Lawyer for Slip and Fall – Trip and Fall Accidents at Sacramento International Airport

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is a public airport that serves as the main gateway to some of California’s most popular attractions, including Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, the California Wine Country, and Heavenly Mountain Resort. SMF is located 10 miles from Downtown Sacramento and is operated by the Sacramento County Airport System, an agency of the County of Sacramento. The airport serves as a transportation hub for many passenger and cargo airlines, which makes it prone to all sorts of accidents, including slip and fall and trip and fall incidents.

Such accidents can be caused by a variety of hazards in and around the airport, like water on the floor, tools and equipment that are not put away, and spilled drinks or food at airport cafes and restaurants. No matter the cause, a fall-related accident at SMF can lead to catastrophic injuries. If negligence by airport owners or operators caused you to fall down, you may have grounds to sue the County of Sacramento for monetary compensation.

If you are in need of legal advice from a Sacramento International Airport slip and fall lawyer, don’t hesitate to give us a call. Alternatively, if a dangerous condition at SMF caused you to trip, contact us to speak with one of the Sacramento International Airport trip and fall attorneys here at Normandie Law Firm.

Injuries From Falling Down at Sacramento International Airport

Slipping on something or tripping over an object is a fairly common occurrence, which is why people tend to brush off these accidents. The truth is, accidents from a fall are responsible for over 8 million emergency room visits and around 800,000 hospitalizations every year in the U.S. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the injuries you can end up with from a slip or fall or trip and fall at Sacramento International Airport:

• Cuts and puncture wounds
• Traumatic brain injury
• Broken hip or pelvis
• Back and neck injuries, such as spinal cord damage and whiplash
• Fractured shoulder or collarbone
• Joint dislocation in the knees or elbows
• Tearing of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments (soft tissue injuries)
• Sprains in the ankles, hands, and wrists
• Permanent nerve damage leading to paralysis / loss of function
• Damage to the internal organs
• Chronic pain
• Death

Sadly, SMF airport slip and fall injuries can cause death, particularly among those above the age of 60. These individuals have a difficult time recovering from the trauma of their injuries, and as a result, their family members are left to deal with the financial and emotional impact of losing their loved one. As someone that lost a spouse or relative to an airport fall accident injury, you may be entitled to funeral expenses, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and other types of wrongful death compensation. To learn more about your legal options, contact our law firm to schedule a free case evaluation.

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Liability for a Slip and Fall / Trip and Fall Accident

California’s law of premises liability obligates all property owners to keep their premises free of hazards that can cause injury to their guests and visitors. Thus, it’s usually the County of Sacramento that’s responsible if you fell at Sacramento International Airport from a dangerous condition, such as:

• Broken hand rails
• Slippery floors
• Uneven flooring
• Broken tiles or pavement
• Bunched up carpets and rugs
• Poor lighting
• Sticky floors
• Debris in high traffic areas, including the parking lot
• No Wet Floor signs on freshly mopped floors
• Weather-related hazards – black ice, snow, and puddles

An SMF airport slip and fall lawyer at our office can determine the exact cause of your accident and take immediate action on a compensation claim against the Sacramento County Airport System. By conducting a thorough investigation, we may find that there are other parties to blame for your injuries. If you fell off the escalators at the airport, for example, it’s possible that a defective part caused the escalators to malfunction. In this type of situation, you may be able to sue the product manufacturer instead of, or along with, the owner / operators of the airport. Other parties that may be at fault for a fall-related injury at an airport include:

• A public or private airline
• Duty free shop, café, or restaurant inside the airport
• Shuttle company
• Public transit – Yolobus, Sacramento Regional Transit, etc.
• Taxi and rideshare companies (Taxi Yellow Cab, Uber, Lyft)
• Cargo companies – FedEx, Amazon Air, or Amerijet International

What to Do if You Fall and Injure Yourself at Sacramento International Airport

Taking the right steps after an accident is the best way to preserve evidence and build a solid case for compensation as a trip and fall or slip and fall injury victim. Here are some tips for what you can do as soon as you’ve suffered an injury:

• Call out for assistance from airport security / staff.

Do this right away so that an incident report is filed by airport staff. This is crucial to establishing that you were injured at the airport and not somewhere else. Keep in mind that they are looking for incriminating statements when they ask you questions about the accident. Avoid saying things that can make you look bad, such as “I should have paid attention to where I was going.”

• Start the evidence gathering process by taking photos of your injuries.

Proof of the harm you’ve suffered should be documented right away, so, if at all possible, use your phone to take pictures of your injuries and the hazard that caused you to fall. Make sure to note any security cameras in the area that may have surveillance footage of your accident.

• If others witnessed your accident, ask for their contact information.

There’s a good chance that people saw you fall down at a busy place like Sacramento International Airport. Try to get their contact info so that you can ask them for a statement later on.

• Go to a hospital / emergency room right away.

This is another essential step to proving that you suffered injuries from falling down at the airport. Aside from providing you with medical records, immediate treatment is the best way to avoid serious complications from a slip and fall or trip and fall accident.

• Start a collection of evidence.

Along with your medical records, make sure to save anything that can substantiate your claim against the airport, such as proof of missed days at work, your damaged belongings, witness statements, and photos of your injuries.

• Talk to a lawyer experienced in slip and fall accidents at Sacramento International Airport.

Contact us as soon as possible to speak with an SMF slip and fall lawyer or an attorney that’s experienced in trip and fall injuries. Our legal team will take immediate action on your case and ensure that you are properly compensated by the responsible parties.

Monetary Damages From a Lawsuit against Sacramento International Airport

Considering how serious these accidents can be, it’s important to fight for all the payments you are entitled to from a SMF airport slip and fall lawsuit (or trip and fall lawsuit). An attorney for slip and fall accidents at Sacramento International Airport can verify which damages you can request in your injury claim, which may include some or all of the following:

• Medical costs
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Property damage
• Cost of legal representation
• Punitive damages

Settlement Value of a Fall Injury Accident Case against SMF

The value of an airport accident case for a fall-related injury is based on the events surrounding your accident, as well as the losses you have suffered due to your injuries. That’s why there is so single answer we can give when people ask us for the average value of an SMF trip and fall lawsuit or a claim for slip and fall injuries at Sacramento International Airport. There is, however, a much better chance of receiving maximum compensation from these cases when you hire an experienced attorney. It’s also worth noting that lawsuits against major public facilities like airports tend to bring in higher settlement values.

If we look at the settlements that have been recovered by our attorneys, we would say that the majority of SMF slip and fall lawsuits fall within the range of $250,000 to over $2 million. If you are seeking damages from a Sacramento International Airport trip and fall lawsuit, your case value may be around $175,000 to over $2.5 million. Keep in mind that some case values are much lower if they involve minor injuries, but we’ve also recovered $5 million and above for those with severe, lifelong complications such as brain injury and spinal cord damage. The takeaway here is that valuating a slip and fall or trip and fall lawsuit is a complicated process, one that requires guidance from a knowledgeable attorney. If you fell and got injured at Sacramento International Airport, call us right away to schedule a free case review with an airport accident injury lawyer.

How Long will it Take to Settle my Case?

We are just as eager as you are to settle your case and bring you the justice you deserve from an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence. It’s always our goal to negotiate a client’s payment directly with the defendant and bring them a resolution within 4 to 8 months. But this may not be possible based on the extent of your injuries and the at-fault party’s willingness to accept responsibility. Based on the complications that may come up during the legal process, recovering compensation from an SMF airport slip and fall lawsuit or trip and fall injury claim can take 2 years or longer.

What is the Deadline to Sue an Airport for a Slip and Fall Accident?

The deadline for an airport accident lawsuit can be quite complicated, as it all depends on the ownership of the airport. If your airport slip and fall injuries occurred on a privately owned facility, you would normally have 2 years from the accident date to file a lawsuit. However, Sacramento International Airport is owned by the County of Sacramento, which means you will need to file a government claim.

Under the California Tort Claims Act, compensation claims against the government must be filed within 6 months of the incident date. Once your request is received by the appropriate agency, they have 45 days to approve or deny your claim in writing. If you receive a denial notice from the county, you will need to file a lawsuit within 6 months from the rejection date to pursue a claim for damages. In some cases, they may not respond at all within the 45-day window, which will allow you two years from the date of your injuries to file a personal injury lawsuit.

We know that these timelines can be quite confusing, but our lawyers are here to answer any questions you have and ensure that your documents are filed in a timely manner. Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you’d like to learn more about the process of filing a lawsuit against Sacramento International Airport.

Second Opinion Consultations

Are you in the middle of a Sacramento International Airport slip and fall lawsuit that you have questions or concerns about? Are you unhappy with your current SMF trip and fall attorney and want to know what your legal options are when you have a pending accident claim? Our law firm is happy to assist you with a free second opinion. You can have your case evaluated by an airport accident liability expert at our law firm and learn about the steps you can take, which may include switching your lawyer and allowing us to handle your claim. Then again, it’s possible that your attorney is on the right track, and there is no cause for alarm. Either way, we are happy to educate you on your rights and legal options, so please take a moment to contact us for a free second opinion consultation.

Consultation with a California Fall Accident Injury Attorney

As the victim of a slip and fall or trip and fall at Sacramento International Airport, it’s essential to seek advice from a lawyer that’s experienced in premises liability lawsuits. The attorneys of Normandie Law Firm have decades of litigation experience on behalf of airport accident injury victims and their family members. We are more than confident in our ability to win your case if you slipped and fell at the airport or tripped over something that the airport should have taken care of.

All clients are protected under the Zero Fee Guarantee, which means they are never responsible for any legal fees. Our expenses are calculated into your settlement award, so it’s paid to us by the County of Sacramento at the same time you are compensated for your injuries. If we don’t secure the settlement you are owed as an injury victim, you owe us absolutely nothing, since we shouldn’t get paid if you don’t get paid.

To schedule a free case evaluation with an airport fall accident injury lawyer, contact our law firm at your earliest convenience.

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