Slip and Fall FAQs

Premises liability accidents, also known as slip and fall accidents or slip, trip, and fall accidents, are injuries that occur when someone is injured on someone else’s property. When premises liabilities accidents are caused by the property owner’s negligence, the injured party may have a personal injury lawsuit. Premises liability cases can be serious, life-altering, or even deadly. Slip and fall cases are the second leading cause of accidental deaths in the US next to vehicular accidents, with 17,000+ annual deaths.

Below are some premises liability accident frequently asked questions answered by Bryan Dawson, a leading Portland personal injury attorney with years of Oregon slip and fall cases under his belt. If you or a loved one have been injured in a slip and fall accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Dawson Law Group today for a free phone consultation where our legal team will listen to you, give you free legal advice, explain the pros and cons of hiring a Portland, OR personal injury attorney, and help you plan your next steps.

What do I need to prove in a Portland premises liability case?

In order to be entitled to compensation for a slip and fall injury, you need to be able to prove that the property owner was negligent and that his negligence caused your injury. Negligence is defined as failing to show the level of care that a prudent person would in the same circumstances. An example of this would be if there were a spill in a grocery store, the spill was mopped up (leaving the floor slippery), but a “wet floor” sign was not placed to warn shoppers and someone slipped and sustained an injury. In this case, the store had the responsibility to warn people of the potentially dangerous circumstances, but they failed to do so and it led to an injury.

How long do I have to take legal action for my Oregon premises liability case?

The statute of limitations in Oregon is two years after the date of your injury or two years after the date the injury should reasonably have been discovered (this has to be less than 5 years after the date of the injury). If you have questions about the statute of limitations of your injury, feel free to call Dawson Law Group, your Portland, Oregon personal injury attorneys for a free phone consultation.

What responsibilities do property owners have in relation to premises liability cases?

There is a legal expectation that property owners maintain their property so that it is not hazardous for guests. If the property is not properly maintained, sufficient warning (like a sign or a verbal warning) to guests is required.

What Are Some Common Causes of Oregon Slip and Fall Accidents?

Three of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents in Oregon are uneven surfaces (loose floorboards, potholes in parking lots, defective sidewalks, poorly constructed or run down staircases), wet or slippery surfaces (spills on the floor, recently polished or mopped floors, failing to warn about recently cleaned areas), and weather conditions (failure to maintain parking lots and sidewalks in hazardous conditions).

What are some common settings of Oregon slip and fall accidents?

Premises liability accidents often happen in supermarkets/grocery stores, parking lots, restaurants, office buildings, commercial sidewalks, and other peoples’ homes.

How much compensation can I expect from my Oregon premises liability case?

This is a complicated question as it is based on many different factors. The formula for compensation in personal injury cases is: past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering. Talk to a Portland personal injury attorney about your case specifically and what you can expect in terms of compensation.

How long will it take for me to get my premises liability accident compensation?

This question will be nearly impossible for a Portland personal injury attorney to answer. The best-case scenario would be for you to get a settlement that takes care of all your expenses and compensates you fairly for your suffering. This can happen in as short as 3 months. However, if the initial settlement offered is not good enough, you will have to file a suit and wait for a better settlement offer or even take the case to court and win a judgment. However, legal proceedings are notorious for being slow, so it could be a matter of months or years until you see compensation for your injury.

I don’t have money to hire an attorney, but I want legal representation. What are my options?

At Dawson Law Group, we take our personal injury cases on a contingent basis- our lawyer fees are contingent on you getting a settlement or judgment, which we take a portion of as our legal fees. This means that until we get you the compensation you need and deserve, you won’t have to pay us a dollar in lawyer fees. Call Dawson Law Group today for a 100% free phone consultation where we can listen to your story, answer any questions you may have, and come up with a plan for moving forward.