Slip and falls are common in personal injury lawsuits. Elevated falls are different and usually more fatal.
There is a difference between a slip and fall and an elevated fall. The slip and fall, a quite common case in personal injury law, tends to happen then someone is on another person’s property and they slip or trip on something – say a liquid spill, uneven terrain or broken, unsafe stairs – and are injured. In cases like that, the plaintiff has options to pursue a legal remedy by suing the company, manager etc., for failing to remedy the dangerous situation. Cases like this are often handled by an Austin personal injury lawyer.
Generally speaking, most slip and falls are not fatal. On the other hand, elevated falls are a different can of worms. These types of falls happen when someone plummets from a high place. If the fall happened while the individual was working, they may be eligible for compensation. Falls like this are very common on construction sites, due to the nature of the work and location of the workers (for example, on a roof, on a crane or on a scaffold).
Elevated injuries are also noted to happen in sports related activities, such as a gymnastics or diving. If the instructor or coach was negligent and that negligence caused a fall, they may be sued for personal injuries or a wrongful death. Another example is if someone tripped and fell off a deck or balcony. The one thing to keep in mind is that if an elevated fall was caused by being under the influence of alcohol or a drug, this is usually a large factor in personal injury cases; a factor that may end up with the plaintiff being assessed a certain percentage of the liability for the fall.
Typically, elevated falls end with far more serious injuries than other personal injury cases. While there are exceptions to that rule, generally speaking, the injuries for those that survive are far more severe and/or permanent. This means more compensation because of large medical bills, rehabilitation costs, missed wages or lost wages and pain and suffering. If the injury is life-altering/permanent, the damages may be even higher. This is why you need to speak to an Austin personal injury lawyer to have your injuries assessed.
If you have been badly hurt in an elevated fall, speak to a skilled Austin personal injury lawyer for help. You will need to know what to expect if you choose to file a lawsuit and you will want some kind of idea of the compensation you may receive based on the nature and seriousness of your injuries.
Brooks Schuelke is an Austin personal injury attorney with Perlmutter & Schuelke LLP. Contact an Austin injury lawyer at Civtrial.com or (512) 476-4944.
