As part of Minnesota’s Twin Cities region, St. Paul’s numerous shops, stores, restaurants, and other attractions serve tourists and residents. The city also has miles of sidewalks and walking paths, so you run the risk of suffering severe injuries in a slip and fall accident virtually anywhere throughout St. Paul.
Whether they own residential or commercial properties, all property owners must make their premises safe for pedestrians and visitors. This means clearing snow and ice from sidewalks and other pedestrian areas in the winter and clearing pathways and aisles of clutter and hazards that could cause people to slip or trip and fall.
If you fell on someone else’s property and sustained serious injuries, you may hold the property owner accountable for their negligence and obtain compensation to help with your medical bills and other associated expenses.
You need to contact an experienced St. Paul slip and fall attorney to help you through the complex process of filing an injury claim and fighting for the full and fair compensation you deserve.
The attorneys at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers have years of experience helping clients throughout St. Paul and across Minnesota with their slip and fall accident claims, and we are fully committed to helping you get the maximum financial recovery possible. Contact us today for your free consultation.
How Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your St. Paul Slip and Fall Accident Claim
Our law firm has served injured clients throughout Minnesota for more than 15 years. During that time, we have gained a reputation for delivering assertive, personalized representation that gets results, and we have recovered more than $65 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.
We genuinely care about the struggles your accident has put you through, and we are here for you when you need us.
At any time, you will have access to a dedicated legal professional for advice and answers, and we will take an active interest in your case and work to help you obtain the compensation you need by:
- Ensuring you receive the proper medical treatment you need
- Gathering the evidence needed to support your claim
- Filing your claim with the insurance company and handling all communications on your behalf
- Negotiating to get the highest settlement possible and advocating for you if the insurer tries to blame you for your injuries
- Taking your case to court, if necessary, and presenting a compelling case to convince a judge or jury to rule in your favor
Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyer offers free consultations, and our lawyers work on contingency. You won’t have to pay anything out of pocket to learn if you have a claim or have us represent you. We will only accept a fee if we recover damages for you, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by contacting us as soon as possible and discussing your case.
Injured in St. Paul? Get Nicolet.
What Are Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in St. Paul?
As nice and beautiful a city as St. Paul is, the city, unfortunately, poses numerous risks for slip and fall accidents. Some common causes of slip and fall accidents in St. Paul include:
Snow and Ice
St. Paul experiences cold winters and receives, on average, around 40 inches of snowfall each year. Snow and ice create slippery conditions on sidewalks, parking lots, and other outdoor areas, and all property owners are responsible for keeping common areas around their premises safe for pedestrians. If a St. Paul property owner fails to clear the snow, causing you to slip and fall and suffer injuries, you can work with an attorney to hold the property owner accountable and pursue compensation.
Wet or Slippery Floors
St. Paul is home to dozens of retail establishments and stores, such as Hy-Vee Grocery Store, Menards, and others. Spills, leaks, or recently cleaned surfaces in these establishments and other places, such as restaurants or office buildings, can create slippery conditions. If a store owner or manager knew of the hazard but took no steps to clean up the spill or alert visitors of the danger, our attorneys can hold them liable for the injuries you sustain if you slip and fall there.
Uneven or Damaged Surfaces
Along with slippery surfaces, cracked or uneven sidewalks, parking lots, or flooring within buildings can pose tripping hazards. Property owners must keep common areas safe for all, and if they do not repair a cracked sidewalk or damaged flooring, they may bear liability for the costs of your injuries if you trip and fall.
Inadequate Lighting
Poorly lit areas increase the risk of slips, trips, and falls, as individuals may not see potential hazards or changes in surface levels. Dimly lit staircases, walkways, or parking lots can pose particular dangers.
Property owners must provide adequate lighting to mitigate these hazards. Our attorneys can seek damages from them for you if you fell on their premises because of poor lighting conditions.
Cluttered Aisles and Walkways
St. Paul has several big-box retail outlets, such as Costco, Sam’s Club, and Trader Joe's. The city also has many more small retail stores and shops. Obstacles or merchandise left in walkways can create tripping hazards, and store owners must keep all pathways clear and uncluttered. If you trip and fall over objects in the aisle of a store, you could obtain compensation with the help of our attorneys.
Hazardous Stairways and Steps
Uneven steps, lack of handrails, loose carpeting, or inadequate lighting on staircases increase the risk of falls. St. Paul has many older buildings with hazardous stairways and steps, so contact our attorneys as soon as possible if you fell on the stairs in a building and suffered serious injuries.
Inadequate Warning Signs
Although stores must mop up spills and restock shelves when patrons are in the store, the store manager should place warning signs or barriers around the hazard to alert others of the danger.
If they fail to provide adequate warning of hazards and you slip or trip and fall, speak with our attorneys about holding them liable for your injuries.
These are just some examples of how slip and fall accidents can happen, but other scenarios can lead to an accident as well. Regardless, if the property owner could have prevented the accident but for their negligence, contact a St. Paul slip and fall accident lawyer to discuss your options.
Minnesota Slip and Fall Accident Statistics
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the fall rate for adults over 65 years of age doubles every five years. The Minnesota Safety Council claims that Minnesota ranks among the highest in the country for deaths from falling in people over 65. Additionally, non-fatal falls cause moderate to serious injuries that reduce mobility, increase dependence on others, and lead to premature mortality. On average, more than 1,000 die in Minnesota each year because of falls, and thousands more sustain serious injuries.
What Are Common Slip and Fall Accident Injuries?
Slip and fall accidents can cause many injuries, depending on the height of the fall and the surface involved, as well as the overall health and age of the victim.
Some common slip and fall accident injuries we help people pursue compensation for at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers include:
- Broken bones: Slips and falls often break bones in the arms, shoulders, and wrists. Falls are also among the most common causes of hip fractures, particularly in the elderly. Depending on the fall, you could also break your legs, ankles, or feet.
- Spine injuries: A slip and fall accident can seriously injure the discs and surrounding tissue of the spine as well as to the spinal cord. Spine injuries often require extensive rehabilitation and therapy and present a considerable risk of a permanent disability.
- Sprains and strains: You could suffer serious muscle sprains or tears from twisting as you fall or as you try to stop yourself from falling. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the wrists, ankles, and shoulders can strain or sprain from a fall.
- Head injuries: A slip and fall accident can cause you to hit your head on the ground or floor, and you can suffer a range of head and brain injuries. You could experience a concussion or a traumatic brain injury, and you could face cognitive issues, memory problems, and other adverse effects that can damage all areas of your life.
- Cuts and abrasions: Falls can result in cuts and abrasions that lead to considerable blood loss if not treated immediately.
- Soft tissue damage: A slip and fall accident can easily damage soft tissue. Common conditions include contusions (bruises) and hematomas (blood pooling). Soft tissue injuries can cause intense pain and swelling, and they can limit your mobility and pose challenges in your daily activities.
- Dislocations: If you fall at an awkward angle, you could dislocate your hip, knees, or shoulders. You could also dislocate hand and wrist bones as you try to brace yourself from the fall.
Slip and fall accidents can cause more than just physical injuries. The trauma of the accident can create severe emotional and psychological issues, such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
No matter how serious your injuries appear at the time of the fall, get a prompt medical evaluation. Serious and life-threatening injuries require emergency medical care, but even if you don't think your injuries are serious, go to the doctor anyway. Certain injuries may not present symptoms right away, and you need a medical exam to rule out any complications that could arise later. You will also need documentation that you sustained injuries in the slip and fall accident and received medical care to file an injury claim or lawsuit.
How Do I Get Compensation for My Slip and Fall Injuries?
To obtain compensation for your slip and fall injuries, you must show you suffered injuries for which the property owner is liable. Your top priority is to get the medical treatment you need, and you need to contact our St. Paul slip and fall accident lawyers as soon as you can.
Our lawyers can gather the evidence to support your claim and hold the property owner liable.
Some information your lawyer may need to obtain includes:
- Copies of the official accident report
- Photographic or video evidence of the scene and the conditions that caused the slip and fall accident
- Surveillance video of the area at the time of the accident, if applicable
- Eyewitness statements
- Your medical records and treatment plan
- Your medical bills and hospital statements
- Proof of your lost income or work benefits
- Documentation of other related damages and out-of-pocket expenses
Having an attorney on your side increases your chances of getting the successful outcome you seek. They can handle the legwork for you and file your claim properly and within any deadlines. They can also deal with all communications and negotiations with the insurance company or take your case to trial if necessary to help you get the money you need.
St. Paul Slip and Fall Accident Attorney FAQs
How Long Do I Have to Pursue Compensation for a Slip and Fall Injury in Minnesota?
Minnesota’s statute of limitations for most slip and fall and other injury claims is six years. If you fail to file your lawsuit in civil court within that time, you could forfeit any right to pursue compensation.
Some exceptions could extend, or toll, the time you have to file, but you do not want to wait in starting the process. You could lose access to valuable evidence and witnesses could forget what they saw, so you need to contact an attorney immediately to discuss your options.
What Damages Can I Recover for My Slip and Fall Injuries?
If your lawyer can successfully show the property owner’s liability for your injuries because of their negligence in keeping their premises safe, they can recover damages either through a settlement or at trial, such as:
- Economic damages - To cover your medical bills, lost income, property damage, and other related out-of-pocket expenses. This can even include future medical care costs.
- Non-economic damages - To compensate you for your intangible losses, such as mental anguish, pain, suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In some rare cases, a court may award punitive damages to an accident victim if it finds the defendant exhibited egregious negligence or intentional misconduct in causing the accident.
Can I Afford a Slip and Fall Attorney?
Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, and you shouldn’t have to pay anything out of pocket to get the representation you need.
At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we don’t charge an upfront retainer or bill you hourly fees as we work on your case. Instead, we will handle your claim and assume the financial risk as we fight to get you compensation. We will take a percentage of your settlement or court award as payment when all is said and done, and if we don’t recover compensation for you, you will owe us nothing.
Our attorneys will go over all of this information with you during your free consultation so you understand everything completely before signing a contract.
Speak With Our Experienced St. Paul Slip and Fall Accident Attorneys Today
You shouldn’t bear the costs of your medical care and treatment for an injury that would not have happened if a property or store owner kept their premises safe.
You deserve full and fair compensation for all the costs and suffering resulting from your injuries. You can rely on the experienced St. Paul personal injury lawyers at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers for help in getting the compensation you need. Contact us today for a free consultation at (651) 237-4258.