Slip and fall accidents can cause significant injuries, including those to the back and spine. This can lead to a lifetime of pain, mobility loss, and even death. If a slip and fall caused by hazardous property conditions hurt you or your loved one, you may deserve compensation. Reach out to the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine at 1-800-747-3733 to learn how a Clearwater back and spine slip and fall injury lawyer can help.
More About Back and Spine Injuries
Spine injuries and back injuries are not the same. A patient may suffer back injuries that do not affect the spine. A spine injury specifically affects the spinal cord.
Spine Injuries
According to the Cleveland Clinic, physical trauma causes the majority of spine injuries. Falls, overall, cause more than 30% of spinal cord injuries, and they are the No. 1 cause of spinal cord injuries in adults age 65 and older.
Medical professionals classify spine injuries as complete and incomplete. A complete injury causes a total loss of feeling and movement below the site of the injury. This may result in leg and arm paralysis (quadriplegia) or leg-only paralysis (paraplegia). With an incomplete injury, patients may have varying degrees of partial sensation and movement. Both types of injuries may cause loss of bladder and bowel control, male infertility, inability to regulate blood pressure or body temperature, and chronic pain.
Anytime a person suffers a traumatic injury to the head, neck, or back, it is a good idea to see a doctor to rule out or diagnose a spinal injury. Not all spinal injuries are immediately apparent, and numbness and paralysis can gradually develop.
If you have not already sought medical attention for your fall, do so immediately if you experience pain, weakness, difficulty breathing, or trouble with balance and walking. Keep careful records of your treatments and medical bills.
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Back Injuries
The Mayo Clinic states that back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor or miss work. A sudden jolt, like one might suffer in a car accident or fall, can cause a back injury.
Back injuries can affect the bones, muscles, and tissues in the back. Injuries can range from sprains and strains to herniated discs or broken vertebrae. Back injuries can cause persistent pain, limited mobility, numbness, and weakness.
Treatment
Treating back and spine injuries can be a lengthy and expensive process. First, your doctor will need to perform testing to diagnose your injuries. This may involve X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, bone scans, and nerve studies.
Depending on your injuries, you may require medication, surgery, and physical therapy. Patients with back and spine injuries sometimes require narcotic medications, which can be addictive, to cope with the pain. Some antidepressants also help with back pain.
If You Did Not Cause Your Injuries, You Should Not Have to Pay
If a slip and fall caused your back and spine injuries, the owner of the property where your injuries occurred may be liable. Business and property owners must maintain their premises with a reasonable duty of care to prevent injuries. Examples of negligence in a slip and fall accident case may include but are not limited to:
- Failure to repair torn carpeting, cracked sidewalks, or loose floorboards
- Poor lighting
- Failure to remove snow and ice
- Obstructed hallways and stairwells
- Failure to prevent or clean up known leaks and spills
If you choose to work with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, a Clearwater back and spine slip and fall injury lawyer will attempt to prove your accident was not your fault. Our team will work hard to gather evidence, such as surveillance footage and eyewitness testimony, to show that the owner neglected to keep their property reasonably safe. Our goal is to help you achieve compensation. Call 1-800-747-3733 to get started on your case.
Seeking Awards
Many business and property owners carry liability insurance to pay for injuries that happen on their premises. Resolving personal injury claims through insurance protects property owners from litigation. So, it is likely your attorney will begin pursuing compensation through an insurance settlement. However, sometimes insurance companies dispute or deny claims. When this happens, a lawyer can help you with a lawsuit. You may seek awards for:
- Damages to your personal property, such as jewelry or electronics
- Medical costs, including emergency treatments, rehabilitation services, and mobility aids
- Household expenses
- Permanent disabilities and reductions in your quality of life
- Depression, anxiety, and stress
- Loss of income
You should be aware that if you were trespassing on the property where your injuries occurred, the owner might not be liable under Florida Statutes §768.075. You also will be subject to Florida’s pure comparative negligence laws. This means that the court will hear your case and assign each party a percentage of fault. You can seek damages even if you contributed to your accident, but your fault percentage diminishes your awards.
Finally, you should know there is a limit to the amount of time you have to file your case. Florida Statutes §95.11 establishes a four-year statute of limitations for personal injuries.
Finding Legal Help
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we go the extra mile for our clients. We work for you, not big business owners or large insurance companies. We want to make sure you and your family receive a settlement to help with your injuries and other expenses. You worry about getting better. We take care of everything else.
To find out more about how a Clearwater back and spine slip and fall injury lawyer can assist you, call our offices at 1-800-747-3733. We offer prospective clients a free consultation, and we never collect a fee unless we win your case.
