Slipping and falling at a restaurant or grocery store can quickly turn an ordinary trip to town into a costly trip to the hospital. A slip-and-fall injury can lead to expensive treatment and prevent you from being able to return to work for a period of time. This downtime can quickly take a toll on both your finances and your emotions.
In some instances, a slip-and-fall accident is the result of the carelessness of the owner of the business property where the accident occurred. For example, perhaps the business did not remove debris that was clearly on the floor. Fortunately, if you have been hurt in an accident on dangerous property, you might have recourse through the civil court system.
What can cause slip-and-fall accidents?
An accident involving slipping and falling may occur because of a wide range of hazardous conditions, such as changes in a business’s flooring, torn carpeting, a wet floor or poor lighting. Even a narrow stairway can easily cause a serious injury accident. In the same way, a business’s an outside property can be an accident site if the business fails to address hazards such as a wet surface, broken pavement or a pothole.
Insurance
If you file a claim following your injury accident and speak to an insurance adjuster about it, the adjuster will ask you questions regarding how severe your injury is. The insurance company then may offer you a cash settlement.
Accepting such an agreement immediately may understandably be tempting. However, settling is often not a good idea, as the goal of an insurance adjuster is to save his or her company money. Thus, accepting a cash settlement may mean you will not get the full compensation you are legally entitled to receive.
Liability claim
After suffering an injury in a slip-and-fall accident in Hawaii, you have the right to file a premises liability lawsuit seeking damages. Reliable proof of negligence is necessary to establish liability before the civil court hearing your case. Only then will a court determine claims for damages.
In a successfully litigated lawsuit, a damage award may enable you to cover any lost wages, physical therapy costs and medical bills. Monetary compensation may also help to address mental anguish along with pain and suffering stemming from the accident you suffered on dangerous property.
