Ottawa Slip and Fall Lawyer

Sudden falls cause thousands of severe injuries resulting in millions of dollars in damages every year. If you fail to take appropriate legal action against the party responsible for your accident, you may have no choice but to pay for all your damages out of pocket.

With help from an Ottawa slip and fall lawyer, you can recover compensation through a civil lawsuit for every loss you suffered. However, recent legislation has significantly shortened the amount of time you have to file suit after this kind of incident, so it is crucial to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to get your case started.

Property Owner Responsibilities

In Ontario, there is a special set of rules that govern liability for property owners who invite others onto their land. The Occupier’s Liability Act mandates that the occupier of a premises owes a duty to take care to ensure that the property is reasonably safe for those who enter. This duty includes slips and falls that result from poor care of the premises but may also extend to other injuries that occur on the premises.

The full compensation of any and all medical expenses caused by the accident is the first and foremost goal of our local slip and fall lawyers. Tremendous medical, personal, and legal expenses can develop in the aftermath of a tripping or falling incident, and reimbursement for those expenses and your pain and suffering is possible.

Our team of lawyers can help you secure compensation for pain, suffering, and expense related to afflictions from a slip or fall accident, including:

• Broken or fractured bones
• Damage to internal organs
• Internal bleeding
• Deep puncture wounds
• Dislocated bones
• Head trauma

Testimony from certified medical experts can document the extent of your injuries and possible duration of required medical treatment. Physical evidence may help when a favourable settlement cannot be obtained through negotiations with the insurance company and could defer a legal course of action to achieve justice and repayment for your suffering.

Recovering Damages in Slip and Fall Claims

Owners and occupiers of a property take on certain responsibilities whenever they are open to lawful visitors. A property owner who fails to inspect their premises for hazards regularly and neither fixes nor promptly warns visitors about known risks may bear civil liability for any injuries sustained in a subsequent falling incident.

Several forms of evidence may be necessary to establish responsibility for a trip and fall accident, including surveillance camera footage, photos of the place where the incident occurred, and store personnel records. It may also be important to collect evidence showing that a plaintiff does not bear any contributory fault for the incident to ensure that they recover maximum compensation.

Whether a slip and fall, resulting from a patch of untreated ice, an unmopped spill in a store aisle, a loose floor tile, a frayed carpet edge, loose wiring, or anything else, a person injured as a result may be able to recover for  damages upon proving a property owner’s liability for their fall. Depending on the circumstances, a qualified Ottawa slip and fall lawyer may be able to help a plaintiff pursue compensation for:

• All medical expenses, including prescription drug costs and physical or occupational therapy
• Loss of past and future wages
• Costs of attendant care
• Pain and suffering

How Long Do You Have to Seek Compensation after a Trip and Fall?

Until recently, individuals who wished to pursue financial restitution after a slip and fall incident had a maximum of two years to file a tort claim. However, following the passage of Bill 118 in December 2020, the effective filing deadline for slip and falls caused by icy conditions in Ottawa is now only 60 days from the date of injury. Specifically, the prospective plaintiffs have 60 days to notify defendants of their intent to file a claim.

Furthermore, anyone who wants to file such a case against a municipal authority has only 10 days to provide notice of their intent to sue to the appropriate agency. In light of this, it may be especially crucial to retain a skilled lawyer in Ottawa who can help put together a strong and comprehensive slip and fall claim promptly.

Get in Touch with an Ottawa Slip and Fall Lawyer Today

Thanks to a recent amendment to the Occupier’s Liability Act, recovering compensation for certain types of slip and fall accidents is more challenging than ever. However, it is possible to hold a negligent store owner or municipal authority responsible for a slipping or tripping accident, provided you take prompt and proactive action to exercise your legal rights.

Before trying to pursue financial recovery by yourself, consider reaching out to one of our seasoned Ottawa slip and fall lawyers for assistance. Contact Nicholson Gluckstein Lawyers today to schedule a free initial consultation.