SKIP TO CONTENTSlip-and-fall accidents can be terrifying. One moment, you’re strolling down the grocery store aisles checking items off your list, and the next, you’re lying on the floor. After the shock wears off, you’re in serious pain. You may have broken a bone or even suffered a potentially lifelong brain injury.
Naturally, you wonder whose insurance will pay for this and whether you need to hire an Oklahoma slip-and-fall attorney. Such accidents can quickly become complicated, so it’s wise to have a good lawyer on your side.
Learn what you need to know about insurance settlements for slip-and-fall accidents below.
Who Pays If You Fall on Someone Else’s Property?
Virtually all businesses carry general liability insurance covering accidents on the property. That means if you fall at a grocery store, restaurant, or hotel, for instance, you would make a claim with the property owner’s insurance company.
What if you fall on private property like a friend’s home? Their homeowner’s insurance policy may pay for your damages.
What If You Fall at Work?
If you have an accident at work, you won’t make a claim with the property owner’s insurance company. Rather, the workers’ compensation insurance is designed to cover accident-related costs.
Workers’ compensation is a type of no-fault insurance, which means it doesn’t matter who caused the accident or how it happened. You can still claim benefits even if you slipped and fell because of your own carelessness or inattention.
Workers’ comp pays for:
- Medical bills related to your accident
- A percentage of your lost wages
- The cost of retraining or education if you need to take a different job
To retain eligibility for benefits, in most cases, you must report the injury to your employer within 30 days of the accident. You have one year to make a claim with the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission.
When Can You Sue a Property Owner?
You can make a claim against a property owner if they broke premises liability laws. Several conditions must apply:
- The owner had a duty to maintain a safe property for guests.
- The owner knew (or should have known) about a hazard but failed to correct it.
- This negligence led to an accident.
- The accident caused damages to you.
Note that if the accident happened at work, you typically can’t sue your employer if they provide workers’ comp insurance benefits to you. However, it’s possible to sue your employer if they failed to carry insurance or deliberately injured you.
Should You Hire an Oklahoma Slip-and-Fall Attorney?
Many insurance companies offer low settlements to victims, and the property owner might even try to pin the accident on you.
For instance, they might say you were running in the store aisles. If the business has camera footage of the incident, the owner might erase it to cover up what happened.
Why would they do this? Companies prefer not to file claims. They don’t want the insurance company to raise their premiums. It’s not uncommon for property owners to embellish the facts or even flat-out lie.
Our attorneys are well-versed in such tactics and will fight for a fair settlement for you.
Insurance Company Giving You the Runaround? Call Us
At Bryan Garrett PLLC, we know just how serious slip-and-fall accidents can be. When you’re hurt, the last thing you want to do is spend hours arguing with property owners and insurance companies. Let our law firm handle your case so you can focus on recovering instead. For a free consultation with an Oklahoma slip-and-fall attorney, contact us today at (405) 358-2342.
