If you’ve suffered a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to money damages from the owner of the property where the accident took place. Winning this kind of case can be difficult though, and you may not see any money from the ordeal if the opposing legal team can prove you bore any level of responsibility for what happened to you. It’s made even more difficult when you consider that you aren’t just up against the property owner themselves, but their insurance company and legal team, too.

In this kind of situation, it's important to have an experienced lawyer on your side, even if you end up settling the case out of court. The team of North Carolina slip and fall lawyers at Rodzik Law Group can provide you with the skilled representation you need to present your case effectively.

To get the most out of a lawyer’s help, there are certain points you’ll need to cover with them. We’ll outline these points in this post to make sure you can give your attorney the clearest idea possible of how to construct your case and how likely you are to win in a trial.

Why you need a lawyer

There’s no better way of getting educated legal guidance specific to your situation than discussing your case with an attorney personally. A lawyer focusing on slip and fall cases spends years of their lives studying relevant federal and state laws. They’ll have a thorough understanding of which parts of your case are worth focusing on for the best chance at a positive result in your favor.

A lawyer can also anticipate what the property owner’s legal team and insurance company will look for in your case to avoid having to pay any damages to you and prove that you hold some responsibility for your accident. This allows them to strategize the way they’ll argue in your favor in court and gives them an informed idea of which actions are best to take to resolve the case in a way that’s beneficial to you.

Points to discuss with your attorney

The first time you talk to an attorney about your case will likely be a free consultation, in which they’ll review the details and go over everything you need to know about working with them. The most important pieces of information to give them at this point include:

• How long it’s been since the accident: North Carolina’s statute of limitations requires that you file a lawsuit within three years of your slip and fall accident. It’s therefore important that you be honest and straightforward with your attorney about how long it’s been since your accident. If you didn’t file immediately after the accident, it may also be important to discuss your reasons for waiting.
• How the accident occurred: North Carolina follows the rule of “contributory negligence,” which means that if you’re found to share even a small fraction of the blame for your accident, you won’t receive any compensation at all. This might happen if the property owner can prove you were on a prohibited part of the property at the time of the accident, that you were wearing inappropriate footwear for the circumstances, that reasonable steps were taken to keep you out of the area, or that you weren’t paying attention when you were walking in the area.
• Your financial damages from the accident: This includes anything like medical bills which you incurred as a direct result of the accident. A lawyer can also help you calculate any future damages you might reasonably incur from the incident.

For more information about these points, check out this Nolo article on North Carolina slip and fall laws.

Consult an experienced North Carolina slip and fall lawyer now

If you suffered a slip and fall accident and want to file a lawsuit, you need the guidance of an attorney to better understand your case and how much money you could be entitled to. Get in touch with Rodzik Law Group now to talk to a North Carolina slip and fall lawyer about your case.