Slips and falls have been a staple of slapstick comedy from time immemorial, but they are no laughing matter for the real-life victims who suffer serious injuries on someone else’s unsafe property.
As Canadians living half the year with snow and ice on the ground, we get plenty of practice negotiating hazardous conditions underfoot, but despite our best efforts, many of us still end up slipping and falling on icy sidewalks, parking lots and driveways.
Indoors, spilled liquids are a potential threat 365 days per year, and our slip and fall lawyers have handled numerous cases on behalf of clients injured in grocery stores, shopping malls, office buildings and food courts.
Nobody is immune from a slip and fall accident, but elderly Ontarians are particularly vulnerable to adverse outcomes after taking a tumble. Indeed, the Canadian Institute for Health Information reports that falls are the leading cause of head injury hospitalization among over-60s and are to blame for almost all hip fractures suffered by seniors.
Whatever stage of life you find yourself at when you sustain an injury, the slip and fall lawyers at Edwards Pollard are here for you. While we pursue the compensation you are entitled to, you can focus on your recovery, safe in the knowledge that you have a reliable and tenacious advocate fighting your corner.
What to do after a slip or fall
Anyone unfortunate enough to have slipped, tripped or fallen in public knows how difficult it is to maintain your dignity in the process.
While your instinct may be to slink off in embarrassment, hoping that nobody noticed, it could be valuable to your case to collect certain information immediately, including pictures of your injuries and the contact details of potential witnesses.
The condition of the accident site is at the heart of many claims, so photographs that document the scene as close as possible to the time of the incident will also help your slip and fall lawyer as they build your case.
Of course, depending on the severity of your injury, evidence collection may not be practical right after a slip or fall. Your health and safety should be the top priority, so call for help if you need it and get yourself seen by a medical professional as soon as you can.
Time is of the essence in many slip and fall cases because of special notification timelines that kick in when city property is involved or when snow or ice are factors, so one of your first calls should be to a personal injury lawyer. At Edwards Pollard, our slip and fall lawyers waste no time giving you a quick, fair assessment of the strength of your case while ensuring that all the key deadlines are met.
What to expect if you file a legal claim
Slip and fall cases generally proceed under Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act (OLA), which allows injury victims to sue the owners and managers of property for damages when they fall short in their duties of inspection, maintenance and upkeep.
The “occupier” of a property could include a residential homeowner or landlord or a commercial business such as a bar or restaurant.
While every occupier has a duty to keep their premises safe, proving your case can be a challenge. Special timelines applicable to many cases under the OLA also add a further barrier to justice for those injured in slip and falls.
Insurers are often aggressive in their defence of slip-and-fall claims, but the lawyers at Edwards Pollard will give you the tools to fight back, building up your case with the help of evidence from qualified specialists in injury biomechanics and incident reconstruction to prove liability and medical experts and specialists to prove damages.
How we can help
Edwards Pollard’s slip and fall lawyers are no strangers to the complexities of an occupiers’ liability claim. With several decades of experience, we have developed an intimate knowledge of this technical piece of legislation, which we are ready to put to use in the investigation and prosecution of your case.
We prepare for every case as if it will go to trial, keeping our eyes open at every stage for opportunities to reach a fair and reasonable settlement that works for you.
At Edwards Pollard, our slip and fall lawyers take just as much pride in our support for clients as we do in our legal skills. Injury victims are treated like part of the family, and we stand by their side at every step throughout the legal process.
If you have sustained an injury from a slip and fall, call Oakville’s slip and fall lawyers at Edwards Pollard for a free consultation to find out if you have a case at (289) 529-0404.