Veterinarian Hospital Trip and Fall Injury Lawyer

When we visit a medical center, we expect that that the facilities are clean and orderly, with professional staff that are on the lookout for hazards. Unfortunately, some places that take care of animals are messy, disorganized, and full of conditions that can cause bodily harm to others.

With animal clinics, dog bites and other injuries from people’s pets are definitely a cause for concern. But we also have to think about accidents like trip and falls when we take our dog to the vet. To get a sense of why these accidents happen, here are the leading causes of trip and fall incidents at a veterinary practice:

• Debris from overflowing garbage cans
• Failure to secure wires and cords and make sure they are not in people’s way
• Floors with missing tiles / carpeting
• Boxes, tools, step stools, and other objects that are not put away
• Broken concrete in parking lots / sidewalks
• Broken or cracked steps
• Holes in the ground (especially on grass, where they are harder to see)
• Poor lighting
• Exposed tree roots

For many of us, an accident is an embarrassing and awkward situation that we want to get away from. If you fall down at your vet’s, you have the added worry of needing to get your pet home and away from a stressful situation. However, we urge you to fight your natural instinct and ensure that an accident report is filed with the clinic. In addition, seek medical care within 48 hours so that your injuries are documented and you can begin the proper course of treatment. Otherwise, you can end up with serious complications from one of more of the following:

• Joint dislocation
• Traumatic brain injury
• Broken tailbone
• Deep cuts that can lead to infection and disfigurement
• Chipped or lost teeth
• Sprained ankle or wrist
• Hip fracture
• Damage to the neck or spinal cord
• Fractured knee cap
• Soft tissue injuries (tearing of muscles, tendons, and ligaments)
• Paralysis from permanent nerve damage
• Loss of hearing
• Impaired vision, particularly double vision and blurry vision
• Chronic pain 

Owners of residential and commercial properties in California owe guests and visitors a duty of care. This includes protecting them from accidents like trip and falls. They can do this by ensuring that the premises are clean and free of dangerous conditions. They should also make repairs and replace broken items in a timely manner, or make sure there are signs and barriers to keep people from using the unsafe object.

If you were injured by the clinic’s failure to maintain reasonably safe conditions, you have the right to seek monetary damages for the harm you suffered. Through an accident claim, there are various damages you can receive, such as medical expenses, lost wages and/or lost earning potential, and pain and suffering. However, it’s more than likely that you will run into complicated issues and stall tactics from the defendant’s insurance company. As a result, many people with trip and fall injuries end up with denied claims or less money than they are entitled to.

Our goal is to secure the maximum payment you deserve, thereby ensuring that you have what you need to heal from the accident and move forward in a positive direction.

As a general rule, trip and fall and slip and falls incidents are blamed on the home or business owner, but things are a bit more complicated when the source of injury is an animal. Vet clinics can be rather chaotic places at times, and there’s no denying that some of this due to carelessness by the owner. For example, you often see people distracted by their phone or something else while their dog is wandering around off- leash. This can be a very dangerous situation if the animal lashes out and bites someone of their pet.

Another possibility is that someone will trip over the dog, which is common with small or short dogs, especially if they are standing behind you. Normally, it’s the owner that’s responsible for injuries caused by their pet, so this is the party you would sue for monetary damages. But the clinic may be liable as well, considering they should have rules in place to minimize the potential for a pet-related accident.

For example, a veterinary practice should have safety requirements, like mandating that all animals are on a leash or carrier. People should also be asked to be mindful of their pets if it appears that they are not supervising the animal. Vet staff must also be careful when they take a dog, cat, etc. from the owner and transport to it from the examination room. Not being careful and leaving the animal in an area where someone can trip over it is a form of negligence that can serve as grounds for a lawsuit.

As you can see, there are numerous factors to consider when you have been injured from a trip and fall at a veterinary hospital.

The amount that can be recovered from a vet trip and fall accident case varies from around $5,000 to over $3,000,000. However, the majority of clients we represent are dealing with serious injuries that compromise the quality of their life for years, maybe for the rest of their lives. That’s why even settlements on the lower end range from $75,000 to $125,000. Fall accident victims with severe, permanent injuries that cause disability are likely to receive over $1,000,000.

Ultimately, the amount that a trip and fall lawsuit will settle for is based on many factors that are specific to each claimant. To find out the value of your veterinary hospital trip and fall claim, call us to schedule a free case review.

On average, it takes between 6 and 12 months to settle a fall injury accident claim. But timelines vary from one case to another, and there are many issues that are beyond our control when it comes to settling a personal injury lawsuit. For minor injuries, recovering compensation on behalf of the victim can take a few weeks to a few months. However, trip and fall incidents, especially on commercial properties, tend to result in serious injuries and long-term complications. That’s why 12 or more months is required for some of these cases, and even longer depending on the defendant’s resistance to work towards a fair settlement. If an agreement cannot be reached and the case is tried in court, the amount of time to settle a trip and fall lawsuit can exceed 3 years.

No matter what type of lawsuit you are filing, you must file the required paperwork within a set amount of time, which is known as the statute of limitations. For those who are suing for a slip and fall or trip and fall accident, the deadline for a claim is 2 years from the incident date. Some cases involve extenuating circumstances that can lengthen how much time you have for a lawsuit. However, the 2-year rule is the standard that applies in most personal injury lawsuits. Our vet trip and fall lawyers can verify the exact deadline for an injury claim and ensure that your lawsuit if filed on time.

Here at DTLA Law Firm, we understand the importance of protecting our clients’ finances from start to finish. That’s why we will never ask you to pay upfront for the cost of hiring a fall accident injury lawyer. That comes from the party you are suing, and only if we are successful in recovering your settlement. Otherwise, we make $0, and you will not be responsible for any of our expenses.

To take advantage of the Zero Fee Guarantee and speak to a lawyer with experience in suing for trip and fall accidents, contact our law firm.

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