Remember that every case is unique. It is not possible to provide an average settlement because the amount of the settlement depends on various factors such as medical bills, loss of wages, pain and suffering, plastic surgery costs, future remedial care and possibly psychological counseling (if necessary). For all your dog bites questions, call the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone we can answer your questions.
Try to document the exact location where you fell. If at all possible, contact management and insist that they do an incident report. Don not forget about cell phones. Try to document the scene by taking pictures of what was on the floor or what caused you to fall. The focus on this kind of cases is did the owner of the property know that there was a problem or should have known of the problem. If in doubt contact the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone to assist you.
Most store managers will try to calm down injured customers and will do so by promising to pay medical bills. However, once a medical bill is submitted for payment, the actual decision of whether or not to pay is usually made by someone else. Most stores have insurance that covers accidents on their premises and, in those instances, it is the insurance company that decides whether or not to pay for medical treatment. The best approach for you is not to rely solely on the trust of a store manager, but contact Keith J. Stone for legal advise.
Only you can decide as to whether or not you think your need medical assistance. When in doubt, go see a doctor! Do not be afraid to utilize your own health insurance if necessary. Most communities have an urgent care or a local hospital for emergencies. Your health is important.
The focus on these kinds of cases is whether the landowner or the person in charge of the lot knew or should have known that there was a dangerous condition. Typically, were holes patched or repaired. If water was the cause of your fall, are there areas of algae or large puddles of standing water, which would allow someone to fall such as yourself. Again, document the area as best as possible by taking photographs. The key, however, is whether the landowner knew or should have known of these problems.
Under common law principles, a property owner’s duty to an entrant depends on the entrant’s legal status as an invitee, licensee or trespasser. A social guest, such as a person invited to a party, is considered a licensee. In this example, the neighbor had a duty to warn you of a dangerous condition that creates an unreasonable risk of harm if it is known to the neighbor and not likely to be discovered by you, the guest. Thus, if you were injured on a hidden condition, such as a loose floorboard that the neighbor knew about, but did not warn you about, you may be able to recover for your injuries.
