Dangerous slip and fall accidents happen every day in New Mexico. People frequently slip and fall on sidewalks, floors of store premises, and while at work. Poor maintenance on sidewalks and flooring are often the causes of slip and fall injuries. Torn carpets, uneven flooring, and snow and ice can also cause dangerous New Mexico slip and fall accidents. If you or a loved one have suffered an injury caused by a slip and fall accident, Hunt Law is here to help.
Seeking Compensation for Your Slip and Fall Injuries
You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The legal team at Hunt Law has extensive experience representing people who’ve suffered injuries in New Mexico slip and fall accidents. We are incredibly familiar with premise liability claims. We offer our clients assertive and personalized legal representation. Contact our personal injury lawyers to schedule your initial consultation as soon as possible.
Slip and Fall Accidents Statistics
According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), fall accidents make up nearly 8 million visits to the emergency room each year. Indeed, slips are the leading cause of emergency room visits. Slip and fall accidents make up over 1 million emergency room visits a year and represent 12 percent of total falls.
Additionally, slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of workers’ compensation claims. For workers age 55 and older, slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of occupational injuries. Poorly installed and unsafe flooring causes over 2 million fall accidents every year in the United States.
Slip and Fall Accidents Frequently Cause Serious Injuries and Death
A fall injury causes approximately half of all deaths that happen in homes. For people aged 54-84, falls are the second most frequent cause of deaths related to injuries. Falls are the leading cause of deaths caused by injuries for those over the age of 85. Unfortunately, half of all elderly individuals who suffer a fall and fracture a hip will not be able to live independently or return home after the slip and fall accident.
The Negative Economic Impact
The medical costs associated with slip and fall accidents are significant. The medical expenses due to falls are estimated to be approximately $13 million per year. Many victims of slip and fall accidents will need to take significant time off of work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 22 percent of slip and fall victims will need to take over 31 days off from work. Finally, the costs related to medical expenses and compensation related to slip and falls totals $70 billion annually.
Common Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents
If you’ve suffered a slip and fall injury, you may be concerned about paying your medical bills. Many victims of slip and fall accidents suffer the following serious injuries which require significant medical treatment and time off of work:
- Head injuries including traumatic brain injuries
- Hip fractures
- Spinal cord injuries and back injuries
- Shoulder injuries such as shoulder dislocation or brachial plexus injuries
- Sprains and fractures including knee, ankle, and wrist sprains
- Bone fractures that require time off of work
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a New Mexico Slip and Fall Accident
New Mexico premise liability law imposes legal duties on property and landowners. Landowners have a duty to keep their premises safe for guests, visitors, and users of their property. Victims of slip and fall owners can hold property owners liable for the damages and harm they suffered. As a slip and fall victim, you will need to prove that the owner of the property failed to keep their premises safe for visitors. For example, when a grocery store knows about a pool of water on the floor and fails to warn customers, the store may be liable for slip and fall injuries.
What to Do After a New Mexico Slip and Fall Accident
When clients work with the Hunt Law team, our law firm handles the details for them. We do everything we can to help explain the legal process to our clients and deal with the insurance company on our clients’ behalf. In the meantime, there are steps that those who’ve suffered injuries can take during their claims.
Seek Medical Help
The first and most crucial step is to seek medical help immediately for your slip and fall injury. Keeping detailed documentation of your medical treatment is vital to succeeding in a personal injury lawsuit. We often tend to downplay our injuries. However, it is crucial to take the recommendation of doctors incredibly seriously.
When a doctor refers you to a specialist, such as a surgeon or physical therapist, you must visit those specialists and keep all documentation. Defendants in personal injury lawsuits often argue that the plaintiff’s injuries happened before the slip and fall incident. As the plaintiff, you will need to prove that the slip and fall accident caused your injuries or made an injury worse.
Hire an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Filing a successful slip and fall lawsuit requires the assistance of a skilled attorney. Defendant property owners will often claim that the slip and fall accident never happened, or dispute the severity of your slip and fall injury. Slip and fall lawsuits often require an in-depth discovery process. At Hunt Law, our legal team has experience and knowledge gathering evidence on behalf of our clients.
We fight hard for our clients’ rights throughout the entire legal process. We understand how important it is for victims of slip and fall accidents to recover compensation. We can help you fight for compensation so you can pay your medical bills and other expenses related to your slip and fall accident. Contact our New Mexico personal injury lawyers as soon as possible to schedule your initial consultation.