Essex, MD Slip and Fall Lawyer

While it might not seem like it, an inopportune slip and fall can cause serious injuries. All it takes is for the wrong part of your body to hit the ground at the wrong angle to do permanent damage. Hospital bills, physical therapy, and an inability to continue to do activities you enjoy could all leave you reeling after a severe slip and fall.

Our lawyers can help you fight to get what you are owed after a slip-and-fall accident. We can work to get you what you are owed, deal with insurance companies, and do our best to make sure you get your life back on track.

Call (410) 694-7291 to talk to the slip and fall lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras for a free discussion of your case.

Slip and Fall Injuries in Essex, MD

While it is true that slip and fall accidents are likely to cause only minor injuries, the reality is that serious damage can occur. These injuries could change your life forever, and the resulting medical bills can result in stress and discomfort in daily life.

Broken Bones

Broken bones are a common injury from slip and fall accidents. While older people are the most at-risk group for broken bones due to a fall, this injury can happen to anyone. A fractured hip, rib, or collarbone can all require lengthy treatment to recover and keep you from many physical activities and work tasks.

Concussions and Brain Injuries

Any hard blow to the head has the potential to cause a concussion. A concussion can cause headaches, dizziness, memory “fog,” and nausea. Repeated concussions can cause serious neurological deterioration, and more severe blows to the head could cause traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Cuts and Lacerations

Depending on where you fall, blunt trauma injuries are not all that needs to be worried about. Falling onto broken glass or another sharp object can cause deep cuts that may require stitches to heal fully. Particularly deep cuts can cause tissue and nerve damage. Cuts to the face have the potential to result in permanent disfigurement.

Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury most commonly happens when a vertebra gets knocked out of place because of some outside force, like falling onto a hard object. Displaced vertebrae can make it hard for the brain to get signals all the way to the rest of the body. Less severe spinal injuries can cause numbness or a tingling sensation in the extremities, while more serious ones could result in partial or full paralysis.

Chronic Pain

Injuries from a slip and fall accident may not go away when you leave the hospital. Even a fully healed injury can leave you with persistent discomfort, potentially for the rest of your life. This is especially true when it comes to back injuries. In some cases, chronic pain can prevent people from doing activities they enjoyed before the accident that caused the pain.

Damages in a Slip and Fall Accident in Essex, MD

Damages refer to what you are awarded after a successful lawsuit. Damages are generally split into three categories: economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.

Economic damages have a tangible economic value attached to them. Usually, there is a bill or receipt that says how much these damages are worth. For example, medical bills from a hospital are often awarded as economic damages. An inability to do a job you once did because of injuries can also factor into economic damages.

Non-economic damages are more abstract. Things like pain and suffering or grief from an injury are factored into non-economic damages. Since it is hard to put a value on physical pain, non-economic damages have to be argued in court.

Punitive damages exist to punish particularly egregious defendants. Courts rarely award them since they are reserved for only the most serious transgressions. Punitive damages are awarded to send a message to the defendant and other entities like the defendant that they should not act as the defendant did.

What to Expect in a Slip and Fall Lawsuit in Essex, MD

Lawsuits can be complicated. We are here to help you understand some of the steps our slip and fall lawyers will go through during a lawsuit, as well as some things you should be aware of throughout the process.

Statute of Limitations

You do not have all the time in the world to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations puts a time limit on how long you have to file. In Maryland, the time limit for personal injury lawsuits is three years according to Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101. Make sure you consult with a personal injury lawyer quickly so that you can file a lawsuit promptly.

Evidence and Discovery

Attorneys use evidence to support their arguments. In a slip-and-fall case, it is important that you be honest with your attorney and provide them with all information possible so they can form the best argument on your behalf. If you have any pictures from where the accident happened, share them with your lawyer to help support your claim.

You may also be asked questions by both your lawyer and the other party’s lawyer. This is part of a process called discovery, where both sides try to “get to the bottom” of the facts of the case. Your lawyer should be present with you at any point you are talking to opposing counsel or the defendant’s insurance company to make sure you are treated fairly. The most important thing you can do here is be honest. A lie can and will, be found out, and it will hurt your case.

Contributory Negligence

Maryland negligence law follows the principle of contributory negligence. In a state that has contributory negligence standards, a plaintiff that is only a little bit at fault cannot recover damages.

Do not implicate yourself when talking to the defendant or their representatives. Simple statements like “I should have looked where I was going” can be construed to be admissions of fault and prevent you from winning a case. Make sure to have your lawyer present when talking to other parties in a case.

Consult with an Essex, MD Slip-and-Fall Lawyer Today

Reach out to the slip-and-fall lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free review of your case.