Boston Slip and Fall Lawyers
Finkelstein & Partners LLP – Boston Office
15 Court Square #800a,
Boston, MA 02108
(617)-580-3144
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Finkelstein & Partners, LLP – Winning Serious Injury Lawsuits Since 1959
A slip and fall accident can quickly change the course of your life. One day, you might have relatively good overall health and a body that will do essentially what you demand of it. The next, you might find yourself struggling to deal with the repercussions of severe slip and fall injuries. When another party’s negligence causes your slip and fall accident, you may have grounds to file a personal injury claim that will help you seek compensation for your injuries.
At Finkelstein & Partners, we help Boston slip and fall accident victims understand and fight for the compensation they deserve. Contact our Boston slip and fall attorneys today at 1-877-234-2969 to learn more about your right to pursue a slip and fall compensation claim.
Finkelstein & Partners: Helping Boston Slip and Fall Victims Seek Compensation
At Finkelstein & Partners, our results speak for themselves. We have successfully won some of the highest recoveries in the state for our clients. While we cannot guarantee the results of any future client’s claim, our results show our dedication to pursuing the maximum compensation possible in each case.
Take a look at some of our past results:
- $12.7 million awarded to a victim in an unsafe work environment accident.
- $3.77 million awarded to a construction worker injured in a fall.
- $3.22 million awarded to a construction worker who fell through a hole in a metal roof.
Our extensive experience handling a wide range of personal injury claims means we know how to handle the Boston court system and premises liability claims in general. At Finkelstein & Partners, we want our clients to get the maximum compensation for their injuries, and we fight hard to help ensure that they get the results they deserve.
Our investigators check into every aspect of the claim.
We take a look at the premises owner, any company operating on the premises, and any other factors that may have contributed to each client’s slip and fall accident to identify who may be legally responsible for their injuries. Our team collects all available evidence related to each accident and uses it to build a compelling, comprehensive claim that increases the odds our client will recover the compensation they deserve.
We help explain the compensation our clients really deserve.
In many cases, slip and fall accident victims do not know how much compensation they actually deserve for the injuries they sustained in their accident. We help explain and justify the compensation our clients really deserve so that they can avoid accepting low insurance settlement offers or doing something to mistakenly decrease the compensation they ultimately receive.
We negotiate on each client’s behalf to help increase the odds that they will recover fair compensation for their injuries.
Often, insurance companies try to trip up the victims of serious premises liability claims and convince them to accept a lower settlement offer than they really deserve for their injuries. They might pressure victims to admit some liability for the accident or try to trick them into admitting that they suffered less severe injuries than they initially claimed. We take over negotiations on our client’s behalf, helping them avoid these problematic insurance company tactics and maximize their compensation.
By handing off negotiations with the insurance company to us, many of our clients discover that they can reduce their stress levels related to the accident. Often, our assistance helps clients focus on the other important elements of their healing process.
Common Causes of Boston Slip and Fall Accidents
Both public and private property owners in the Boston area bear a high duty of care to visitors to their properties. They must provide a safe environment and warn visitors of potential hazards. Unfortunately, Boston does have some particular hazards that can increase the risk of slip and fall accidents, both in businesses and on private properties.
Weather Conditions
Each year, Boston sees an estimated 11 days of snow and around 130 days per year of precipitation. Those rainy and snowy days can lead to unsafe conditions. On rainy days, water makes its way into the foyer of many buildings, and premises owners must act quickly to keep this slipping hazard under control. Snow can prove even more problematic, since it may take time to melt as visitors track it in and may leave wet spots throughout the building. Many companies mop regularly and post wet floor signs to help warn customers that they may see slick conditions as they make their way into the building.
Historic Buildings
Boston has many historic buildings, which often have specific requirements that business owners must meet to maintain the building’s original integrity. However, historic buildings can pose slip and fall hazards. In some buildings, the flooring may become increasingly uneven over time. In others, handrails and stairs may wear down or warp, making them less safe for users.
Large Events
Boston sees many conventions, festivals, and other big events each year. While those events may offer a great experience for visitors and residents, they can also pose additional fall hazards. Cords spread across rooms or fields, for example, can cause serious injuries.
Spills and Splashes
Spills and splashes can pose substantial slip and fall hazards in Boston businesses. In some buildings, spills may occur regularly; restaurants, for example, usually see regular spills on floors throughout the business. Businesses must act quickly to clean up those spills or post signs warning visitors about the potential hazard.
Construction
Throughout the Boston area, construction occurs regularly, particularly as the city’s population continues to grow. Construction, however, can pose serious fall hazards to visitors and workers. Construction sites not only usually have a great deal of heavy equipment, which raises the risk of many types of accidents, but they also almost always involve potential trip hazards. Construction companies have a high duty of care to site visitors and must do their best to keep the construction site cleaned up. Construction companies must also clearly label worksites to avoid potential accidents.
Nursing Home Negligence
By 2030, seniors will comprise an estimated 1/5 of Boston’s population. Many of these seniors will move into Boston nursing homes to increase the level of care they receive and improve their quality of life as they live out their later years. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes offer the high standard of care that seniors deserve, sometimes leading to falls. Slip and fall accidents can prove particularly dangerous for seniors, who are usually at a higher risk than younger people of suffering broken bones and other severe injuries in a fall.
Common Boston Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
Boston slip and fall accidents cause a wide range of potential injuries, some of which have severe ongoing or even lifelong consequences for the fall victim.
Broken Hips
Seniors who fall in an accident frequently suffer broken hips and other severe broken bones. A broken hip can limit the patient’s long-term mobility. In some cases, complications from a broken hip or other severe breaks lead to the victim’s death.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Slip and fall accidents in which the victim hits their head may result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Severe TBIs can affect the victim’s ability to focus or concentrate, create holes in their long-term and/or short-term memory, and make it difficult for the victim to control their emotions. While some TBI victims eventually recover, severe symptoms can often be permanent. Even a minor TBI can cause symptoms for a year or more after the accident.
Back and Neck Injuries
Slip and fall accidents may result in severe back and neck injuries, including herniated discs, muscle damage, and spinal cord injuries. Back and neck injuries can lead to severe complications in the victim’s everyday life. In the most severe cases, spinal cord injuries can lead to lifelong paralysis, while injuries like herniated discs can cause ongoing pain, including nerve pain, which can be debilitating.
Broken Bones in the Hand and Arms
Many people, when they start to fall, try to catch themselves using their hands. Unfortunately, in the effort to decrease the risk associated with a fall, they may inadvertently take the force in the wrong place, which can lead to broken bones in the hands and arms. These types of breaks usually make it difficult for a victim to take care of themselves or return to work while they recover.
Who Bears Liability for Boston Slip and Fall Accidents?
You may file a claim against a private property owner if that owner’s negligence led to your severe slip and fall accident injuries. Most of the time, however, you deal directly with the property owner’s insurance company when pursuing compensation for your slip and fall accident injuries.
In some cases, another entity may also share liability for your Boston slip and fall accident injuries, including:
- A construction company operating on the premises, when that construction company failed to block off its work area or keep the area free of obstructions.
- The business operating on the premises.
- A vendor or contractor operating on the premises.
Talk to an attorney about who may be legally responsible for your Boston slip and fall accident.
Recovering Compensation After a Boston Slip and Fall Accident
If you have been in a Boston slip and fall accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may have the right to recover compensation for your injuries. At Finkelstein & Partners, we cannot offer guarantees about the compensation slip and fall accident victims will ultimately recover. However, in general, slip and fall accident victims include a few basic categories of damages in their claim for compensation.
Compensation for Medical Costs
Medical bills usually serve as the foundation of slip and fall accident claims, especially if you suffered severe injuries that have the potential to impact your life long-term and lead to ongoing medical costs. You can include all medical costs associated with your injuries in your claim, from emergency treatment immediately after the accident to long-term physical or occupational therapy.
Compensation for Lost Income
Losing income as you recover from your injuries can be financially devastating. As part of your slip and fall accident claim, you can include compensation for the wages you lost due to your injuries, including lost vacation time or sick time during your recovery.
Compensation for Pain and Suffering
Your injuries do not just cause economic difficulties in your life. While compensation for pain and suffering cannot give back what your injuries have taken away, including hobbies, time with loved ones, or a life without pain, it can provide you with the funds you need to rebuild your life.
Boston Slip and Fall FAQ
What Exactly Is a Slip and Fall Accident?
A slip and fall accident occurs when someone slips and falls on another person’s property and gets hurt because of a hazard that should not have existed. When these accidents occur, the property owner or the person in charge of maintaining the property can be held legally liable for the losses that occur due to their negligence.
Although these accidents happen for many reasons, they typically result from the following unsafe conditions:
- Wet areas, such as a spill in a grocery store. For instance, if a shopper does not notice a spill in one of the aisles of a Market Basket grocery store or a Whole Foods Market, and they slip and fall because of the wet area and break their arm, they may be able to hold the store responsible for their injuries.
- Uneven roads
- Unsalted icy roads and sidewalks, especially from December through March, when Boston experiences cold temperatures resulting in snowy and icy conditions
- Broken or missing handrails
- Inadequate warnings or barriers
- Loose rugs
- Bulging carpets
- Potholes
- Debris on the ground
- Poor lighting conditions
However, because these accidents involve numerous factors, conditions, and unique situations, you should reach out to a skilled Boston slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. These attorneys can help you determine what caused your accident, who was at fault, and whether you can take legal action against the at-fault party.
If a Boston Slip and Fall Accident Resulted in Minor Injuries, Do You Still Need to See a Doctor?
Following a Boston slip and fall accident, even if your injuries appear to be relatively minor, you should still get to a doctor as soon as possible following the accident. Symptoms of serious injuries, such as brain trauma, can take some time to develop. The longer these conditions go undiagnosed, the more debilitating they become.
In addition, once a doctor checks you over, they can create a medical report detailing your injuries. A medical report will be valuable evidence if the insurance company argues that your injury was due to a subsequent event or a pre-existing condition.
How Much Time Do You Have to File an Injury Claim Following a Boston Slip and Fall Accident?
A statute of limitations is a law that dictates the amount of time you have to file a legal case following an alleged offense. If you do not file your lawsuit within that allotted time, you may not be able to pursue legal action.
In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations to file an injury claim following a Boston slip and fall accident is three years from the accident date. However, exceptions may apply to this rule that can impact the filing period. Therefore, you should not wait to reach out to an experienced legal professional to discuss your case. An attorney can figure out the deadline to file your claim and prepare your legal documents before time runs out.
How Much is a Slip and Fall Case Worth in Boston?
After a Boston slip and fall accident, a lawyer can often offer you an estimate of your case’s potential value based on the facts of the accident and their experience handling these types of cases.
You may seek compensation for:
- The Economic Losses You Already Sustained: This factor includes all the bills you have already incurred because of the slip and fall accident, like doctor visits, surgeries, medical bills, hospital costs, medication costs, and other costs related to your care.
- The Loss of Future Income and Earning Capacity: In addition to the medical bills you acquired, you may be able to recover any income you lost because of your inability to work following the slip and fall accident. Additionally, if you cannot return to work, you may seek money for your reduced earning capacity.
- Your Future Treatment Costs: This factor may require testimony from experts who can help show the potential expenses you may face regarding treatment plans, the extent of these treatments, and how long these treatments may last.
- The Extent of Your Injuries: A victim can seek additional compensation for permanent losses.
- Incidental Losses: These losses often include unexpected losses that directly relate to the injuries you sustained, such as cleaning or childcare services, if you physically cannot perform these tasks any longer.
Because of these different factors, the compensation in each slip and fall case varies. Consequently, you should reach out to a Boston slip and fall accident attorney. A lawyer can help you determine what types of compensation to claim and prepare the strongest case possible to fight for the financial damages you seek.
What Should You Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Boston?
If you were involved in a slip and fall accident, you must take action. If your injuries are severe, put yourself first and immediately call 911 or have someone contact the authorities for you. Then, understand that the steps you take after your accident can not only help you stay safe but protect your legal rights as well.
Let the property owner know about your accident. If the accident happened in a commercial business establishment, you need to notify the store manager and report the incident. Many stores and business offices may require you to document what happened in a report. Make sure you include as many details as possible since this report can become valuable evidence in the future when trying to prove fault and damages.
In addition, if possible, you should also take pictures of the dangerous condition that caused your fall, including photos of the location of your accident, the surrounding area, and any visible injuries you sustained. If witnesses saw what happened, get their names and contact information. Witnesses can often provide helpful details regarding the accident and help back up your case.
What Do You Need to Prove in a Slip and Fall Accident in Boston to Collect Compensation?
To collect compensation after a Boston slip and fall accident, you must show that another party was responsible for your accident and the harm and losses you sustained.
To do this, you generally have to establish:
- The at-fault party leased, occupied, owned, or controlled the property.
- The at-fault party was negligent in their maintenance or use of their property.
- Slipping and falling on the property harmed you.
- The at-fault party’s negligence was a significant reason for your injuries and losses.
However, proving that the liable party’s negligence caused your slip and fall accident is not easy and often requires a detailed investigation to establish each of these elements. Thankfully, you do not have to prove these elements alone. Instead, when you hire a Boston slip and fall accident lawyer to take on your case, your attorney can work hard to secure the evidence needed to prove these elements.
How Long Will It Take to Resolve a Boston Slip and Fall Case?
The amount of time it takes to resolve a Boston slip and fall accident depends on the details of the accident and whether the case goes to trial. Generally, claims that go to trial take longer to resolve than cases that settle out of court. Reviewing your legal case with a skilled Boston slip and fall accident lawyer can provide you with further insight into this timeline and help you understand the legal process involved in your case.
How Can an Experienced Boston Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer Help You After a Slip and Fall Accident?
If you want to secure monetary damages for the losses and injuries you endured in a Boston slip and fall accident, you will have to do a lot of work. You need to prepare solid legal arguments and relevant evidence and ensure that all of your legal motions are submitted to the correct court before time expires. However, these are likely the last issues you want to worry about after a slip and fall accident.
Fortunately, when you work with an experienced Boston slip and fall accident lawyer, you will not have to do all the hard work alone.
Instead, your lawyer can:
- Evaluate your legal claim, determine if you have a viable case, and help you figure out what legal options you have.
- Investigate your slip and fall accident and secure the evidence needed to prove fault and damages.
- Answer all of your questions and concerns and provide you with the legal support you need.
- Ensure that those responsible for your slip and fall accident are held accountable for your damages.
- Take care of all the discussions and negotiations with the defense and the insurance company, and pursue a fair settlement offer.
- If the insurer or the defense is unwilling to provide you with a just offer, your attorney can take your case to court.
If a Boston slip and fall accident harmed you or a family member, do not wait any longer to get the legal help you need. Instead, reach out to an experienced Boston slip and fall accident lawyer and let them show you how they can fight for your rights and the compensation you deserve.
Contact Finkelstein & Partners Today About Your Boston Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
A slip and fall accident occurs when someone slips and falls on another person’s property and gets hurt because of a hazard that should not have existed. When these accidents occur, the property owner or the person in charge of maintaining the property can be held legally liable for the losses that occur due to their negligence.
Although these accidents happen for many reasons, they typically result from the following unsafe conditions:
- Wet areas, such as a spill in a grocery store. For instance, if a shopper does not notice a spill in one of the aisles of a Market Basket grocery store or a Whole Foods Market, and they slip and fall because of the wet area and break their arm, they may be able to hold the store responsible for their injuries.
- Uneven roads
- Unsalted icy roads and sidewalks, especially from December through March, when Boston experiences cold temperatures resulting in snowy and icy conditions
- Broken or missing handrails
- Inadequate warnings or barriers
- Loose rugs
- Bulging carpets
- Potholes
- Debris on the ground
- Poor lighting conditions
However, because these accidents involve numerous factors, conditions, and unique situations, you should reach out to a skilled Boston slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. These attorneys can help you determine what caused your accident, who was at fault, and whether you can take legal action against the at-fault party.
Following a Boston slip and fall accident, even if your injuries appear to be relatively minor, you should still get to a doctor as soon as possible following the accident. Symptoms of serious injuries, such as brain trauma, can take some time to develop. The longer these conditions go undiagnosed, the more debilitating they become.
In addition, once a doctor checks you over, they can create a medical report detailing your injuries. A medical report will be valuable evidence if the insurance company argues that your injury was due to a subsequent event or a pre-existing condition.
A statute of limitations is a law that dictates the amount of time you have to file a legal case following an alleged offense. If you do not file your lawsuit within that allotted time, you may not be able to pursue legal action.
In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations to file an injury claim following a Boston slip and fall accident is three years from the accident date. However, exceptions may apply to this rule that can impact the filing period. Therefore, you should not wait to reach out to an experienced legal professional to discuss your case. An attorney can figure out the deadline to file your claim and prepare your legal documents before time runs out.
After a Boston slip and fall accident, a lawyer can often offer you an estimate of your case’s potential value based on the facts of the accident and their experience handling these types of cases.
You may seek compensation for:
- The Economic Losses You Already Sustained: This factor includes all the bills you have already incurred because of the slip and fall accident, like doctor visits, surgeries, medical bills, hospital costs, medication costs, and other costs related to your care.
- The Loss of Future Income and Earning Capacity: In addition to the medical bills you acquired, you may be able to recover any income you lost because of your inability to work following the slip and fall accident. Additionally, if you cannot return to work, you may seek money for your reduced earning capacity.
- Your Future Treatment Costs: This factor may require testimony from experts who can help show the potential expenses you may face regarding treatment plans, the extent of these treatments, and how long these treatments may last.
- The Extent of Your Injuries: A victim can seek additional compensation for permanent losses.
- Incidental Losses: These losses often include unexpected losses that directly relate to the injuries you sustained, such as cleaning or childcare services, if you physically cannot perform these tasks any longer.
Because of these different factors, the compensation in each slip and fall case varies. Consequently, you should reach out to a Boston slip and fall accident attorney. A lawyer can help you determine what types of compensation to claim and prepare the strongest case possible to fight for the financial damages you seek.
If you were involved in a slip and fall accident, you must take action. If your injuries are severe, put yourself first and immediately call 911 or have someone contact the authorities for you. Then, understand that the steps you take after your accident can not only help you stay safe but protect your legal rights as well.
Let the property owner know about your accident. If the accident happened in a commercial business establishment, you need to notify the store manager and report the incident. Many stores and business offices may require you to document what happened in a report. Make sure you include as many details as possible since this report can become valuable evidence in the future when trying to prove fault and damages.
In addition, if possible, you should also take pictures of the dangerous condition that caused your fall, including photos of the location of your accident, the surrounding area, and any visible injuries you sustained. If witnesses saw what happened, get their names and contact information. Witnesses can often provide helpful details regarding the accident and help back up your case.
To collect compensation after a Boston slip and fall accident, you must show that another party was responsible for your accident and the harm and losses you sustained.
To do this, you generally have to establish:
- The at-fault party leased, occupied, owned, or controlled the property.
- The at-fault party was negligent in their maintenance or use of their property.
- Slipping and falling on the property harmed you.
- The at-fault party’s negligence was a significant reason for your injuries and losses.
However, proving that the liable party’s negligence caused your slip and fall accident is not easy and often requires a detailed investigation to establish each of these elements. Thankfully, you do not have to prove these elements alone. Instead, when you hire a Boston slip and fall accident lawyer to take on your case, your attorney can work hard to secure the evidence needed to prove these elements.
The amount of time it takes to resolve a Boston slip and fall accident depends on the details of the accident and whether the case goes to trial. Generally, claims that go to trial take longer to resolve than cases that settle out of court. Reviewing your legal case with a skilled Boston slip and fall accident lawyer can provide you with further insight into this timeline and help you understand the legal process involved in your case.
If you want to secure monetary damages for the losses and injuries you endured in a Boston slip and fall accident, you will have to do a lot of work. You need to prepare solid legal arguments and relevant evidence and ensure that all of your legal motions are submitted to the correct court before time expires. However, these are likely the last issues you want to worry about after a slip and fall accident.
Fortunately, when you work with an experienced Boston slip and fall accident lawyer, you will not have to do all the hard work alone.
Instead, your lawyer can:
- Evaluate your legal claim, determine if you have a viable case, and help you figure out what legal options you have.
- Investigate your slip and fall accident and secure the evidence needed to prove fault and damages.
- Answer all of your questions and concerns and provide you with the legal support you need.
- Ensure that those responsible for your slip and fall accident are held accountable for your damages.
- Take care of all the discussions and negotiations with the defense and the insurance company, and pursue a fair settlement offer.
- If the insurer or the defense is unwilling to provide you with a just offer, your attorney can take your case to court.
If a Boston slip and fall accident harmed you or a family member, do not wait any longer to get the legal help you need. Instead, reach out to an experienced Boston slip and fall accident lawyer and let them show you how they can fight for your rights and the compensation you deserve.
If you suffered slip and fall injuries in an accident in Boston, you need a Boston slip and fall attorney to help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Contact Finkelstein & Partners today at (877) 472-3061 for your free consultation.