Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Slip and fall accidents may be more than just embarrassing. They may cause serious injuries and even death.
“Premises liability is a tricky area of the law and there are several things that need to be in place before a good case is made to take to court. Let’s take a look at a case we heard about recently that involved an entrepreneur with her own business that badly injured her knee in a slip and fall at a grocery store,” said Stephen M. Ozcomert who handles personal injury cases, accidents, and malpractice law in Atlanta, Georgia.
The woman in question was shopping at a local grocery store where she slipped and fell in a high traffic area due to standing water on a concrete floor. The condition was made even worse because the water had plant food and organic soil in it, which made the surface of the concrete very slick. “In other words, this was not just standing water on concrete. It was standing water with additives that made the surface of the concrete slippery,” Ozcomert pointed out.
The concrete area where she slipped also had a crack in the floor, and when she fell, her knee hit the lip of the crack and badly twist her knee, plus sustained other cuts, bruises and scrapes. “After she fell, she checked the area for any warning signs or cones to warn people about the water. There were none in view, although there were some behind a counter. As you can see, this case is slowly shaping up to have some meat to take it to court,” explained Ozcomert.
“The woman who fell was classified as a business invitee on the grocery store premises, which means the standard of care for a business invitee is notched up to a higher level. Why? Because the store, or premises, is open to the public so they can come and do business,” said Stephen M. Ozcomert who handles personal injury cases, accidents, and malpractice law in Atlanta, Georgia. In other words, the grocer owed her the highest degree of care to keep its premises safe and to inspect it regularly to ensure customer’s safety.
The fall did enough damage to her knee that the woman had to shell out over $15,000 in medical bills. She spoke to a personal injury attorney who took her case to court and she subsequently won over $60,000. Although it took three years for the case to be finalized, the outcome was favorable for the woman.
Premises liability cases need the expertise of a seasoned personal injury attorney who knows what to look for and how to handle and present cases such as this one in court. “Anyone who has slipped and fallen in similar circumstances would be doing a smart thing by consulting with an attorney. Not every slip and fall case may be taken to court, but the attorney is the best person to assess the case on its merits,” added Ozcomert.
To learn more visit http://www.ozcomert.com.
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