St. Louis Slip and Fall Lawyers
Slip and fall accidents happen daily in St. Louis, often when you least expect it. Whether you’re walking through a grocery store, visiting a friend’s apartment building, or heading into your workplace, hazardous conditions can lead to serious injuries. As a victim, you may face medical bills, lost wages, and significant pain.
You shouldn’t bear those burdens alone when that fall occurs because of someone else’s negligence. The skilled team of Mandel & Mandel, LLP St. Louis slip and fall attorneys are here to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Why Choose Our Law Firm?
When you’re injured in a slip and fall accident, you need more than just someone to file paperwork for you. You need St. Louis slip and fall attorneys who will listen to your story, understand your challenges, and fight for your rights. Slip and fall cases can be complicated, and property owners often try to avoid responsibility. Mandel & Mandel, LLP lawyers work tirelessly to hold negligent property owners accountable, ensuring you get the financial support needed for your recovery.
We understand that you might feel stressed and frustrated by medical appointments, rehabilitation, and time away from work after an injury. We’ll take some of that burden off your shoulders by handling your case with the attention it deserves. We’re committed to ensuring that your voice is heard and that you aren’t just another case file lost in a pile.
How a Lawyer Can Prove the Property Owner Owed You a Legal Duty of Care
In any slip and fall case, one of the first steps is proving that the property owner owed you a legal duty of care. Under Missouri law, property owners are responsible for keeping their premises reasonably safe for visitors. This legal duty varies depending on whether you were invited onto the property, were there for business purposes, or were considered a trespasser.
For example, if you’re a customer in a store, the business owner owes you the highest level of care, meaning they must regularly inspect the premises for any dangers and fix them promptly. However, if you’re a social guest at someone else’s house, the homeowner still owes you a duty of care, but it’s more limited. They must ensure their home is free of hazards they know or should reasonably know about, like a loose handrail, a slick floor, or any other danger.
Our St. Louis slip and fall attorneys will review your case to determine how the property owner failed in their duty to keep you safe. Did they neglect to fix a broken step? Were there spills in a grocery store that went unaddressed? In these cases, it’s the property owner’s responsibility to fix or warn about dangerous conditions, and if they didn’t, they may be held accountable for your injuries.
Why You Need an Attorney As Soon As Possible
After a slip and fall accident, time is not on your side. Missouri has a statute of limitations that sets a deadline for filing personal injury claims. If you wait too long, you could lose your right to pursue compensation.
But that’s not the only reason you should act quickly. Evidence can disappear fast, especially in slip and fall cases. Surveillance footage gets erased, witness memories fade, and property owners may repair hazardous conditions before anyone can document them.
You increase your chances of building a strong case by contacting a lawyer soon after your accident. Your St. Louis slip and fall attorneys can immediately begin gathering evidence, contacting witnesses, and documenting the scene of your fall. They’ll preserve every piece of information necessary for your claim and present it when needed.
It’s also important to understand that insurance companies often get involved early, and their goal is to minimize the amount they pay out. They may try to get you to settle for less than you deserve, or worse, they may deny your claim altogether. A lawyer can help you handle these negotiations and push back against lowball offers, ensuring the insurer doesn’t pressure you into accepting a settlement that won’t cover your expenses.
Proving Liability in Slip and Fall Cases
Proving liability in a slip and fall case isn’t as simple as showing that you got hurt on someone else’s property. Your lawyer must demonstrate that the property owner either created the dangerous condition, knew about it, failed to fix it, or should have reasonably known about it. Doing so often requires digging into records and maintenance logs and interviewing employees or witnesses who might have seen the hazardous condition before the accident.
For instance, in a grocery store slip and fall, your attorney may seek to find out how often the store inspects its aisles for spills. If the store has a regular inspection policy but failed to follow it on the day of your fall, that’s important evidence. Or, if employees were aware of a dangerous condition but didn’t act to warn customers or block off the area, that can be grounds for liability.
However, the burden of proof falls on the injured party, so having St. Louis slip and fall attorneys who understand how to gather and present evidence is essential. Your Mandel & Mandel, LLP lawyer will work with experts in accident reconstruction, safety standards, and other relevant fields to strengthen your case.
Protecting Your Rights When Dealing With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are not your friends. After a slip and fall accident, the property owner’s insurance company may contact you, and they might seem eager to help. However, their real objective is to pay as little as possible, regardless of the severity of your injuries. They may offer you a quick settlement, hoping you’ll accept before understanding the full extent of your injuries and long-term recovery costs.
Don’t let the insurance company push you into a hasty decision. An attorney will handle all communications with the insurance company, ensuring that any settlement offer reflects the true value of your claim. Your attorney will consider your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other financial impacts of your injury. With the right legal representation, you won’t have to worry about being taken advantage of by insurers who prioritize profits over people.
Please contact our St. Louis slip and fall attorneys online or call 314-621-1701 to discuss your case and learn how we can help you recover the compensation you deserve. Reach out to us for a free consultation and take the first step toward securing your financial future.