Falls Down stairs can Result in Serious Injuries and Substantial Recovery for Victims
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide. In the United States, over 3 million people are treated for fall injuries in emergency rooms every year. Falling is so commonplace that many people don’t realize how dangerous falls can be.
A study in Scotland revealed that over 80 percent of individuals died after falling down a flight of stairs. Stair falls in the home are particularly dangerous because they're often not witnessed, so the victim rarely receives prompt medical attention.
While an unwitnessed fall may not happen in public places, the danger of falling increases when others are negligent. A wet floor or poorly lit area can result in a fall down a flight of stairs.
If you have fallen down a flight of stairs at work, at a business, or in some other public location, you can potentially get monetary relief to help pay for your medical expenses. A personal injury lawyer from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers will examine your case and explain your options.
Stair Fall Injuries
Falling down a flight of stairs is often dangerous because of the distance and multiple surfaces you may strike as you fall.
Common injuries from falling down a flight of stairs include:
- Head injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Soft tissue damage
- Cuts and abrasions
According to a recent study, head injuries are the most likely to result in death. However, any severe injury can be fatal if you are unlucky.
If a loved one died falling down a flight of stairs, a personal injury attorney from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers might be able to help you with a wrongful death lawsuit.
Liability in Stair Fall Cases
Whenever someone gets seriously injured from falling down a flight of stairs, there’s a chance that they can get compensation for their injuries from another party.
Businesses and public buildings must maintain a safe environment for anyone in the building. If negligence results in an unsafe environment, the entity responsible for that building must pay for injuries that result from that negligence.
Most people may not know who's liable in a stair fall case. Personal injury lawyers have experience investigating stair fall cases and determining who is liable. That allows you to demand money from the correct party after a severe injury.
What to Expect from a Stair Fall Injury Claim
After being injured from falling down a flight of stairs, you should get immediate medical attention. Stair fall injuries could be fatal if the victim doesn’t go to the emergency room immediately. Additionally, failing to get prompt medical attention could aggravate the severity of the injuries.
Seeing a doctor after a stair fall has another benefit as well. It completes a record of your injury and shows precisely what injuries the fall caused.
Without this record, opposing counsel could argue that your injuries were minor or that you didn't receive some of your injuries from the fall.
Once you receive treatment, contact a personal injury attorney from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers. Your attorney will meet with you to discuss and evaluate your case.
Even if you can’t get to the law firm because of your injuries, an attorney will come to you to discuss your case personally. If you have a strong claim, your new lawyer will start investigating immediately.
During the investigation process, you can relax and focus on healing. Your attorney will do all of the work. And if you need help finding doctors who specialize in your types of injuries or other assistance, The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers can direct you to resources that will assist in your recovery.
Once they have investigated your case, your attorney will attempt to negotiate a settlement with the liable party or parties. Usually, this means negotiating with the insurance company of the liable party.
The goal of this negotiation is to get you a settlement that pays for:
- All current and future medical expenses from the injury
- Loss of wages due to the injury
- Pain and suffering
- Non-medical expenses incurred due to the injury
Personal injury lawyers can accurately estimate future expenses and losses based on similar past cases they have handled. Their experience lets them negotiate from a position of strength. Most claims end with a fair settlement offer that covers most or all of your expenses and losses.
However, there's a chance that you will have to take your case to trial. When lawyers can't agree about the value of your claim or when the insurance company refuses to cover it, a trial becomes necessary.
Attorneys at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers have a successful record of taking personal injury claims to court. While it may take longer to get your compensation, if you have to go to court, The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers is the law firm you want to represent you at trial.
Act Quickly
After a severe injury, many people want to heal before taking legal action. When you're suffering, you don't want the additional stress of dealing with the legal process. But it's also one of the worst decisions you can make.
Every state has a statute of limitations that limits how long you have to act on a personal injury case. For example, in Pennsylvania, you must start legal proceedings within two years of an injury or forfeit the opportunity to do so.
You could easily run out of time if you wait to start legal proceedings. And even if you haven't run out of time, your personal injury lawyer will probably find it more challenging to negotiate a fair settlement if time is running out.
Additionally, the longer you wait, the harder it will be to find evidence to support your claim. Witnesses are more likely to have forgotten what they saw with each passing day, or they may become unavailable.
Similarly, physical evidence is much easier to gather and preserve if your personal injury attorney acts promptly. You may even have lost your records if enough time has passed.
You preserve your options by consulting an attorney quickly, preferably within 24 hours of your injury. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to initiate legal action. And eventually, some of your options will disappear after a long enough time.
Never Sign Anything
When you have fallen down a flight of stairs in a public place, a trip and fall lawyer might contact you shortly after your incident. This premises liability lawyer could offer you a modest sum if you agree not to sue the building owner.
Even if you desperately need money to pay for medical expenses, never sign anything without speaking to a personal injury attorney first.
When they offer you money, you have a solid case to recover much more compensation for your injuries. A slip and fall lawyer from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers can quickly determine the value of your case to prevent you from making an uninformed decision.
If you sign away your rights to a trial, more often than not, a personal injury attorney will have a lot more difficulty helping you.
Don’t Share Details About Your Case
In the age of social media, people share their every thought with the entire world. That isn't a good thing when you file a lawsuit against a negligent party.
Everything you write or post, whether you think it's private or not, can potentially be used against you during a civil trial. Opposing counsel can subpoena private messages and use those messages to show that your injuries weren't that serious or that your losses are less than you claim.
They can even use a seemingly innocent post on Facebook informing your friends and family that you are fine to assuage their fears against you.
Do not speak to anyone about your case except your lawyer, doctor, and immediate family. And conversations with the latter should only happen in person, if possible. This practice limits the ability of an insurance company or lawyer to use your words against you to deny your claim or reduce your compensation.
If you need to assure friends that you are safe, speak to your lawyer before posting anything publicly on social media. Your personal injury lawyer from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers can help you craft a statement that will comfort your friends and family without harming your case.
Additionally, include your attorney in any conversations with your workplace. Generally, after you receive an injury, you’ll need to take time off work. And that means you will have to explain to your employer why you’re taking time off.
Again, a work injury accident attorney can either speak to your employer for you or advise you on what information you can safely share with your employer.
Wrongful Death
As previously mentioned, stair fall injuries often result in death. If your loved one died in a stair fall injury, a wrongful death attorney from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers could help you recover compensation for your loss if the death resulted from negligence.
It is difficult to move on after the death of a family member, and insurance companies rarely show compassion. They will fight to deny your claim or pay minimal compensation at a time when you don’t need additional hardships in your life.
Attorneys from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers will take the lead on your claims process, freeing your time to mourn as you need.
A wrongful death claim is similar to a personal injury claim. Your lawyer needs to prove that your loved one died due to the fall and that the fall was preventable if the other party hadn't been negligent.
Get the Money Your Deserve With Help from The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers
Broken handrails, slippery floors, or narrow staircases are all reasons you might fall down a flight of stairs. These unsafe conditions arise due to negligence. If unsafe stairs injure you, you may recover compensation for your injuries.
But insurance companies and corporate lawyers will do everything within the law to avoid paying you the money you deserve. If you do or say the wrong thing, you could receive only a pittance or even have your claim denied. What options do you have when faced with these difficulties?
Your best option is to retain the experienced personal injury attorneys at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers. Our attorneys have decades of experience handling trip and fall injury cases and dealing with insurance companies.
We know how to get you money promptly to help you recover quickly from your injuries. The top concern of our compassionate team of lawyers is to recover the resources you need to return to your life as soon as possible.
If you’ve received severe injuries after falling down a flight of stairs or lost a loved one who fell down a flight of stairs, contact The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers immediately to get a free case evaluation.
Gabriel Levin - Attorney
Gabriel Levin is a highly experienced and credible attorney with over 10 years of practice in Pennsylvania. Known for his tenacity, he has represented clients in a wide range of civil matters, trying hundreds of cases. He prepares each case as if it will go to trial, ensuring meticulous attention to detail.
Unlike many firms that delegate tasks, Levin personally handles every aspect of a case and maintains open communication with clients throughout. He has secured millions in compensation, making him a reliable choice for those seeking legal representation.
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