Broken Bones in Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents happen regularly throughout Cape Cod, and while some people sustain only minor bruising, others suffer painful fractures. A broken bone can take a long time to heal and cause an inability to work, significant medical expenses, and extensive suffering. Usually, slip and fall accidents are caused by dangerous conditions that arise due to property owners’ failure to maintain their premises. Negligent property owners should be held liable for broken bones in slip and fall accidents suffered by innocent parties. If you broke a bone on someone else’s property, you may be owed damages, and you should consult a lawyer. The assertive Cape Cod slip and fall attorneys of The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, are adept at holding property owners accountable for the harm caused by their inattentiveness, and we will advocate tirelessly on your behalf. We have over one hundred and fifty years of mutual experience helping parties injured in falls seek damages, and our skillful advocacy has allowed us to recover numerous multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients.

Slip and fall accidents are commonly caused by debris or liquid on a floor, such as a spilled beverage in a restaurant or convenience store or produce on the ground of a grocery store. They can also be caused by snow, ice, or rain on the stairs or entryway of a property or in the parking lot of a premises. Depending on how a fall occurs, it can create a significant amount of force, and people who fall on their arms or legs may sustain broken bones. In many instances, their fractures are so severe that they need to undergo surgical repair. People can suffer compression or burst fractures of the vertebrae in falls as well, which can be debilitating injuries requiring extensive treatment.

Many people who suffer broken bones in slip and fall accidents seek to recover damages from the party ultimately responsible for their harm. Usually, this means the injured party will file a premises liability lawsuit against the party that owns or occupies the property. In Massachusetts, property owners may be held liable for harm caused by dangerous conditions encountered on their premises.

What a plaintiff must prove to demonstrate liability varies depending on the facts of the case, however. For example, property owners owe a greater degree of care to people who are lawfully on their property than they do to trespassers. If a person is a lawful entrant, such as an individual who is on a premises for business or personal reasons, the property owner has a duty to prevent the person from encountering foreseeable harm, which means the property must be maintained in a reasonably safe condition. If the property owner breaches this duty by allowing a dangerous situation to exist, such as a slippery substance on the ground or ice on a parking lot, he or she may be deemed negligent and held responsible for any harm caused by the condition.

In most instances, a plaintiff in a lawsuit arising out of a slip and fall accident must show that the property owner either knew or reasonably should have known of the dangerous condition prior to the accident that injured the plaintiff. If the defendant is a business, though, depending on the nature of its operations, the plaintiff may be able to demonstrate that the dangerous condition that caused the fall was reasonably foreseeable because it related to the defendant’s mode of operation.

For example, if the defendant operates a restaurant that allows for the self-service of beverages, it is likely that a customer would spill liquid on the floor, making it possible for others to fall.

Slip and fall accidents can cause serious injuries such as fractures, and many people who suffer such injuries can recover compensation from the party responsible for their harm. If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident, you have the right to pursue claims against the property owner and should meet with an attorney. The lawyers of The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, are well-versed in what it takes to prove liability for unexpected harm, and if you hire us, we will fight diligently on your behalf. Our knowledgeable representation has afforded us a record of successful outcomes, including many verdicts exceeding one million dollars. We regularly help parties injured in slip and fall accidents pursue claims on Cape Cod, and we also are available for meetings in Plymouth and Hyannis. You can contact us via our form online or at (888) 262-6664 to set up a conference. Nós Falamos Português.