Orlando Slip and Fall Accident Attorneys

Slip and fall cases are unique in the fact that much of the evidence of the accident may come from witness accounts. Over the years there have been fraudulent cases in which people have created their own accidents and filed lawsuits against stores and buildings just to obtain an injury settlement.

Insurance companies have wised up to these fraudulent cases and are often much more diligent in reviewing the case details to prove there truly was a hazard caused by the property owner’s negligence and not the victim’s malicious intent. Therefore, to prove you were not at fault for the accident, you will need solid evidence of your accident circumstances.

Eyewitness accounts can be a good source of evidence in a slip and fall case, but they can be difficult to obtain on your own. A good slip and fall attorney will work diligently to obtain the contact information for any witnesses to your accident and connect with them to get a statement regarding the situation.

You should also be proactive in this matter – if you have just been in a slip and fall accident, if you are able to do so, get the contact information of anyone who saw the incident. That way you can quickly get to work recording their eyewitness account before their memory of the event is compromised by time.

Insurance companies may also see you as a source of witness testimony and ask you to provide a recorded statement. This is a step that should not be taken unless you have already discussed it with your Orlando slip and fall accident attorney.

The insurance adjusters often use pressure and coercion to trick victims into belittling their injuries or admitting that they were partially at fault for causing the accident. If this happens, they may be able to justify dropping your claim or offering a lower settlement.

Your slip and fall lawyer can help you avoid these pitfalls by acting on your behalf during negotiations with the insurance adjusters. They can also help you obtain other sources of evidence that many victims may not obtain on their own, such as video surveillance tapes.

If your accident occurred at a commercial building or in a public area where there is video surveillance, there is a good chance your accident was caught on tape. This can be excellent evidence to show that you were unaware of the hazard that caused your slip and fall accident. Many buildings do not readily hand out copies of security footage to anyone who asks – an attorney may be able to recover the security footage before it is erased or recorded over.

Once you have the evidence to build your Orlando slip and fall accident case, your attorney will help you negotiate with the insurance companies or other party for a fair settlement. One of the mistakes many trip and fall victims make is that they accept the first settlement offer that hits the table. At The Law Offices of Michael Gibson, I don’t settle a case until I am confident that the amount is enough to cover both current and future damages.