Slips, trips, and falls may look funny in the movies, but if you’ve ever been injured this way, you know that a “slip and fall” injury is no joke. It can happen in a moment, but can cause months, years, or even a lifetime of pain and disability.

Sometimes, a slip and fall is nobody’s fault. But when a property owner or manager fails to adequately maintain their property, and someone is injured as a result, they may be liable for the injury. Injuries from slips are common in Alaska, where inclement weather and short daylight hours in the winter can lead to icy, slick conditions and poor visibility.

If you were injured by a slip or trip and fall on someone else’s premises, you may be entitled to compensation for your injury. A property owner or manager may be responsible for your injury if they created the condition that caused it, or were aware of a dangerous condition but did nothing to correct or warn of it.

Slip and fall lawyer Eric Derleth has over 25 years’ experience and a strong track record of success in Alaska injury cases, including premises liability cases. Although most cases of this type settle, Eric is known as the “Trial Guy” because of his skill and success in the courtroom. He always works toward a favorable settlement for his clients, but if settlement is not in their best interests, he is equipped to fight for them at trial.

Types of Slip and Fall Accidents

Simply falling and suffering injury on someone else’s property isn’t enough to allow you to recover damages. You need to be able to prove that the person in charge of the property was negligent and that their action or failure to act caused your injury. In Alaska, property owners are obligated to take reasonable care to prevent conditions that could foreseeably injure customers or guests. This duty of care extends to parking lot areas.

Common causes of slip and fall accidents include:

  • Damaged floors/stairs
  • Wet and slippery floors
  • Icy or snowy stairs or walkways
  • Debris on floors
  • Damaged or defective sidewalks
  • Broken or absent handrails
  • Poor lighting

Liability for slip and fall injuries depends heavily on the facts of your case, such as why you were on the premises, and whether the property owner or manager knew or should have known of the dangerous condition. An experienced injury lawyer can help establish the facts needed to prove your claim.

Common Injuries from Slips, Trips and Falls in Alaska

Slips, trips, and falls may cause only minor or temporary injuries. However, as many as 20-30% of slip and fall accidents cause injuries that are moderate, severe, or even fatal, including:

  • Broken bones, including arm, leg, or hip
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Back injuries
  • Head injuries, including traumatic brain injury

The elderly are especially vulnerable to severe injury from a fall, and often take much longer to recover. However, anyone can be seriously injured in a slip and fall. These accidents can cause severe pain, the need for costly medical treatment, and loss of income because an injury keeps you from working.

Determining Liability in Slip and Fall Accidents

Under Alaska premises liability laws, whether someone else is legally liable for injuries following your fall depends on whether the premises owner took due care to prevent such accidents and whether your own negligence contributed to your accident or injury. An experienced premises liability attorney can help you determine whether a dangerous condition existed and whether the property owner should reasonably have been aware of it and taken steps to correct it or warn others.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall, your first priority should be to get medical help if needed. If you are able to do so, take pictures of the accident scene and get the names and contact information of any witnesses. You should also notify the person in charge of the property as soon as possible.

Alaska Slip and Fall Claims

Alaska is a “comparative negligence” state, meaning that an injury victim’s financial recovery is reduced by the proportion of their own fault in their injury. An experienced injury attorney can help prove facts that will maximize your recovery, showing that even if you were partly at fault, the property owner is still liable for your injury.

Property owners carry insurance to cover injuries from slip and falls because they know they have a responsibility to keep their guests and customers safe. If you have been injured, that insurance exists to compensate you. Get the help of an experienced personal injury attorney who can get you the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Attorney Eric Derleth is an Alaska native who has practiced injury law in the state for over 25 years. He knows Alaska courts, he knows Alaska law, and he knows how to win.

To learn more about Alaska slip and fall accidents and how a lawyer can help you, contact the Trial Guy. From his office in Soldotna, Eric Derleth serves clients in Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, Juneau, and throughout Alaska. Call today for a free, confidential consultation.