Pennsylvania Slip & Fall Accident Lawyers

Fighting for Victims of Negligent Property Owners & Managers

One million people will visit the hospital this year after suffering a slip and fall. Statistically, at least 50,000 of those people will suffer a bone fracture, whether it's an arm, leg, vertebrae, or hip.

Besides broken bones, slips and falls can lead to serious injuries such as:

• Head injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck and back injuries

Slip and fall accidents can be devastating, particularly for the elderly. They are also preventable. With proper precautions and vigilance, property owners and worksite supervisors can prevent the vast majority of fall injuries—but their negligence continues. Our attorneys believe they should be held accountable.

If you or a loved one were injured in a fall, speak with our Pennsylvania slip and fall attorneys at (888) 498-3023. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win.

Why Slip & Fall Accidents Happen

When a person slips, trips, or falls, there is a reason. And while some may be quick to assume that the person was not watching where they were going or simply lost their footing, serious slip and fall accidents can often be traced to specific hazards, such as objects in walkways or uneven flooring. Property owners have an obligation to address these hazards and to warn others of their presence.

Slip and fall accidents are often caused by:

Our Pennsylvania slip and fall accident attorneys help people who have been injured after slipping, tripping, or falling at work or while at another's property. We can handle cases involving slip and fall accidents at hotels, retail stores, apartment complexes, office buildings, malls, event venues, and more.

Rebuilding After a Pennsylvania Slip & Fall Accident

Representing clients across Pennsylvania from offices in Harrisburg, Hanover, York, Carlisle, Lancaster, and Schuylkill County, our firm is committed to helping people rebuild after serious accidents. We hold negligent property owners accountable for the harm they've caused by failing to maintain their premises.

A slip and fall accident claim may allow for the recovery of compensation for:

• Medical costs, including for ongoing treatment, therapy, and other care.
• Lost earnings, including loss of potential wages if temporarily or permanently unable to work.
• Emotional trauma, such as pain and suffering caused by the accident.

The purpose of a slip and fall accident lawsuit is to make the injured party whole again. After a serious accident, this can seem difficult, but alleviating the financial burden and seeing justice served can make all the difference. Our Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyers carefully evaluate each client's case to determine its fair worth, and we fight to pursue a settlement or award that helps them face a bright and stable future.

Pennsylvania Slip & Fall Settlement

In one notable Pennsylvania slip and fall case, a man named Glen Guy sued the U.S. Postal Service after he fell on a patch of ice as he was walking down a set of steps to reach a mailbox in Philadelphia. Guy fell backward and was subsequently knocked unconscious. He had to be transported to the hospital, and according to the complaint filed by his attorney, he suffered rib fractures and a pneumothorax fracture that required a chest tube to be inserted. The complaint alleged that the Postal Service breached its duty of care by failing to keep the area around the mailboxes clear of hazardous conditions, in this case, ice.

This case was settled for $28,000 outside of court. 

Pennsylvania Slip & Fall Jury Verdict

In another Pennsylvania slip and fall case, a Bucks County woman sued Pathmark and other defendants after she tripped and fell over a box that was being used as a doorstop. In the course of her employment, Barbara Ferguson was at the Pathmark on Franklin Mills Avenue when she tripped. According to the complaint, she suffered a dislocated right shoulder with four fractures, a fractured knee, carpal tunnel syndrome in her wrist, neck injuries, back injuries, and depression as a result of the incident.

The defense argued that Ferguson knew the box was being used as a doorstop because she admitted she saw the box on her way into the office. The manager stated the box had been used as a doorstop for some time without incident. This is a common defense used in Pennsylvania slip and fall accident cases, that the victim knew or should have known of the hazard, but this does not always release the defendant from liability. In this case, the jury ruled that the negligent acts of the defendant resulted in Ferguson's injuries.

A federal jury awarded Ferguson $800,000.

Proving Negligence in a Pennsylvania Slip & Fall Claim

Slip and fall accidents are serious, and they account for over 8 million emergency room visits each year. After a serious fall, the injured often have one question: how do you prove fault after a slip and fall accident? There are three key aspects to proving fault in a Pennsylvania slip and fall lawsuit.

The Three Crucial Factors to Prove Fault in Slip & Fall Claims

Duty of Care  
Like any other premises liability claim, individuals are grouped by which type of visitor to a property they are. A person’s visitor status defines how responsible a property owner is for their injuries. This is also known as duty of care. For most slip and fall claims, the injured person is might be an invitee. An invitee is a customer at a store, an occupant of a rental home or apartment, or a client at a business. In other words, an invitee is someone who is expected to be on a property and should be protected by the owners of the property. Other types of visitors include entrants, licensees, and trespassers.

Was the Accident Preventable? 
The first step to proving fault in a slip and fall claim is by examining the property owner’s responsibility to the injured. An attorney will investigate the circumstances of a slip and fall accident and assess whether the property’s owner failed to ensure that it was safe for visitors. Courts will examine if a person was acting responsibly and if the surface that caused them to fall was adequately maintained or marked for danger.

Did the Property Owner Cause the Accident? 
This is the final, most important, and sometimes most difficult thing to prove during a slip and fall claim. An attorney will use evidence from the scene of the accident and the property owner’s duty of care owed to their client to prove fault. An experienced attorney can prove that the property owner owed the client care and was negligent with property maintenance, combining these factors to prove fault.

Premises liability cases are complex and challenging. Sometimes, the thought of blaming a person who likely was not even present at the time of an accident seems like a lofty goal. However, this is a real and valid option for those who need compensation after injuries. With our considerable experience handling lawsuits related to hazardous conditions and slip and fall accidents, our team is up to the challenge.

Helping Slip & Fall Accident Victims in York, Hanover, Harrisburg, Carlisle, Lancaster & Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC fights for the victims of negligent property owners and supervisors. When people suffer injury due to a wet floor, a lack of safety railing, unsafe walkways, or any number of premises liability issues, our firm is the one they call. Our Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyers help our clients replace lost wages, afford medical care, file for workers' compensation, and whatever else they need to move forward. Our firm has been protecting Pennsylvania workers, pedestrians, and families since 1922.

We're one of the largest, oldest, and most established firms in Pennsylvania's history—and we're as active in shaping the legal landscape as we've always been. Our nationally renowned lawyers, led by a former deputy attorney at the Bureau of Consumer Protection, have won tens of millions of dollars for our clients. In short, we help people get their lives back.

Call (888) 498-3023 or contact us online to schedule a free review of your case by a Pennsylvania slip and fall attorney. We're more than happy to help you explore your options.