A lot of people assume all slip and fall lawsuits are bogus, and as a Memphis slip and fall lawyer I understand their concern. No one wants unnecessary lawsuits clogging up the system or hurting the businesses on which we depend. But there are times when these lawsuits are appropriate and needed. 

I recently had a client with a slip and fall case against a popular fast food restaurant. He fell on syrup at lunchtime, tore his knee and had to have surgery. The medical bills added up, and he couldn’t pay them on his own.

We subpoenaed the store’s maintenance records and found one of their trash cans had overflowed and left soda syrup residue all over the floor.

Per their own rules, they are required to empty trash cans once an hour, especially during lunch hours, and sign a form saying they did it. But that hadn’t been done for hours, which is why he fell. We were able to get $90K for our client to cover his medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses related to the injury.

There are three things you need to know about cases like this:

1) Don’t rush to judgement.

Remember the hot coffee incident where the woman sued McDonalds? It turns out the burns she received all over her lap were much worse than a lot of people realized, and the store had deliberately overheated their water to dangerous levels far past the recommended temperatures in order to make it stay hot for longer.

She was 79 years old and received 3rd degree burns all over her thighs and groin, even wearing sweatpants that day. She was permanently injured because of their carelessness, but the media ignored the severity of her injuries and never explained why the company might have been at fault.

The jury certainly didn’t find her case bogus.

2) Don’t assume you can’t be injured in a slip and fall accident.

I’ve seen falls that, because of the person’s age or the location and angle of the fall, are life-threatening. Falling anywhere can cause damage to someone’s knees, hips, and even spine. When these injuries require surgeries, it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s a sad fact that in this country, that can mean total financial ruin for a lot of people. If it was caused by a company’s negligence, shouldn’t their insurance help pay?

3) If you’re injured in a slip and fall accident, get a lawyer who understands these things.

You want an advocate who knows the law and will take your case seriously. At my firm, we’ve handled hundreds of slip and fall cases, and we don’t receive compensation unless you do. We know the the system and the needs of the clients who walk through our doors, and we’re here to answer your questions and get you started on the road to recovery.

Call me today at 901-327-1212 to discuss your situation for free, or contact me online.