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Contact Us Today We aren’t used to rainy days here in Phoenix. When it happens, we’re often unprepared, searching for umbrellas and shoes with a good grip. By the time we reach our destination, we’re damp and distracted. That’s when a slip and fall accident occurs. Running between the raindrops, you forget the grocery store entrance is wet and you lose your footing. Landing on your backside, with what initially feels like only a bruised ego, you pick yourself up only to be sat down and interrogated by the store manager. Don’t be annoyed at the fuss. The manager is just doing her job recounting the events for what is likely to become an incident report for upper management. She’s not out to ruin your day. What to expect during your slip and fall accident It’s important to understand that what felt like an inconvenient fall for you is a potential liability for the store. The managers are frequently trained to deal with each fall as a serious problem and may be overly eager to protect the store’s interest. Stay calm. Becoming upset or angry won’t change what happened. It’s in your best interest to cooperate only to the point that you’re asked to sign a statement. Your signature could be interpreted as admitting fault, releasing the store of fault, or reaching a settlement. If you’re asked to sign anything, respectfully decline. Without the support of Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer, experienced slip and fall injury attorneys, you may end of signing something you’ll regret later. And it’s easy to blame yourself for the accident. Maybe your shoes were wet. Maybe you were distracted as you were coming into the store. Never assume any responsibility for the accident. There are many factors that could have played into your slip and fall injury, including… Was there excess water on the floor at the time of your fall? Had a mat been in place to absorb water? Was there another substance causing the floor to be wet or slippery? Was there a caution sign posted indicating a wet floor? What to do about your slip and fall accident Sometimes the smallest things can impact the success of pursuing your slip and fall accident injury case. If a manager doesn’t come to you after your accident, make sure to notify them before you leave the store. Keep the clothes and shoes you were wearing, as they may be important later. Get contact information from witnesses. Take pictures of the area where you fell so you can easily recount the events leading to your slip and fall. After all of this, make seek medical assistance to get checked out and make sure what feels like a bump isn’t a sign of something more serious. And honestly, even if you don’t have outward signs of injury, it’s important to get checked – many injuries can present their effects days or weeks after your fall. Once you’ve started that process, then it’s time to contact us or call Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer at 602-535-5899, your personal injury attorney. We will sort the details and get you compensation you deserve.

Contact Us Today It’s the most wonderful time of year. Or at least that’s how the song goes. You’ve RSVP’d to holiday parties and purchased gifts for the hosts. When you arrived at the party, you slipped going up the steps that lead to the well-decorated front door, twisting your ankle and bruising your wrist. In the moment you think you’ll be okay but later x-rays reveal a broken wrist and hairline fracture to your ankle as a result of your slip and fall at the holiday party. Your medical insurance doesn’t cover all of the costs and you wonder if your slip and fall medical bills could be covered by the host’s homeowners insurance. Unless there was an obvious hazard that wasn’t addressed by the host prior to the party, it’s unlikely they are liable but it’s worth a free case review to be sure. Getting Ready for a Holiday Party We all wanted to have a fun experience at our holiday parties but there are often potential hazards like extension cords, lights, decorations, and gifts in our path. But we all know accidents happen even when you did your best to avoid them both inside and outside the home. In the example here, unless there was a known loose piece of the steps that wasn’t fixed prior to the party, it’s not likely the hosts’ insurance will pay the claim. But what if the homeowner WAS aware there was a partially broken step in the walkway but thought it would hold out long enough that he/she could get around to fixing it sometime after the party? In that case, you may actually have a slip and fall claim. This doesn’t mean the host’s homeowners/renters policy is just going to pay up though. Whether you like it or not, sometimes the only option to get your medical bills paid may be to sue the host of the party who is also your friend. That’s not exactly in the holiday spirit but you need your bills paid so you can heal physically and mentally. If you’ve missed work as a result of the injuries, you may also need to be compensated for lost wages. Navigating through the negotiations, especially with friends or family, can be uncomfortable which is why you need the experienced team at Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer to guide you through the process. If you or a loved one suffered a slip and fall accident, it’s worth your time to call Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer for a free case review. We can review your case and determine the best course of action. Contact us or call the experienced team at Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer at 602-535-5899.

Contact Us Today Specific details and identifying information has been changed in order to protect the confidentiality of the settlement agreement. Our client Ms. M was out shopping on Saturday afternoon at a major chain grocery store when she slipped and fell in an aisle. Embarrassed, in some pain, a little shaken, and annoyed by the fall, she continued her shopping trip and then headed home. A few days after the fall, the pain that she experienced from the fall persisted and continued to get progressively worse. She became concerned that she had seriously hurt herself as a result of the fall. Ms. M went to visit her doctor who told her that she had likely sustained injuries that would require working with a physical therapist in order to deal with them. However, a few months into treatment, it was discovered Ms. M’s condition was so serious that it required her to get surgery. Her injuries took a long time to treat, costing her money and time out of work – neither she could afford. The injury also hurt her family – she wasn’t able to care for them or her home as well as she wanted. In addition to the pain and difficulty she experienced, Ms. M was getting nowhere with the store or its “loss department.” They made her a settlement offer that seemed very low and unwilling to consider a higher amount. Frustrated that she might have to accept an amount that wouldn’t even pay for all of her medical bills she already owed, Ms. M decided that she needed to get help with her situation. Ms. M started her search for a personal injury attorney by interviewing three different, well-established personal injury firms. Unsatisfied by their responses, she scheduled time with Alex Silkman of the Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer. “ addressed my concerns in a detailed yet easy to understand answers,” said Ms. M. “… was interested and eager to take on my case. He was honest about possible outcomes or stumbling blocks that could arise. His experience in similar cases and his demeanor gave me confidence.” At the outset of the case, Alex Silkman of the Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer completed an exhaustive review of the client’s case. He reviewed medical records, evaluated the security tape at the time of the fall, and requested the sweep log for the store’s internal maintenance team. Despite delaying tactics on the part of the store and its insurance company, Alex and his team were able to uncover that the corporate required periodic inspections were not being followed and that the accident was entirely preventable. During the presentation of the case facts, Ms. M was required to provide direct testimony regarding her accident. “I felt shielded from the unpleasantness that may happen in legal disputes when answering the defense attorney’s written questions or at my deposition,” said Ms. M. After presenting the argument and the evidence, Ms. M ultimately was offered a settlement amount that was nearly 20 times the amount originally offered to her by the insurance company. It was more than enough to cover the costs of her medical coverage, the lost time from work, and give her additional time to recover from her injuries. Thankful for the exceptional outcome and the experience, Ms. M concluded with, “Mr. Silkman was also very attentive to my welfare. He checked on my progress in physical therapy, was a sympathetic ear during my setbacks and cheered my triumphs. He’s an excellent attorney and a good person. I’m quite satisfied with the settlement he obtained for me.” If you or a family member has experienced a slip and fall injury, you don’t have to handle it alone. Contact us or call Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer at 602-535-5899 today for a free case consultation.

Contact Us Today Did you slip and fall at a store and aren’t sure if you have a case? There are times when a slip and fall accident happens in what could be considered a safe property and both parties are at fault. While property owners are responsible for the safety of the property, visitors are also responsible for taking precautions and adhering to safety rules while on property. If you’re not sure if you have a slip and fall case, we recommend a free case review from the Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer. In Arizona, we have what is called comparative negligence which means that while the property owner may be at fault for your slip and fall, you may also hold a degree of negligence. If you, as plaintiff, can show valid and documented injuries from the incident, you will likely receive compensation. That is of course as long as you did not stage the incident or fail to avoid a blatant hazard. Compensation is determined based on the portion of negligence of each party. Here are real life examples of slip and fall cases that received compensation: In 2005 a woman was in a Walmart in Jacksonville, Florida for an hour and a half shopping. When she checked out, there was a price discrepancy on an item. She went back to the department to check the price, slipped, and fell. At the time of the incident she was already in recovery from shoulder surgery. She was able to prove, based on the timing of her fall and post-surgery doctor’s visits, that irreversible nerve damage in her already injured shoulder was caused by her slip and fall at Wal-Mart. She was rewarded $1 million with Wal-Mart 80% at fault. She received $800,000 in compensation. Without a personal injury lawyer reviewing the case, she may have walked away thinking her nerve damage was because of her surgery and not the fall. At a Lowe’s Home and Garden Center in West Melbourne, Florida a customer suffered injuries when an employee driving a forklift hit the customer from behind. The customer received $600,000 as the result of the accident, due in part to their attorney gathering witness accounts and other evidence from the incident. In 2011 a woman sued Home Depot after slipping on an unknown substance. She asked for the surveillance tape from that day to prove her case. Home Depot could not produce the tape, saying it had been deleted. The woman was awarded $44,383.61 for her injuries. Without an attorney to demand the evidence, the woman may not have been awarded compensation. Gathering evidence and witness accounts are two of the ways a personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve after a slip and fall. If you have suffered a slip and fall, contact us or call Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer for a free case review.

Contact Us Today You’re grocery shopping and slip and fall in an area with a posted wet floor sign. You ask yourself, “Is my slip and fall a real case?” It might be even though you walked where there was a sign clearly posted and here’s why: In Arizona, we have what is known as comparative negligence. That means the law recognizes you and the property owner have the same responsibility for preventing an accident. You pay attention to where you’re walking and the owner is responsible for keeping the walkway clear. When someone slip and falls, it may initially look like an avoidable accident but that’s not always the case. Rather than guessing if you have a case, we recommend contacting with the Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer to evaluate all the facts and outline your options. Sometimes your slip and fall case isn’t as clear cut as your fault or the property owner’s fault. Take the example of an injury that occurs on a public pool slide. Your child runs up the ladder for the slide, slips, falls, and suffers injuries. It might look like he or she was injured because they were running and it was just an accident. When an experienced slip and fall attorney at Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer reviews the case, it is found that one of the ladder’s steps was loose. This kind of information helps us to prepare your case and make sure that all the facts are aligned in a way that focuses on the core merits of your claim. Who is negligent in this case? Just as with all slip and fall cases, it is the responsibility of the property owner to make sure their property is safe. It is also the responsibility of the person who fell to watch where they are walking and avoid a fall. A full case review would need to occur to determine the exact portion of negligence for the owner and the child who fell. The law doesn’t exist for property owners to be on high alert for any and all hazards on their property. The law exists to make sure property owners make reasonable repairs to hazards they know, or should know about. There’s a difference between a slip and fall on spilled water at a restaurant or tripping over tiles the owner has known were broken for a long period of time. If the owner of the pool slide knew the step was broken and didn’t repair it, they will likely be found more negligent than if they had inspected the slide recently and found it to be in good repair. The same holds true for the grocery store; if the wet floor sign wasn’t posted, the store would be found more negligent according to Arizona law. No matter how you slice it, determining whether you have a valid case isn’t something you should have to do alone. Let the experts at Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer review your situation with you. If you have a case, we’ll help you pursue it. If you’ve suffered injuries from a slip and fall and aren’t sure if you have a case, contact Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer or call 602-535-5899 for a free case evaluation.

Contact Us Today Out of Philadelphia, PA a slip and fall case against a contractor responsible for doing work on the floors at the school where she worked. On Aug. 9, 2012, Mangano was preparing for her students’ return from summer vacation when an employee of Wargo Floors asked her to unlock a classroom door so he could continue placing new flooring through the door’s threshold, according to a civil filing in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas. Happy to help, Mangano left her office and walked down the hallway. The Wargo employee did not tell her about the transparent and slippery coating of adhesive that had been applied to the floor minutes before. Suddenly, her feet flew out from under her and she landed hard on her back. Ms. Mangango suffered extensive injuries which persisted long after the accident, preventing her from returning to work and resulting in ongoing pain. A settlement like this addresses the fact that Ms. Mangango, who still had many years of work ahead of her, will not be unable to work for a living again. One of the reasons we pursue cases like this so vigorously is that the consequences of injuries like this may last a lifetime. In addition to diminishing her ability to work, she requires help caring for herself which means her husband has to do it or outside help must be provided. And there is the emotional distress that comes with this kind of injury – the sense of helplessness, angry, and frustration. Cases like this are exactly why Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer pursues slip and fall injuries vigorously. Because the long-term consequences can be devastating and we feel our clients deserve justice. Read the full article here.

Contact Us Today Did you recently slip and fall? Don’t wait to seek medical attention. An injury from fall can have long term medical consequences. It can also have legal consequences. If you think someone else was at fault, seek the counsel of a slip and fall lawyer. 5 Things Everyone Needs to Know about a Slip and Fall Slide We all have accidents. We’ve all tripped on a curb or slipped on the floor. Here are some things you need to know for the next time you slip and fall: Your injuries can be more serious than you initially thought. Have you ever been in a fender bender car accident? You walk away pain-free only to experience pain hours later. It’s the same when you slip and fall. You may not feel injured just after the fall but as time passes, you realize you may have suffered an injury. If you’ve fallen in a store or on someone else’s property, seek medical attention immediately even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured. Report your fall immediately to the staff of the place where you’ve fallen. If you fall at someone’s home, let them know right away. Failing to report a fall could cost you in compensation later. Be honest about the conditions which led to your fall. During negotiations, whether in court or out of court, the owner of the property will try to prove the accident was not their fault. There were no potholes. You didn’t have lawful access to the area where you fell. They had signs posted and you went into that area anyway. That’s not to say you should back away from pursuing a claim, only that you have an understanding of what may happen. Pay attention to your surroundings. Have you ever seen the “wet floor” signs in stores or restaurants? They are there for a reason – the floor may be wet. If you go onto that area and slip and fall, it may not be the fault of the store. They put up a sign and you either didn’t see it or chose to ignore it. Pay attention to your surroundings to avoid taking a spill. Call a slip and fall lawyer. If you’re not sure of the circumstances of your fall or have suffered injury from fall, consult with a slip and fall lawyer. They can review the circumstances of your case to determine the best course of action. If you or someone you know has taken a fall, contact Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer or call us at 602-535-5899 for a free case evaluation.