Calgary SW Slip and Fall Lawyer

While a “slip and fall” may sound minor, it can result in serious injuries. Among older adults, slip and fall injuries are one of the leading causes of lost independence. Even healthy adults can suffer neck injuries, back injuries, fractures, and sprains.

While anyone can trip, a slip and fall personal injury case specifically speaks to those times when you encounter a hazard that should not be there. A landlord failed to secure a stair railing. A store failed to shovel their walks on a snowy day. Someone left a dangerous spill unattended and neither cleaned it up nor posted warnings that the spill was there.

If you’ve slipped, fallen, and been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence then you have the legal right to collect compensation for your expenses. The personal injury lawyers at Merchant Law are here to help you fight for your rights.

Are slip and fall cases hard to win?

They’re no harder than any other personal injury case. Each of these cases is complex in its own way.

For example, while from your point of view it may seem obvious that the property owner was at fault for your accident, the defendant is unlikely to agree. They may claim you saw the hazard and chose to enter that area anyway. They may claim they didn’t have time to know about the hazard or address it so can’t reasonably be held accountable.

Plaintiffs are also up against a stigma. The insurance industry has put a lot of money into lampooning people who exaggerate minor slip and fall injuries for money. In reality, the money from a personal injury case addresses very real costs and very serious injuries, but that doesn’t mean that the damage hasn’t been done. 

This means that you need a lawyer who knows how to convince the insurance companies to pay up or a jury to side with you as they contemplate your case.

It also means you want to get a lawyer in on the process early, preferably before the property owner’s insurance company tries to contact you. Involving a lawyer early vastly increases your chances of winning. 

How does a slip and fall case work?

Once you have your lawyer file a claim the case will enter a discovery period. This means both sides are reviewing the facts of the case, talking to witnesses, and gathering evidence. This evidence will help both sides make decisions about the settlement process. 

During this time you are also healing from your injuries. The true settlement conferences won’t begin until you’re as improved as you’re going to get, since you have to reach maximum medical improvement before we know how much your medical bills are going to be. 

After that, your lawyer will try to work out a settlement with the defendants. 92% of the time we’re able to get a fair settlement out of them and the case ends. 8% of the time the case enters litigation, and a jury decides whether you should be awarded funds, and how much you should be afforded. 

How much are slip and fall settlements?

No two settlements are alike. The amount you receive will depend on the extent of your injuries and the expenses generated by those injuries. Your settlement is likely to include a pain and suffering award as well. In Alberta this is capped at $370,000 for severe injuries and at $5,500 for minor ones.

You can ask your lawyer to give you a good ballpark for what a reasonable settlement will look like once you’ve reached maximum medical improvement. 

Why Merchant Law? 

You can rely on our team to get the job done right. Each of our lawyers has decades of experience with personal injury cases just like yours. We’ll take care of you and your family, and will make sure you get the help you need. 

Call (403) 237-7777 to schedule your free consultation. Our team is standing by 24/7/365. We’re ready to review the facts of your case.