owner knew or should have known a hazard existed that may lead to injury. Recovering from an injury may take more time than you anticipate. With statutes in Delaware that set out the time restrictions for filing a claim, you may want to speak to someone familiar with how the system works.