Charles County MD Personal Injury: What to Know About Slip and Fall Injuries
If you have had a slip and fall accident in Charles County, MD or in any other part of Southern Maryland, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries from the owner of the property or other “at-fault” party. Slip and fall accidents are governed by Maryland’s personal injury laws and are typically called “premises liability” claims. That is, generally, the “at-fault” party is the property owner, or maybe the business leasing space like a merchant. Generally, the right to compensation is based on the property owner’s failure to keep the premises safe and free from hazardous conditions.
Premises liability cases are legally complex, so you will need the assistance of experienced Maryland personal injury lawyers. If you have been injured in a slip and fall here in Waldorf, Maryland or Charles County, call us here at the Law Office of Robert Castro at (301)705-5137. We know Maryland personal injury law and can help you recover the maximum compensation to which you are entitled.
What is a Slip and Fall Accident?
Basically, a slip and fall accident occurs when there is some obstruction or substance on the floor of a premises which causes trip (or slip) and fall which causes injury. Examples might include a carpet that is not properly tacked down, a pool of liquid that has not been mopped up, broken tiles or concrete or a hose running across the floor or sidewalk. As indicated, slip and fall accidents can occur both outside and inside and, in either case, the owner or operator of a premises can be held liable. Owners/operators have obligations and duties to keep their property free from hazards and to warn of potential hazards. An example might be placing yellow or orange “warning cones” near a dangerous condition on a floor, outside walkway or in a parking area.
Common injuries include minor injuries like cuts, bruises, dislocated joints, muscle damage and broken bones. In some cases, the injuries can be more severe such as brain injuries, damage to spinal cords, neck and shoulder trauma and more. In some cases, damage to the victim might be debilitating and permanent. All of these injuries deserve compensation, from the minor to the most severe. Further, if you have had a slip and fall accident, you should NOT “shake it off” or otherwise ignore the accident. Some injuries are latent and will not manifest in physical symptoms until sometime after the accident.
What Must be Proven?
Under Maryland personal injury law, the victim of a Maryland slip and fall accident has the legal burden of proving that the property owner/operator is liable for the injuries. To do this, several legal elements must be shown including:
- That there was a dangerous condition on the property/premises
- The dangerous condition caused the slip/trip and fall
- Injury resulted from the slip/trip and fall
- That the owner/operator knew about the dangerous condition or should have known about the condition or that the dangerous condition could have been discovered by the “exercise of reasonable care”
- That the victim was on the property/premises for a lawful reason
- That the dangerous condition was not open and obvious to the victim in such a manner that the victim should have/could have avoided the condition
It may sound difficult, but in many cases, proving liability can be straight-forward. This highlights, again, the need to hire top-tier Maryland slip and fall lawyers.
Contact Waldorf, MD Personal Injury Attorney Robert Castro Today
This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD Personal Injury lawyers. Our address is: 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601.
