Harrisburg Slip and Fall Lawyers

A serious fall can happen in seconds, but the injuries can affect you for months or even years. If you were injured because of an unsafe condition at a store, restaurant, apartment building, parking lot, workplace, or other property in the Harrisburg area, you may have the right to seek compensation from the property owner or another responsible party.

The Harrisburg slip and fall lawyers at Pisanchyn Law Firm represent people injured in falls and other premises liability accidents throughout Harrisburg, Dauphin County, and surrounding Central Pennsylvania communities.

Our Harrisburg office allows our attorneys to serve injured clients throughout the region. If an injury makes traveling difficult, we can also discuss other options for meeting with you.

When Is a Property Owner Responsible for a Slip and Fall?

Simply falling on someone else’s property does not automatically make the property owner responsible for your injuries.

Pennsylvania premises liability cases generally depend on why the accident occurred, what the property owner or responsible party knew or should have known about the dangerous condition, and whether reasonable steps were taken to correct the hazard or warn people about it.

That makes evidence especially important in slip and fall cases.

Dangerous conditions that may contribute to falls include:

• Wet or slippery floors
• Snow and ice
• Uneven sidewalks or pavement
• Broken or poorly maintained stairs
• Missing or defective handrails
• Potholes and damaged parking lots
• Torn or loose carpeting
• Poor lighting
• Debris or merchandise in walkways
• Unsafe entrances and exits
• Building or property maintenance problems

Falls can occur almost anywhere in the Harrisburg area, including grocery stores, shopping centers, restaurants, hotels, apartment complexes, office buildings, parking garages, sidewalks, and other public or private properties.

Determining whether someone was legally responsible requires looking closely at the circumstances surrounding the accident.

What Should You Do After a Slip and Fall in Harrisburg?

What happens immediately after a fall can become important if you later need to pursue an injury claim.

If possible, report the accident to the property owner, manager, or employee and ask that an incident report be created. Take photographs or video of the exact condition that caused your fall before it is cleaned, repaired, removed, or changed.

You should also obtain the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident or saw the dangerous condition beforehand.

Most importantly, seek appropriate medical attention. Some injuries may not seem severe immediately after a fall but become more noticeable after the initial shock of the accident wears off.

Try to preserve anything connected with the incident, including photographs, medical records, receipts, damaged clothing or footwear, correspondence with the property owner, and information from witnesses.

Evidence Can Disappear Quickly After a Fall

Slip and fall cases present a unique problem: the condition responsible for the accident may disappear shortly afterward.

A spill can be cleaned. Snow or ice can melt. A broken step can be repaired. Surveillance footage can be overwritten. Employees and witnesses may eventually forget what they saw.

An attorney investigating a Harrisburg premises liability claim may look for evidence such as surveillance video, incident reports, maintenance and inspection records, photographs, witness statements, prior complaints, property records, and other information showing how long a dangerous condition existed and who was responsible for addressing it.

The sooner an investigation begins, the better the opportunity may be to preserve important evidence.

Common Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents

A fall that initially seems minor can cause significant injuries, particularly when someone lands on a hard surface or falls down stairs.

Slip and fall injuries may include:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Head injuries and concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Herniated or damaged discs
• Shoulder injuries
• Knee and ankle injuries
• Hip injuries
• Spinal injuries
• Cuts and scarring
• Soft-tissue injuries

Older adults and people with existing medical conditions can be especially vulnerable to serious complications after a fall.

Who May Be Responsible for a Harrisburg Slip and Fall?

The responsible party isn’t necessarily the person or business whose name appears on the building.

Depending on where and how the accident occurred, responsibility could potentially involve a property owner, commercial tenant, landlord, property management company, maintenance contractor, snow or ice removal company, business operator, or another party responsible for maintaining the property.

Part of investigating a premises liability case is determining who controlled the area where the accident happened and who was responsible for identifying and correcting dangerous conditions.

What Compensation May Be Available After a Slip and Fall?

Every case is different, and compensation depends upon the circumstances of the accident and the injuries involved.

A person injured because of another party’s negligence may be able to pursue compensation for losses such as medical expenses, future medical treatment, lost income, reduced earning ability, pain and suffering, and other damages associated with the injury.

Severe injuries can have consequences extending far beyond the initial emergency room visit. Understanding the full impact of an injury is important before resolving a claim.

Be Careful When Speaking With an Insurance Company

After a fall, an insurance company or claims representative may contact you and ask questions about what happened.

Remember that the insurance company is evaluating a potential claim. A recorded statement or seemingly harmless comment about the accident, your injuries, your footwear, where you were looking, or how you feel could later become part of its investigation.

You are not required to accept an early settlement simply because one is offered.

Before agreeing to a settlement or signing documents that could affect your rights, consider speaking with an attorney about your situation.

Harrisburg Slip and Fall Attorneys Serving Dauphin County

Pisanchyn Law Firm represents people injured in slip and fall and premises liability accidents throughout Harrisburg and surrounding Central Pennsylvania communities.

Our Harrisburg office is located at:

Pisanchyn Law Firm
3609 N. Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 238-3333

Whether your accident occurred at a business, apartment complex, parking area, restaurant, store, or another property, our attorneys can review what happened and help determine whether you may have a claim.

Talk to a Harrisburg Slip and Fall Lawyer

If you or a family member suffered a serious injury in a slip, trip, or fall in the Harrisburg area, contact Pisanchyn Law Firm to discuss your case.

An attorney can review how the accident happened, identify potentially responsible parties, determine what evidence may be available, and explain your options under Pennsylvania law.

Call (717) 238-3333 or 1-800-444-5309 to request a free consultation with our Harrisburg personal injury attorneys.

For personal injury matters handled on a contingency-fee basis, there is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.