Personal Injury - Trip Falls and Dog Bites


There are other personal injuries for which you may receive compensation which are different than homeowner's insurance or automobile collision insurance claims.

1. Trip Falls
Uneven steps, slick floors, spilled fluids, defective thresholds, bad lighting, spilled objects on floors and stairs, and pets cause people to trip and fall thereby injuring themselves. If this happens, you should promptly seek medical treatment, and you should try to take pictures of the incident location and gather up some of the material that you might have slipped on. If you can secure the names of witnesses, I would suggest you have them write down their names and telephone numbers; this could be extremely helpful at a later time.

In most instances, trip/fall cases are denied by insurance carriers and there is a 50/50 chance of winning. However, the percentages of winning a trip/fall case go up substantially when there has been a proper investigation, when you have an independent eye witness that saw what happened, and when you have photos or some of the material(s) that you slipped on. Obviously, most people do not carry a camera around on their person, but if you could return to the scene shortly after you fell, or have a friend or a relative return shortly after you fell, to photograph the area and photograph what was on the floor, (if it is still available), this goes a long way in establishing liability of the business operator or the homeowner.

2. Dog Bites
There is no "one bite rule" for a dog or dog owner. Dog owners are strictly responsible for injured persons under recent laws. Often other persons may be responsible for dogs harbored on or whom they allow to frequent their home or business property. Photos of the bites should be taken immediately, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, plus medical treatment must be promptly done. Rabies treatment must be done if the dog is not available for quarantine.