Zanesville Slip and Fall Accident Attorneys

Ohio’s premises liability laws can be a factor in determining a property owner’s duty of care after a slip and fall accident. At Graham Law, our Zanesville slip and fall attorneys have valuable legal experience helping injured people evaluate slip and fall claims in Ohio.

Time is important in these cases because evidence can disappear quickly. We have two offices to serve you throughout Muskingum County, located in Zanesville and Cambridge, Ohio. Thanks to virtual technology, our slip and fall attorneys can help with your slip and fall claim, no matter where you live in Ohio. Contact our law firm today online or at (740) 454-8585 for a free case review and let us put our experience to work for you.

What to Do Immediately After a Slip and Fall Accident in Ohio

At Graham Law, we have helped clients recover millions after being seriously injured in slip and fall accidents. The outcome of your case will depend greatly on the evidence, the nature of your injuries, and whether the property owner or occupier failed to act reasonably. We cannot stress enough how important it is to take practical steps following a slip and fall accident in Ohio.

1. Gather Evidence From the Scene

When a slip and fall accident occurs, if you are able, we always recommend getting as many photos or videos as soon as possible. These should include photos of your injuries and the area where the fall took place. You should also try to capture images or videos of the hazard, including:

• Lighting
• Weather conditions
• Footwear worn at the time
• Warning signs, if any exist
• Mats
• Stairs
• Handrails
• Flooring
• Spills
• Ice
• Snow
• Uneven pavement
• Or anything else that may explain what happened

If the scene is not investigated in a timely fashion, evidence can get lost. For example, most video cameras located on premises will only record for a certain period before the database gets wiped out. In the event you are too injured to do so, send your family member or friend back to the area to gather as much evidence as possible.

2. Seek Medical Treatment

Getting medical attention for your injuries as soon as possible is also important. In some cases, injuries may take longer to evolve, so the sooner you seek medical treatment, the better. Make sure to keep those medical reports so you can share them with your slip and fall attorney.

3. Report the Incident

If the fall happened at a store, apartment complex, restaurant, public building, workplace, or business, ask to make an incident report. Request a copy if one is available. If you cannot get a copy, write down the name and title of the person who took the report.

4. Speak With an Experienced Slip and Fall Attorney

After you’ve received medical treatment for your injuries, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. At Graham Law, you can contact our attorneys for a free case review to go over the details of your situation and to see if you have merit for a potential claim.

This consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose by contacting us. If you hire us to represent you, we will handle all the paperwork and dealings with the insurance companies to make sure you can focus on your recovery. We recommend you do not sign anything until you’ve spoken to a slip and fall attorney.

It’s important to note that there is a 2-year statute of limitations on these types of claims, which means you generally have 2 years from the date of the incident to file a claim. Reach out to our personal injury attorneys in Zanesville today for legal help.

Why Evidence is Important in a Zanesville Slip and Fall Claim

Slip and fall claims often depend on notice. In many cases, the injured person must show that the property owner or occupier knew about the hazard, created the hazard, or should have discovered it through reasonable inspection and maintenance. That is why evidence from the scene can be so important.

Examples of useful evidence may include surveillance footage, maintenance logs, cleaning schedules, incident reports, prior complaints, weather records, photos, witness statements, and medical records. Our Zanesville slip and fall attorneys at Graham Law can help request and preserve evidence before it is deleted, repaired, discarded, or changed.

Common Injuries Stemming From Slip and Fall Accidents in Ohio

Some of the most common types of injuries our slip and fall attorneys in Zanesville have seen in premises liability cases include:

• Broken or fractured bones
• Concussions or other traumatic brain injuries
• Whiplash and other neck injuries
• Cuts and lacerations
• Dental injuries
• Spinal cord trauma
• Hip, knee, shoulder, wrist, and ankle injuries
• Joint injuries, including strains and sprains
• Aggravation of preexisting medical conditions
• And more

Not only might an injured accident survivor face the challenges of physical recovery, but they may also accrue debts as a result of their slip and fall accident. There may be substantial bills associated with medical care, medications, rehabilitative treatments, attendant care, and more. Depending on the nature of your injuries, you may find yourself needing to take time away from work, which can place further strain on your financial circumstances.

Severe cases of slip and fall accidents can be fatal. If you lost your loved one due to a hazard on another party’s property, our slip and fall team can work with our Zanesville wrongful death attorneys to help you pursue meaningful compensation for your profound loss.

Premises Liability Overview: How Negligence is Established in Slip and Fall Claims

Premises liability is a legal concept in Ohio that holds property owners or occupiers liable for injuries sustained by visitors on their property due to unsafe conditions. To file a slip and fall lawsuit, you usually require proof of duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages.

Duty of Care

Under Ohio Law, property owners and occupiers owe a duty of care to visitors, depending on the type of visitor they are:

• Invitees: These are individuals the property owner invites onto the property for a business purpose. The owner owes a high duty of care to ensure the premises are safe for patrons and is responsible for things like inspecting the property for hazards, warning invitees of any known dangers and taking reasonable steps to keep the premises safe.
• Licensees: These are individuals with permission to be on the property for their own social or recreational party, such as guests at a house party. The owner has a high duty of care to ensure the premises are safe for patrons and is responsible for warning licensees of hidden dangers they know about or should have revealed.
• Trespassers: These are individuals who are on the property without permission. Generally, property owners owe no duty of care to trespassers. However, some exceptions may apply.

Breach of Duty

In all instances, a breach of duty occurs when a property owner or occupier fails to uphold their duty of care. For example, failing to keep the property in a reasonably safe condition or failing to warn visitors about known hazards.

Causation

Causation is established by proving that a visitor’s injury was a direct and proximate result of the property owners’ breach of duty.

Damages

The visitor must demonstrate they suffered damages (economic and/or non-economic) due to the incident.

Ohio law also recognizes the open-and-obvious doctrine. In Armstrong v. Best Buy Co., Inc., the Supreme Court of Ohio explained that a landowner may owe no duty regarding dangers that are open and obvious. That does not mean every visible hazard defeats a claim. Lighting, distractions, store layout, weather, prior notice, and the surrounding circumstances may matter. A Zanesville slip and fall attorney can evaluate how this doctrine may apply to your situation.

Ohio Comparative Negligence and Slip and Fall Claims

It is important to note that Ohio follows a comparative negligence system. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2315.33, an injured person’s compensation may be reduced by their percentage of fault, and recovery may be barred if their fault is greater than the combined fault of the other responsible parties.

Insurance companies often argue that an injured person should have seen the hazard, that they ignored warning signs, wore improper footwear, or were distracted. The laws with respect to comparative negligence can be complex, and this is another reason we do not recommend handling these claims without the assistance of a slip and fall attorney.

A slip and fall attorney from our law firm will work with medical experts and engineers for these types of accidents to help demonstrate negligence and build your case. Contact a slip and fall attorney from our Zanesville or Cambridge office today for a free case review.

What Compensation May Be Available After A Slip And Fall Accident?

A slip and fall claim may seek compensation for the losses caused by the fall. Depending on the evidence and injuries, compensation may include:

• Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, and follow-up medical treatment
• Future medical care and rehabilitation
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Out-of-pocket costs for travel, prescriptions, assistive devices, or home modifications
• And possibly more

No attorney can guarantee a specific outcome. Our slip and fall accident attorneys in Zanesville can, however, help you understand the strengths and challenges of your claim, communicate with the insurance company, gather evidence, and pursue the compensation available under Ohio law.

Contact Our Zanesville Slip and Fall Attorneys for a Free Case Review

Graham Law has handled slip and fall claims against major big box retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot, Walgreens, Target and more. But slip and fall claims can happen anywhere – not just commercial properties. They can happen on residential and municipal properties, too. Regardless of where your incident occurred, our attorneys can help.

Contact our slip and fall attorneys in Cambridge or Zanesville today to speak with a member of our legal team and let us help you. You can call us at (740) 454-8585 or reach out through our online contact page now.

Here are some common questions that we get asked.
Each legal case is unique, so we recommend you contact us for specific advice.