We never see accidents coming. You could be walking through a store, a restaurant or down the street in Hamilton when you suddenly slip and fall. The pain is instant but the effects can last a long time. After a slip and fall many people wonder if they need a lawyer. We’ve dealt with many clients with the same question at Longo Lawyers and the short answer is: it depends but usually yes.
It’s hard to know what to do right after you slip and fall. You might feel embarrassed, brush it off and try to move on right away. This normal reaction can hurt your chances of getting paid later. Property owners and their insurance companies hope people won’t take these things seriously until it’s too late. They want you to either take a quick little payout or just leave without asking questions. This is when getting good legal help makes all the difference.
“Premises liability” is a legal term that means property owners have to keep their places safe for guests. This means cleaning up spills, replacing damaged stairs, getting rid of ice and snow and notifying people of dangers. But it’s not always easy to prove they didn’t do their job. You have to show they knew or should have known about the hazard and did nothing to fix it. Most people don’t have the evidence and legal expertise to build this case without a Slip and Fall Lawyer on their side.
Sometimes little falls produce big injuries that aren’t obvious right away. It might look like a bruised hip but it could be a broken bone. A mild headache could mean you had a concussion. We at Longo Lawyers have seen many cases where injuries get worse over time, requiring constant medical care, missed work and a lot of pain. Insurance companies know this too which is why they often want to settle before you know how bad your injuries are. A lawyer can help you get what you deserve.It’s hard to deal with the insurance process after a slip and fall in Hamilton. Adjusters will ask for recorded statements, medical releases and other documents. They may seem nice but remember they work for the insurance company not you. Their goal is to pay out as little as possible not to get you as much as possible. We’ve seen many times innocent things said to adjusters used to deny or reduce claims. A lawyer acts as a buffer between you and these communications to protect your interests.
Time constraints also make it important to get legal advice after a slip and fall. You usually have only 2 years to file a claim in Hamilton and all of Ontario. That seems like a lot of time but it takes work to build a strong case. You need to gather evidence, talk to witnesses and sometimes get advice from experts. You may need to get the surveillance footage before it’s deleted. The sooner you get legal advice the more likely you are to keep important evidence.
Many people who fall and hurt themselves are worried about how much it will cost to hire a lawyer. We at Longo Lawyers understand how you feel. That’s why we usually charge a contingency fee for these types of cases. You won’t pay any legal fees until we get you money. We’ll be paid a percentage of the money you get from a settlement or court award. This way everyone can have good legal help no matter how much money they have. It also means we want to help you get better as soon as possible because our success depends on yours.
When figuring out how much money is reasonable it’s also helpful to have a lawyer. After a fall many people just focus on their immediate medical expenses. But what about future treatments? Money you lost? Pain and suffering? A lower quality of life? A lawyer who knows the Hamilton courts and insurance process well can give you an accurate valuation for all of these things. If you don’t get this advice you may agree to a settlement that only covers a small part of your true damages. We’ve seen clients who thought their case was worth a few thousand dollars get a lot more money when they had the right lawyer.Having a lawyer is the most important thing because it levels the playing field. Property owners and insurance companies have teams of lawyers who look out for their interests. They deal with slip and fall claims every day and know all the tricks to get less money. If you don’t have your own lawyer you’re at a big disadvantage in these talks. You show them you’re serious about getting a fair settlement and are willing to go to court if you hire a lawyer. This alone often leads to better offers to settle.
Every slip and fall is different. We offer free consultations at Longo Lawyers to talk about your case and whether you need a lawyer. Not every fall needs a lawyer but many do. If you slipped and fell in Hamilton and hurt yourself you can talk to us for free. This could be the key to your physical and financial recovery. Don’t forget the property owner has lawyers and insurance on their side. Shouldn’t you have someone on yours?