• Phone: 219-736-9700
  • 8403 Merrillville Road, Merrillville, IN 46410

Law Office of David W Holub

A Law Firm Concentrating in Personal Injury Law

SLIP AND FALL INJURIES - DOG BITES

The firm's practice includes premises related injury claims which include slip and fall injuries and animal related injuries.

 

People can be injured in many ways and it is impossible to list every possible mechanism of injury. However, two types of premises related injuries occur rather frequently: a) the slip and fall and b) the animal bite. Because our firm concentrates in accident and injury law we are well equipped to handle these type cases and any type of injury claim. The firm has helped obtain recoveries for many who have fallen due to another’s failure keep safe premises, as well as many people who have been injured by dogs, horses, and other animals which have not been safely controlled.

The Slip and Fall Injury

The term “slip and fall” refers to circumstances where people are injured when they slip or trip and fall as a result of a danger or hazard on another person's property. Such falls can occur indoors or outdoors. A fall can be caused by a defective floor, a wet floor, poor lighting conditions, or the result of snow or ice. Cracked concrete, a pothole, or any other poorly maintained premises can also be the cause of a slip and fall injury.

All slip and fall accidents are covered by negligence law and deal with the area of the law described as premises liability. Property owners have a “duty of care” to see that their property is safe. This includes insuring that a building (interior or exterior) has no structural defects that could cause a fall or temporary hazards or defects. Structural defects can include: loose floor mats, rugs, or tiles; water on the floor; the wrong type of wax or cleaner applied to a floor, poor lighting in stairways, building code violations, and cracks or holes in sidewalks or parking lots. Weather-related hazards include ice and standing water.

If you experience a slip and fall injury, you can do several things immediately:

  • Be sure to note what made you fall – was it water, ice, a hole, a rock, a banana peel?
  • Note as many details about the location of the item that made you fall as you can
    • Is it something that you would expect to find there?
    • Is it hard to see for some reason?
      • Did the object match the color of the floor?
      • Was it hidden some how?
      • Was the lighting poor?
    • Is it in a walkway?
  • Try to determine whether the hazard could have been anticipated and prevented or eliminated.
    • Is it something that should have been cleaned up?
    • Is it something that was being used for a special purpose such as a construction project?
  • Were there any witnesses?  If so, take down names and addresses.
  • If possible, get a sample of what caused you to trip
  • Take photographs – a cell phone camera is great for this – of what you slipped or tripped on and the area all around.  Try to include objects in the photos that will make the photo easily identifiable later, such as a sign or other permanent structure.
  • Report your fall incident to the manager or owner of the property and request that a written report be made.

Our legal team is always available to consult on slip and fall injury cases. There is no fee for an initial consultation, and if we accept your case we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we do not get paid until we make a recovery for you.

The Dog Bite and Animal Attack Incident

Like the slip and fall case, animal bites are another type of legal claim that relates to the ownership of property. Just as it can be negligent to have a property hazard that will cause people to fall when they come on the property, it can also be negligent to have a dog, horse or other animal where it creates a hazard to people coming onto the property. So too can liability arise from an animal (which is treated as an item of property) escaping from a property where it is usually kept safe and secure.

An animal attack is a frightening event to experience. The bite of a dog or other animal or the sudden kick of a horse can result in severe injury and permanent scarring, or in the case of small children may result in death. If you or a family member has been bitten by a dog or other type of animal due to the owner’s negligence, you may be entitled to receive compensation. An owner may be found negligent for not keeping an animal contained or not supevising the animal responsibly. We have represented people injured by dogs, horses, and even a bull that escaped from a pen in a game and wildlife facility. Again, we are always available to consult with you on this type of injury case. The initial consultation is free and if we accept your case we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we do not charge a fee until we obtain money for you.

 

For more specific examples of the areas of law in which we concentrate, the firm has compiled a list of notable cases for your review.

 

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