Slip-and-fall accidents are pretty common in the state of Nevada. In many cases, it is clear that the property owner’s negligence is the primary cause of the accident. They have a responsibility to create a safe environment for customers and visitors. Law also requires that they pay extra attention to on-site hazards, such as wet floors and uneven flooring.
Many severe slip and fall cases in Nevada can lead to long-term disabilities in seniors. Property owners must take appropriate measures to prevent such accidents on their premises.
Let’s explore how you can prove negligence in a slip-and-fall case in Nevada.
What is Negligence in a Slip and Fall Case?
If you’ve been involved in a slip-and-fall accident, you must collect evidence to prove negligence. Your first step is to hire a personal injury lawyer who will begin their investigation into your case.
Negligence is when someone fails to take corrective action fully, knowing that their inaction can lead to dire consequences, such as bodily harm. If you own a store, you must inform visitors of any uneven flooring or tripping hazards that could lead to injuries. According to Nevada law, if you don’t take accountability for your visitors’ safety, you are purposely negligent.
For example, if your staff has just mopped the floor, chances are that your customers can slip and fall. For this reason, your safety operations must involve clear warnings about the risk of wet floors, which is a tripping hazard. Failure to do so can result in litigious action against your business.
How to Prove Negligence in a Slip-and-Fall Case?
Proving negligence in a slip-and-fall accident is important because there needs to be evidence that the accident occurred due to someone’s careless actions. However, not every slip and fall case occurs due to negligence since people can trip without any hazards present.
For example, if your shoelaces are untied and you trip on them, you cannot claim negligence. Conversely, you can claim negligence if you trip on an unmarked hazard in a shopping mall.
Let’s explore how to prove negligence.
1. Compile Your Medical Documents
If you’ve been injured from a slip-and-fall accident, you probably need treatment. Elders can break their hip bones, a common slip-and-fall injury. However, others may have milder injuries, such as a bone fracture requiring medical attention.
After recovering from your injury following medical treatment, you must compile the relevant documents to prove your condition. Your medical reports can help you prove negligence since it shows that your injury definitely occurred.
2. Investigate the Scene of the Accident
Following your slip and fall accident, you must collect evidence to prove that the property was unsafe and did not have any hazard warning signs. You must take pictures or videos as soon as possible since the property owner can fix the scene and pretend there was no tripping hazard.
If any witnesses saw you trip and fall due to negligence, you should take their contact details to collect a witness statement. You are responsible for collecting any video recordings, such as TV footage. If you’re too injured to collect evidence, you can leave it to your personal injury lawyer to conduct a detailed investigation.
3. Inquire About the Property Owner’s Awareness of the Hazard
Most property owners with the competent staff know about tripping hazards on their premises. If they knew about it, they should have put up warning signs to alert visitors of potential danger. If they didn’t, it points to their blatant negligence, which holds them liable for litigious action.
Property owners sometimes know about tripping hazards and do not take action for days. In other cases, they may have put up warning signs that you missed, which caused the accident. Your personal injury lawyer will collect all evidence to make your case as strong as possible.
Hire Personal Injury Lawyers for Your Slip and Fall Case
If you’ve been involved in a slip and fall accident, it helps to hire a competent lawyer. They can conduct a detailed investigation that sheds light on the situation.
The Bourassa Law Group has a team of dedicated personal injury lawyers who are highly experienced in handling slip and fall cases. They can brief you on the best course of action you need to take to receive a fair and accurate settlement amount. Contact them at 1-800-870-8910 for a free consultation and evaluate your unique circumstances.
