Aside from auto accidents, slip-and-falls and trip-and-falls are the biggest sources of personal injury claims in the United States. You can slip and fall backward when you lose your footing, or you can trip and fall forward when you catch your foot on or in something. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 20% of all falls result in a serious injury like a fracture or a traumatic brain injury. About 3 million elderly people are treated in emergency rooms every year for injuries suffered in falls, and about 800,000 are hospitalized because of fall injuries.
Premises Liability Claims
The law of premises liability governs slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall claims in Spokane, Washington. Owners and occupiers of government, commercial or residential property must exercise due care and caution to maintain their property in a condition that is free from hazards that they know or should know about that could injure visitors on their property. Here are just a few of the places where slip-and-falls or trip-and-falls might occur:
- Malls and retail stores.
- Common areas of apartment buildings and condominium developments.
- Amusement parks.
- Office and industrial buildings.
- Government buildings.
- Public streets and sidewalks.
- Construction sites.
- Private residences.
When Can I File an Insurance Claim for a Slip-and-Fall or Trip-and-Fall in Spokane, Washington?
Washington law doesn’t prescribe a set time for when an injured person must bring a personal injury claim. It does set a time limit for bringing a personal injury lawsuit though. That lawsuit must be filed within three years of the date of the accident. An insurance claim can be brought within days or weeks of the date of an accident. In fact, there are a variety of reasons why we recommend making your claim as soon as possible after an accident.
Claims Against Government Entities
Filing a personal injury claim against the government for a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall or other accident is different than filing one against a private individual or entity. If the claim is against the State of Washington, a county or a municipal body, a specific claim form must be filed with the particular government entity before a lawsuit seeking compensation for damages can be filed. The entity will have 60 days thereafter to conduct an investigation and decide on the validity of the claim. If you believe that a government entity in the State of Washington caused your slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall, you should contact our offices as soon as possible to discuss your accident and the required notice.
Regardless of the nature of your injuries, if a dangerous condition on property owned or occupied by somebody else caused you to fall, you may be eligible to be compensated for your injuries and damages. For more information please refer to our page about slip and fall injuries in Spokane.
