Connecticut Premises Liability Lawyer

Experienced Slip and Fall Attorney in Connecticut

Staying safe from harm is a concern to everyone, especially property and business owners. For people who are injured in slip and fall accidents caused by defective or dangerous conditions on someone else’s property, there is often legal recourse available to help them seek fair compensation for the injuries they have sustained. Property owners owe a duty to maintain their properties in reasonably safe condition for their customers and guests. Slip and fall accidents are among the most common types of premises liability claims.

Our experienced Connecticut slip and fall lawyers at Bartlett & Grippe, LLC have helped many people deal with injuries sustained while at a business or other property location. Premises liability is an area of law that concerns injuries caused by unsafe property conditions. You should be able to visit a business or other property and be confident that you will not be injured while on those premises. If there is an injury case, it is essential to seek legal representation to protect your rights.

Clients seeking help from slip and fall attorneys call upon the law firm of Bartlett & Grippe, LLC, to recover compensation for injury-related expenses resulting from accidents on someone else’s property or at a business. Visitors should expect a property to be kept in good condition, properly cleaned and repaired so they are not injured because of an unsafe condition. However, accidents do happen, and an injured person may have grounds to recover damages. Some examples of defective or dangerous conditions that may cause slip and fall accidents include:

• Snow and Ice
• Potholes
• Broken / Improperly Marked Curbing
• Missing Handrails
• Stairway Defects
• Spills
• Code Violations
• Wet floors
• Uneven sidewalks
• Poor lighting

How Do You Prove a Connecticut Slip and Fall Claim?

A property owner is not automatically responsible whenever someone falls. Generally, an injured person must show that the owner, tenant, business or other party controlling the property acted negligently. The plaintiff must prove the following elements to succeed in a premises liability lawsuit:

• Duty of Care: Property owners have a duty to maintain their properties in a reasonably safe condition for their customers and guests. Property owners further have a duty to inspect their properties for defective and dangerous conditions and to warn customers and guests about dangerous conditions they find or should have found during a reasonable inspection.
• Breach of Duty: For a property owner to be considered negligent, they must have violated their duty of care. The property owner may have breached this duty by failing to maintain the property in a reasonably safe condition or by failing to warn visitors about a defective or dangerous condition.
• Notice: The plaintiff has the burden of proving that the dangerous or defective condition that caused their injury existed for a sufficient period of time that a property owner should have identified it. In slip and fall cases involving snow and ice, the plaintiff may need to show that the accumulation existed for a sufficient period of time following the end of a snowstorm for the responsible party to have reasonably cleared or treated the condition. The plaintiff may also establish notice by showing that the property owner or an employee actually knew about the dangerous condition.
• Causation: In addition to negligence, plaintiffs must prove causation to have a valid claim. Injured persons must show that the property owner’s breach of duty was the proximate cause of their injury, meaning that they slipped, fell or were otherwise injured because of the defective or dangerous condition.
• Damages: The property owner’s negligence must have caused an injury resulting in economic or non-economic damages. These damages may include medical bills, lost wages, reduced future earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

Connecticut’s comparative-negligence rules may allow an injured person to recover compensation even when they are partly responsible for the fall, although the amount awarded may be reduced according to their percentage of fault.

What Compensation Is Available After a Slip and Fall Accident?

In Connecticut personal injury cases, including slip and fall claims, compensatory damages may be awarded to compensate the injured person for harm caused by a property owner’s negligence. Compensatory damages attempt to make the victim “whole” again and provide financial compensation for economic and non-economic losses. Also known as actual damages, economic losses that may be covered include:

• Medical expenses: These damages cover the cost of hospital stays, doctor visits, physical therapy, prescription drugs, assistive devices, and similar expenses. When an injury is severe or permanent, the personal injury victim may also be awarded compensation for future medical expenses.
• Lost wages: If you must take time away from work to recover from your injuries, you may be able to collect compensation for lost wages.
• Loss of earning capacity: When a person is unable to earn the same amount of money they earned before the accident, they may be awarded compensation for loss of earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering: Damages for pain and suffering typically compensate the victim for the physical pain caused by their injuries. These damages may also include compensation for emotional distress, which refers to anxiety, depression, fear, frustration, and other mental suffering that can develop as a result of an injury.
• Loss of Consortium: The spouse of the injured party may be able to recover compensation for the loss of marital benefits. Loss of companionship, sexual relations, affection, and comfort are among the compensable marital benefits. Loss of consortium damages is typically awarded in cases of life-changing or permanent injuries.
• Other Damages: There are other damages available in certain situations, including loss of life’s enjoyment, compensation for disability or disfigurement, loss of companionship, etc.

Hire Connecticut Slip and Fall Lawyer

Attorneys at the law firm of Bartlett & Grippe, LLC are frequently called upon for help by residents of Litchfield, Hartford, Middlesex and New Haven Counties. Our experienced attorneys handle many types of personal injury cases, including slip and fall and other premises liability claims. They can help you get past this distressing time and move forward with your life. Book a consultation with our lawyers now!

Connecticut Premises Liability Resources:

• Average Personal Injury Settlement Amount in Connecticut
• Connecticut Personal Injury Statute of Limitations