Find The Best Trip And Fall Lawyer For Your Case In Feb 2025

Slip and Fall vs. Trip and Fall

A slip and fall might sound similar to a trip and fall, but the phrases refer to two different types of accidents. While both can lead to personal injury claims and leave you ailing, it’s still important to know the subtle differences between the two.

Typically, a slip and fall occurs when someone loses their footing due to a slick or slippery surface, such as a wet floor, icy sidewalk, or loose rug or floor mat. Usually, the person will fall sideways or backward, which can result in injuries like head trauma, sprains, and fractures.

In contrast, a trip and fall happens when someone stumbles over an obstacle or uneven surface. The person will usually fall forward, but they may also trip at an angle.

Typically, a trip and fall incident can be linked to:

• Cluttered walkways
• Uneven pavement or sidewalks
• Poorly maintained floors
• Bad lighting

During the impact, the person might suffer facial trauma, broken bones, or abrasions.

To recap, the key differences between a slip and fall and trip and fall incident include the cause, the direction of the fall, and the common types of injuries that victims suffer. And the main similarity is that both slipping and tripping can lead to dangerous falls.

Trip and fall attorney fees, similar to slip and fall attorneys, vary based on the person’s expertise, what state you are in, and other factors. As part of your lawsuit or settlement payment process, you can seek damages for pain and suffering, medical bills, time away from work, and the emotional trauma associated with your injuries.

Should You Hire a Lawyer for a Trip and Fall Case?

After a trip and fall injury, some people decide to pursue a personal injury lawsuit on their own. Technically speaking, you can do this — you aren’t required to have legal representation.

However, in virtually every case, plaintiffs recover more compensation with an attorney than they do on their own. Attorneys understand how to negotiate with insurers. And because insurance companies know lawyers will take the case to trial without an acceptable settlement offer, they’re more likely to cooperate.

If money is a concern, it may be helpful to know that almost all trip and fall lawyers work on contingency. This means that if they recover compensation for you, you pay them a certain percentage. If they don’t recover compensation, you pay nothing.

Why Hire a Trip and Fall Attorney?

Hiring a trip and fall attorney gives you the opportunity to:

Offset Medical Costs

Surgical procedures and emergency medical care can be incredibly expensive, especially if you don’t have health insurance or your policyholder won’t cover the injuries. For instance, the cost of spinal fusion without insurance is approximately $110,000. Even more minor interventions can cost you tens of thousands.

A trip and fall attorney can help you recover funds to cover some or all of your medical bills. They may also be able to obtain damages for ongoing care costs, such as rehab and physical therapy.

Hold the Violators Accountable

If someone’s negligence led to your trip and fall incident, it’s vital that you hold them accountable. Otherwise, others may suffer a similar event on that person’s property. During a suit, you can seek justice and potentially prevent others from being injured due to issues like uneven pavement or poorly maintained parking lots.

Recover Damages

Personal injury settlement amounts vary based on the unique circumstances of your case. However, the average personal injury settlement exceeds $100,000. While there’s no guarantee that you’ll receive this amount, filing a claim allows you to seek damages that offset the costs of your medical care, time away from work, and pain and suffering.

A skilled attorney will take steps to prove the value of your claim. This may involve interviewing witnesses, gathering evidence, and analyzing medical bills.

How to Find the Best Trip and Fall Lawyer

Finding the right attorney to handle your trip and fall case is crucial to achieving a favorable outcome. Therefore, it’s important that you:

Conduct Research

Start by asking friends, family, or colleagues for referrals. Alternatively, you can connect with ConsumerShield and use our referral network to find an experienced attorney near you. All of the lawyers in our network are stringently vetted, allowing you to make decisions with confidence.

Check Qualifications and Experience

Every type of personal injury claim is unique, including trip and fall incidents. Ideally, you will find a lawyer who has experience litigating these types of claims. Someone who has won trip and fall cases before will be better equipped to achieve a favorable outcome on your behalf.

Schedule Consultations

Most lawyers offer free initial consultations, especially in the personal injury space. Take advantage of this to meet with several attorneys and obtain varying opinions. Ask about their experience, approach, and how they plan to handle your case.

Characteristics of a Competent Trip and Fall Lawyer

When you’re choosing a personal injury lawyer to represent you in a trip and fall case, you should make your choice carefully. The right lawyer can make the difference between receiving fair compensation and walking away with nothing at all. These are a few characteristics to look for:

• Record of success in trip and fall cases like yours
• Good reputation among clients and other lawyers
• Strong negotiation and litigation skills
• Solid understanding of state and local premises liability laws

You should also choose an attorney you feel comfortable working with. Communication is a critical part of the attorney-client relationship.

Can a Lawyer Help With a Trip and Fall on Public Property?

Typically, a trip and fall lawyer can help you file a premises liability lawsuit if you were injured on either public or private property. However, it’s important to note that trip and fall cases that happen on public property tend to be more difficult to win.

If your accident occurred on public property, you will need to file a lawsuit against the state or local government. In most states, the statute of limitations to sue a government agency is much shorter than the standard of limitations to bring a typical lawsuit.

The best way to know whether you have a strong trip and fall case against a government agency is by consulting with an experienced attorney.

Trip and Fall Lawyer Near Me

If you are in need of a skilled trip and fall lawyer, ConsumerShield can help. Simply fill out our contact form, and we’ll connect you with a talented legal professional in your area.