Slip & Fall

In 2008, more than 8.5 million people were injured in slip-and-fall accidents.* Slip-and-fall accidents are when a person is injured due to tripping, slipping or falling on someone else’s property. The resulting injuries in these cases can range from minor scrapes to catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord damage. Property owners are responsible for maintaining safe premises and for warning visitors of hazards that the visitor may not be aware of under the given circumstances. If the property owner fails to warn visitors of existing conditions / situations and an injury occurs, the owner may be liable.

If you have been the victim of a slip-and-fall accident, call Kearns Rotolo Law. Anthony Kearns, Victor Rotolo, and the Firm's attorneys are experienced in these matters.

Victor A. Rotolo has been a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum since June 2002 and in 2016 became a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum members are attorneys who have won verdicts and settlements in the amount of one million dollars and above. Members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum have won multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. [No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court.]

Victor A. Rotolo has been included on the List of New Jersey Super Lawyers in the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 marking his nineteenth year of inclusion on this list. The list of New Jersey Super Lawyers is generated by the Thomson Reuters organization which employs the following methodology and set of standards to compile the list each year. Super Lawyers Selection Methodology [No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court.]

Victor A. Rotolo is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney.

"A certified attorney is more than just an attorney who specializes in a particular area of law. A New Jersey attorney who is certified by the Supreme Court as a civil trial attorney must have:

• been a member in good standing of the New Jersey bar for over 5 years
• demonstrated a substantial level of experience in civil trial law
• been favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with his or her work
• taken and passed a written examination in civil trial law."

Source: Supreme Court of New Jersey, Board on Attorney Certification, Brochure on Certified Civil Trial Attorney. See Rule 1:39: Specialty Certification of Attorneys.

Slip-and-fall accidents can occur indoors or outdoors or on public or private property because of dangerous conditions that present an unreasonable risk to someone visiting the property.

Examples of some dangerous conditions may be:

• Snow, ice, or rain
• Potholes
• Uneven sidewalks
• Torn carpeting or changes in flooring
• Poor lighting
• Obstructions on the floor or walkway
• Slippery tiling

In the event of a slip-and-fall accident, it is important to determine whether or not you were injured because of someone else’s actions or because of someone else not taking action that he/she had the responsibility to take. You need to know if the property owner acted with care to avoid the possibility of falls and if the owner was aware that a dangerous condition existed. While you should be aware of any obvious dangers under any circumstance, in a slip-and-fall case the victim would not be able to anticipate the condition that caused the fall would exist. It must be the property owner’s negligence and not the victim’s that caused the accident.

The property owner may be liable if the fact that the owner created the condition can be proven, if the owner was aware of the existence of the condition and yet neglected or failed to correct it, and if the condition existed for a prior period of time that allowed the situation to be corrected before the accident occurred. In short the owner must be shown to have created the dangerous condition due to negligence. Proving that an owner violated relevant statutes, such as building codes, can also demonstrate negligence. In many cases, deciding who is legally responsible is determined by common sense and whether or not the owner was reasonable in safely securing the property. Slip-and-fall accidents occur frequently and can be very serious and damaging to the victim. If you or a loved one has slipped, tripped or fallen resulting in injury and you are not the responsible party, you may be eligible for compensation and damages.

The attorneys at Kearns Rotolo Law have the experience to advocate for your rights.

YOU DO NOT PAY ANY ATTORNEY FEES UNLESS WE WIN YOUR CASE.

Attorneys' fees are only collected if your case is resolved successfully on your behalf. These fees are referred to as "contingency fees" because the fees are dependent (i.e., contingent) upon the success of your case.

If you cannot come to our offices, we will meet you where it is convenient.

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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