If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact AVA Law Group today for your free, no-obligation consultation.
If you are from Montana or a traveler passing through and were injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Talk to an AVA Law Expert today to understand all your options.
What Montanans Can Do When an Unexpected Injury Takes Us by Surprise
Often, injuries from falls result from a failure to maintain a property, especially in unsafe conditions or extreme weather, for example. That's one of many reasons the National Safety Council listed falls among the top three leading causes of preventable injuries. 1
Most of us take our mobility for granted. But, the truth is, no matter how young or agile, even people in excellent shape are not immune to the potential severe injuries of a fall.
A slip and fall injury occurs when someone sustains an injury due to a slip, trip, or fall on someone else's premises. These personal injury claims aim to hold people or businesses accountable for dangerous and neglected properties and the irreparable damage those hazards cause to unsuspecting victims.
common causes of
a Slip and Fall Injury?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "spills, ice, snow, rain, loose mats, rugs, and stepladders" cause the majority of slip and fall injuries, including "sprains, strains, bruises, bumps, fractures, scratches, and cuts." 2
Other causes of slip and fall injuries include electric cords, wet or slick floors, loose floorboards, uneven surfaces, unsafe parking ramps, or broken safety rails. In Montana, unpredictable weather makes us vulnerable to slips and falls, especially with negligent property owners. While it's easy for some to get up and brush off a fall, for others, the unexpected medical bills and severe injuries resulting from a slip, trip, or fall are life-altering.
SLIP AND FALL INJURIES
Who is Responsible?
Whether they happen outside or inside, slip and fall injuries can happen anywhere.
When you enter a property as a guest or a consumer, the owner or business is responsible for maintaining a safe environment.
While slips and falls are ubiquitous anywhere and under any conditions, injuries are statistically more likely to happen in specific sites, including, but not limited to,
Entertainment venues (museums, concert halls, theaters, etc.)
Grocery stores
Restaurants
Shopping centers and stores
Hospitals and clinics
Government facilities (court house, city hall, post office, etc.)
next steps
WHAT TO DO AFTER a Slip and Fall Injury
Slips, trips, and falls happen when we least expect them—while walking or going about our day-to-day business.
If you find yourself in a situation where you have slipped, tripped, or fallen, you can take steps to ensure your safety and hold the right people accountable for any injuries.
Take inventory of your injuries.
After you experience a slip, trip, or fall, your safety should always come first. Access your injuries and check for any pain you may be experiencing but remember to be cautious. Don't make any sudden movements. You don't want to aggravate any injuries you may have sustained. If you have pain or numbness in your back, stay still and wait for medical help to arrive. Check for any pain you may be experiencing.
Make Sure to Report the Incident.
An incident report about your slip, trip, or fall, is essential to building a strong case. Documentation is important. You'll want to ensure an official record of your accident's details. So make sure you tell authorities (a supervisor, manager, employer, or property owner). Make sure to obtain a copy of any documentation.
Gather Evidence.
While it's true that an experienced slip and fall attorney will do a thorough investigation to build you a strong case, memories and injuries fade; that's why nothing beats recording the evidence when it's fresh.
Being proactive and gathering evidence directly following your slip and fall accident gives your attorney a headstart as they build you the most solid case possible.
Here are a few ways you can gather evidence to help solidify your case:
Make sure to take pictures.
Use your phone or a camera to document your injuries, the hazard that caused the slip, fall, or trip, and any other details that will help illustrate the accident's specifics.
Write down the specifics of the case.
Describe the incident in your own words and record any pertinent details. Remember to document the date, time, location, and the names of anyone who spoke with you. Also, remember to get the names and contact information of anyone who witnesses the accident.
Go to the Doctor.
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible ensures that a medical professional can diagnose and treat your injuries. Seeing a doctor as quickly as possible will ensure that you don't further exasperate your injuries and provide further documentation for your case.
Ask for copies of any medical records related to your slip and fall injury.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Injury
Slips, trips, and falls happen when we least expect them—while walking or going about our day-to-day business.
If you find yourself in a situation where you have slipped, tripped, or fallen, you can take steps to ensure your safety and hold the right people accountable for any injuries.
1.
Take inventory of your injuries.
After you experience a slip, trip, or fall, your safety should always come first. Access your injuries and check for any pain you may be experiencing but remember to be cautious. Don't make any sudden movements. You don't want to aggravate any injuries you may have sustained. If you have pain or numbness in your back, stay still and wait for medical help to arrive. Check for any pain you may be experiencing.
2.
Make Sure to Report the Incident.
An incident report about your slip, trip, or fall, is essential to building a strong case. Documentation is important. You'll want to ensure an official record of your accident's details. So make sure you tell authorities (a supervisor, manager, employer, or property owner). Make sure to obtain a copy of any documentation.
3.
Gather Evidence.
While it's true that an experienced slip and fall attorney will do a thorough investigation to build you a strong case, memories and injuries fade; that's why nothing beats recording the evidence when it's fresh. Being proactive and gathering evidence directly following your slip and fall accident gives your attorney a headstart as they build you the most solid case possible.
Here are a few ways you can gather evidence to help solidify your case:
Make sure to take pictures.
Use your phone or a camera to document your injuries, the hazard that caused the slip, fall, or trip, and any other details that will help illustrate the accident's specifics.
Write down the specifics of the case.
Describe the incident in your own words and record any pertinent details. Remember to document the date, time, location, and the names of anyone who spoke with you. Also, remember to get the names and contact information of anyone who witnesses the accident.
4.
Go to the Doctor.
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible ensures that a medical professional can diagnose and treat your injuries. Seeing a doctor as quickly as possible will ensure that you don't further exasperate your injuries and provide further documentation for your case.
Ask for copies of any medical records related to your slip and fall injury.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Injury
Slips, trips, and falls happen when we least expect them—while walking or going about our day-to-day business.
If you find yourself in a situation where you have slipped, tripped, or fallen, you can take steps to ensure your safety and hold the right people accountable for any injuries.
1.
Take inventory of your injuries.
After you experience a slip, trip, or fall, your safety should always come first. Access your injuries and check for any pain you may be experiencing but remember to be cautious. Don't make any sudden movements. You don't want to aggravate any injuries you may have sustained. If you have pain or numbness in your back, stay still and wait for medical help to arrive. Check for any pain you may be experiencing.
2.
Make Sure to Report the Incident.
An incident report about your slip, trip, or fall, is essential to building a strong case. Documentation is important. You'll want to ensure an official record of your accident's details. So make sure you tell authorities (a supervisor, manager, employer, or property owner). Make sure to obtain a copy of any documentation.
3.
Gather Evidence.
While it's true that an experienced slip and fall attorney will do a thorough investigation to build you a strong case, memories and injuries fade; that's why nothing beats recording the evidence when it's fresh. Being proactive and gathering evidence directly following your slip and fall accident gives your attorney a headstart as they build you the most solid case possible.
Here are a few ways you can gather evidence to help solidify your case:
Make sure to take pictures.
Use your phone or a camera to document your injuries, the hazard that caused the slip, fall, or trip, and any other details that will help illustrate the accident's specifics.
Write down the specifics of the case.
Describe the incident in your own words and record any pertinent details. Remember to document the date, time, location, and the names of anyone who spoke with you. Also, remember to get the names and contact information of anyone who witnesses the accident.
4.
Go to the Doctor.
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible ensures that a medical professional can diagnose and treat your injuries. Seeing a doctor as quickly as possible will ensure that you don't further exasperate your injuries and provide further documentation for your case.
Ask for copies of any medical records related to your slip and fall injury.
ava law group
CONTACTING AN EXPERIENCED Slip and Fall Attorney
Slip and fall cases are notoriously hard to prove in court. In Montana, determining negligence means building a case that demonstrates the cause of the slip and fall injury and proving that the business or property owner knew about (or should have) the hazard but failed to take proper action to fix it.
Montanans are known for our hard work and determination. We are also known for our tight-knit communities and our giving-the-shirt-off-your-back mentality. We look out for one another and expect the same accountability from our community's business and property owners.
The truth is that slip and fall injuries are expensive. After hospital visits, rehab facilities, prescriptions, and other medical interventions, a slip and fall injury usually costs at least $30,000. For Montanans who live on a fixed income or those who live paycheck-to-paycheck, the cost of an unexpected injury is life-altering.
While you can settle a slip and fall claim with no legal representation, it's important to remember that insurance companies are large corporations whose business depends on paying you the lowest amount possible. Most of the time, what they offer just doesn't cut it.
A knowledgeable attorney will help you navigate the legal minefield by investigating, filing a claim, and negotiating for maximum compensation. A great attorney will become an advocate who will aggressively litigate on behalf of you and your rights.
AVA Law Group is a Billings-based law firm with legal experts born and raised in Montana who specialize in advocacy.
We focus on the details of the legal system and aggressively fight for your rights. That way, you can forget the stress and focus on what really matters: healing.
If you are from Montana or a traveler passing through and were injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Talk to an AVA Legal Expert today to understand all your options.
We provide a team of attorney, paralegals, and case managers to clients at no upfront cost.
AVA Law Group eliminates the confusion of filing a claim by working on your claim and, if necessary, connecting you with one our many partner firms that fits your needs and will get you the best results.
We’re available 24/7 to provide you with the information you need about case qualification.
Contact Us Today for your free, in-depth case evaluation
ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT: Not available in all states, Andrew Van Arsdale, supervising attorney is licensed only in California, District of Columbia, Montana, and Nevada, but associates with attorneys throughout the country, Principal Office: 2718 Montana Ave. Suite 220, Billings, Montana 59101. San Diego Office: 3667 Voltaire Street, San Diego, California 92106.
Consult a doctor on all medical decisions. Do not stop taking a prescribed medication without first consulting with your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor's advice can result in injury or death. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services performed is greater than the quality of the legal services performed by other lawyers. AVA Law Group, Inc. not accepting cases in states where this advertising conflicts with laws or state rules. Legal representation is not offered or available in Tennessee. While AVA Law Group, Inc. maintains joint responsibility, most cases are referred to other attorneys for principal responsibility.
