Injuries from Slips and Falls
Compensation for your family's future is our why
Slips and falls can happen to anyone at any time. They happen in normal, day-to-day tasks such as shopping in a grocery store, walking to class, going to the gym, playing basketball at a city park, or exercising your dog on the sidewalk. Many slip and fall accidents necessitate medical help and/or time off work, leaving people in precarious financial situations. Legate Injury Lawyers genuinely cares about your recovery and your future. We have the necessary experience dealing with insurance companies and navigating the legal system to help you with your slip and fall lawsuit. Concentrate on getting better and leave the rest to Legate Injury Lawyers.
We can help protect your future, too.
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What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident
In the unfortunate event of a slip or fall, follow these steps for a hopeful future.
- Stay calm and seek the help you need. Clear thinking after you’ve fallen can help you build a legal case. If you are on a company’s property, report the fall to a manager on site and ensure that an incident report is completed. If you require medical help, don’t hesitate to call 911 and request an ambulance.
- Collect and preserve information about how the injury occurred. Take photos of the location where you fell, including the state of your environment (e.g., icy pavement, uneven sidewalk, lack of signage, poor lighting) and the shoes you were wearing. Take close-up photos of any injuries you have and make detailed notes. If another person saw you fall, request their contact information.
- Contact a lawyer as soon as possible. The slip and fall timeline is important. In these cases, you may be required to provide written notice to potential lawsuit defendants, even before the lawsuit is started. Notice must be delivered within a short and strict time limit (as low as 10 days after the fall) or else you lose your right to sue. Legate Injury Lawyers is ready to help you navigate your requirement to send notice and start a lawsuit ASAP. Consultations are free.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident
In the unfortunate event of a slip or fall, follow these steps for a hopeful future.
- Stay calm and seek the help you need. Clear thinking after you’ve fallen can help you build a legal case. If you are on a company’s property, report the fall to a manager on site and ensure that an incident report is completed. If you require medical help, don’t hesitate to call 911 and request an ambulance.
- Collect and preserve information about how the injury occurred. Take photos of the location where you fell, including the state of your environment (e.g., icy pavement, uneven sidewalk, lack of signage, poor lighting) and the shoes you were wearing. Take close-up photos of any injuries you have and make detailed notes. If another person saw you fall, request their contact information.
- Contact a lawyer as soon as possible. The slip and fall timeline is important. In these cases, you may be required to provide written notice to potential lawsuit defendants, even before the lawsuit is started. Notice must be delivered within a short and strict time limit (as low as 10 days after the fall) or else you lose your right to sue. Legate Injury Lawyers is ready to help you navigate your requirement to send notice and start a lawsuit ASAP. Consultations are free.
What Can I Expect from a Slip and Fall Lawyer?
Legate Injury Lawyers attempts to make the legal process as transparent as possible, so you have more headspace to focus on your recovery. Here’s what you can expect when working with us.
Common Types of Slip and Fall Accidents
Ranging from minor to serious, the most common injuries that Legate Injury Lawyers’ clients are recovering from include:
- Broken bones
- Dislocations
- Sprains and strains
- Bruises and scrapes
- Headaches
- Chronic pain
- Soft tissue injuries
- Pulled muscles
- Brain injury
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Emotional trauma
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries
When slip and fall accidents occur, Legate Injury Lawyers finds they typically happen due to similar circumstances, including:
- Poor maintenance of outdoor properties
- Failure to clear walkways (snow, ice, debris, garbage, clutter, spills)
- Failure to repair cracks or unevenness in walkways
- Poor signage and/or lighting in areas where pedestrians walk
- Failure to warn people of slippery surfaces (due to cleaning, etc.)
- Parking lots
- Sidewalks
- Stairwells
- Commercial stores
- Schools
- Playgrounds and parks
- Gyms and recreational sports arenas
Slip and Fall FAQsAll FAQs
The person(s) or business(es) liable for your injuries and damages will depend on your unique circumstances. The law requires that any person who owns, occupies, manages, or maintains a property in Ontario take all reasonable steps to keep the people who use that property safe. This legal duty is set out in a provincial law called the Occupiers Liability Act. You are also responsible for taking steps to protect your own safety, and if you don’t, you may be partly responsible for your injuries. Legate Injury Lawyers can help identify all potential defendants.
If you have fallen on city property (such as a public sidewalk or park), the law requires that you provide written notice to the city or municipality within 10 days of your fall, with few exceptions. As set out by the Municipal Act, the notice must state your intention to start a lawsuit and include the nature of your injury, as well as the date, time, and location of the fall. Legate Injury Lawyers will work with you to identify all potential defendants, send the notice within the strict time limit, or determine if an exception may apply in your case.
If your fall involves snow and ice, the law requires that you provide written notice to all potential defendants within 60 days of your fall, with few exceptions. As set out by the Occupiers Liability Act, the notice must state your intention to start a lawsuit and include the date, time, and location of the fall. Legate Injury Lawyers will work with you to identify all potential defendants, send the notice within the strict time limit, or determine if an exception may apply in your case.
This will depend on several circumstances. When you are injured at work, your right to receive compensation for injuries is set out by the Workplace Safety Insurance Act. Depending on who your employer is and how your injury occurred, you may only be allowed to receive compensation through workplace safety insurance benefits (WSIB). In other cases, you may be allowed to bring a lawsuit against your employer and any other employees who are involved. Legate Injury Lawyers will determine whether you have the right to bring a lawsuit.
If we agree to proceed beyond an initial investigation in your case, we usually enter into a contingency fee agreement that governs how we are paid. Most individuals cannot afford to pay upfront for a lawsuit. Contingency fee agreements facilitate access to justice by allowing you to compensate us for our time by paying a percentage of the amount you recover at the end of the case. The percentage fee is decided upon based on the risks in your particular case, the amount of resources we will spend to properly prepare your case, and other factors that we will discuss together.nnThe Law Society of Ontario requires firms to publish the maximum contingency fee they charge to ensure the public can make informed decisions. Unless a court orders otherwise, our fee will not be more than 35% of your damages and costs. Your fee may be lower. Fees will always be discussed and agreed upon in advance to ensure there are no surprises.
Our Your Team
Your loved one’s health, security and future is our why. Advocating for people who’ve experienced injuries is a labour of love for Legate Injury Lawyers. We’ve helped hundreds of families see beyond their current circumstances and secure brighter futures.
- Barbara Legate, Partner and Sr. Trial Lawyer
- Alex Wolfe, Partner and Trial Lawyer
- Luke Kilroy, Associate Lawyer
- Amanda Enwright, Associate Lawyer
- Danielle Ramsay, Associate Lawyer
We can help protect your future, too.
