Norman Slip & Fall Accident Lawyer
Have you suffered a serious injury in a slip and fall accident in Norman, OK? You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more. Our Norman slip & fall accident lawyers can help you hold a property owner liable for these and other losses.
McGuire Law Firm has more than 60 years of combined legal experience representing accident victims in Cleveland County. We’ve recovered millions of dollars to date. Contact us or call us at (405) 513-5658 to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.
How McGuire Law Firm Can Help You After a Slip and Fall Accident in Norman, OK?
Slip and fall accident cases are notoriously difficult. The insurance company may try to blame you for your accident and offer less money than you deserve. A property owner’s duties also vary depending on why you were on the property.
You deserve an experienced Norman personal injury lawyer to help you hold the responsible party accountable. Our law office was founded by Kent R. McGuire, who spent the first 13 years of his career representing insurance companies. At McGuire Law Firm, we will put our decades of experience, resources, and reputation to work for you.
Our law firm is prepared to:
- Give you the legal advice and personal attention you need
- Handle all communications, court filings, and administrative tasks on your behalf
- Investigate your accident with the help of specialists
- Accurately value all the current and long-term losses you have sustained
- Negotiate for a fair settlement with the insurance company
- Take your case before a jury if necessary
Our small law firm delivers big results. Contact McGuire Law Firm today for a free consultation in Norman, Oklahoma, to get started building your case.
How Common Are Slip and Fall Accidents in Norman, Oklahoma?
Slip and fall accidents are one of the leading causes of workers’ compensation injury claims. They are also a leading cause of accidental injury and injury-related death in Oklahoma.
Every year, there are more than 8 million emergency room visits and 39,000 deaths related to falls in the United States. Anyone can be hurt or killed in a trip and fall accident, but seniors and children are most vulnerable. Every year, about 25% of older adults suffer a fall. These falls are responsible for 95% of all hip fractures and 32,000 deaths among seniors per year.
In 2018, more than 31% of seniors in Oklahoma reported falling in the last year. That’s higher than the national average of 27%. Slips and falls cause 7,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths among older adults every year in the state.
What is My Slip & Fall Accident Case Worth?
There is no easy way to estimate the value of your case without an investigation. Still, it may help to understand the biggest factors that impact the value of your case:
- What type of injuries did you suffer?
- How serious were your injuries?
- Are you left with long-term impairment, disability, disfigurement, reduced independence, or reduced quality of life?
- What were the circumstances of your accident?
- Did you contribute to your fall or fail to mitigate your damages?
- How much insurance coverage is available?
- Do you have strong evidence for negligence?
Contact McGuire Law Firm today to schedule a free case evaluation with a Norman slip & fall injury lawyer. We will help you understand what your case may be worth.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Slip & Fall Accident in Norman, OK?
A successful personal injury case allows you to recover compensatory damages from the at-fault party. These damages are categorized as economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages compensate for the financial losses you suffered after your slip and fall. This may include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished or lost earning capacity or disability
- Lost benefits of employment
- Home health care or skilled nursing care
- Domestic services
- Home modifications
- Transportation to/from medical appointments
Non-economic damages compensate for your personal losses related to the accident, including psychological, physical, and emotional harm. This may include disfigurement, pain and suffering, distress, anguish, and reduced enjoyment of life.
Am I Entitled to Compensation if I’m Partially at Fault for My Slip and Fall in Oklahoma?
You may be found partially at fault for your fall if your own carelessness contributed to the accident. You can also be found partially liable for failing to mitigate damages.
Oklahoma uses a modified comparative fault rule with a 51% bar. You can recover damages if you were partially to blame, but your recovery is reduced by your share of fault. If you were 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any compensation.
Insurance companies use this rule to their advantage to limit their own liability or even escape financial liability completely. Your Norman injury lawyer will help you fight back against their blame-shifting tactics.
We Will Fight for Compensation for All Your Slip and Fall Injuries
Trip and falls typically cause minor injuries like bruising and discomfort. However, they can also cause serious and even fatal injuries.
At McGuire Law Firm, we will fight for full compensation for all of your injuries, including:
- Fractures, such as foot, ankle, arm, wrist, facial, collarbone, hip, and skull fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries, such as herniated discs
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal organ injuries
- Nerve damage
- Wrongful death
We will help you hold the negligent property owner accountable and seek fair compensation for all your losses.
What Causes Most Slip & Fall Accidents in Norman, OK?
Slip and fall accidents can be the result of anything from damaged flooring and spills to improper footwear and carelessness. These accidents can also happen anywhere, including grocery stores, parking lots, shopping centers, bars, and workplaces.
The most common factors associated with slip and falls include:
- Inadequate lighting
- Unprotected trenches and holes
- Trip hazards like cables and extension cords
- Slippery surfaces due to wet spills, dry spills, or flooring without anti-skid protection
- Insufficient fall protection on the job
- Damaged flooring
- A lack of handrails
- Damaged or crumbling asphalt or concrete
McGuire Law Firm will carefully investigate your accident to find out why it happened. Proving causation is crucial to a successful case.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Slip & Fall Accident in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma law holds property owners liable for injuries that occur on their property due to negligent property maintenance and management.
Property owners in Oklahoma have a legal duty to provide a reasonably safe environment for guests, customers, and visitors. To prove your case, you must show the property owner was negligent.
Proving a premises liability case requires establishing the following elements:
- The property owner owed you a duty of care.
- The property owner breached the duty of care they owed you.
- The breach caused your accident.
- You suffered damages.
A property owner’s duty of care depends on your reason for visiting the property. Property owners owe trespassers no duty of care (except to not harm them intentionally).
Property owners owe licensees a duty to warn of (known) dangerous conditions. Licensees are those who enter the property for their own benefit through implied or express permission of the owner. This includes social guests. Invitees are those on the property for mutual advantage and common interest such as a customer.
Property owners owe Invitees a heightened duty of care. Invitees visit a property for business purposes, such as a customer at a store. Under this duty, the property owner must inspect their premises for dangerous conditions, repair hazards, and warn invitees of hazards that cannot be repaired immediately.
Common examples of property owner negligence include:
- Inadequate lighting
- Damaged flooring
- A lack of non-slip mats at the entrance of the premises
- Inadequate maintenance leading to dangerous conditions
- Inadequate inspection for defects
- Spills not cleaned up promptly
Premises liability cases can be very complex and require extensive evidence. It’s crucial to consult with experienced Norman personal injury lawyers to gather evidence to prove your case. Your lawyer may use past complaints against a business, evidence of how long a hazard existed, maintenance and inspection logs, and more to build your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Slip and Fall in Oklahoma?
The Oklahoma statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is just two years. You have two years from the date of your fall to file your case in court. If you miss the deadline, you will lose the opportunity to sue.
If your fall occurred on public property, you have less time to file. These cases have a deadline of just one year.
Do not delay; contact our Norman personal injury attorneys as soon as possible. We will investigate your accident and build your case while you focus on recovering.
Contact a Norman Slip & Fall Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review
After a serious slip and fall accident, you can count on McGuire Law Firm to fight for you. We will help you seek fair compensation to preserve your quality of life.
Contact our law office for a free consultation with a Norman slip & fall accident lawyer who can help you. Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing out-of-pocket and no legal fees unless we recover financial compensation for you.
