Wyoming - The Advocates

Injuries from a slip and fall can happen anywhere and anytime. More than a million Americans each year require emergency medical treatment following a slip and fall incident. Fair to say not one of them left the house that day planning on a painful and debilitating encounter with the ground. The resulting injuries can range from mild to severe, and even sometimes fatal.

Slip and Falls are a Leading Cause of Injury for All Age Groups

Slip and falls for older adults is a real problem with one third of all adults over 65 years of age suffering a fall each year. However, slip and falls are also the most common cause for non-fatal injuries to occur in every age group except for people who are aged 10-24, where it is second. Number one cause for both hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries? You guessed it, slip and fall accidents.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the average medical costs for a slip and fall injury is over $30,000. Slip and fall injuries generate over $34 billion a year in just medical expenses. This does not consider lost wages, time taken off work, or the pain and suffering of the victim. This can be a devastating blow to the families of slip and fall victims. It is vital to consider your legal options regarding recouping your financial losses. Often there is negligence on the part of the property owner that caused you to slip and fall. In instances you are entitled to compensation. There are some important steps you can take after a slip and fall accident to protect your potential claim.

Take Care of Yourself First

Right after a slip and fall your priority should be on your health. Decide if you need emergency medical services or if you can make your way directly to urgent care on your own. Injuries from a slip and fall may not seem serious at first but can suddenly worsen. Prompt medical treatment is the safest plan after a slip and fall accident. Insurance companies may suggest your injuries were not that serious if you delay seeking medical attention.

Inform the Right People

Report the incident to the business or property owner as soon as circumstances allow. Neglecting to report a slip and fall in a timely fashion is not an absolute bar to filing a claim. However, insurance companies and even juries can interpret a delay in reporting the accident negatively. Should the accident occur on commercial property, ask to speak with the senior management person available. You would need to report the accident to the proper governmental agency if the fall occurred on public property.

Gather Evidence

Falling in public can be embarrassing. It is tempting to dust yourself off and make a swift exit. However, leaving too quickly can be a mistake if you lose out on preserving important evidence. Spend a moment to get some pictures of where you fell if possible. Gather evidence of anything you feel may have contributed to your fall. Consider things like lighting, obstacles, spills, or debris in the walkway. Do not be shy about asking potential witnesses for a brief statement and contact information. Most people will sympathize with your plight and be willing to help.

Friends and Family

In the case of a slip and fall at the property of a friend or family member take the same steps outlined above. Reassure them you will not be seeking damages directly from them but from their insurance company.

What Not to Do

An important thing to remember is this is not the time or place to discuss who is at fault regarding your slip and fall accident. Do not make any statements to the property owner or insurance company about your role in contributing to the fall until you have consulted with an attorney. If you feel they are at fault, then try and document anything that you feel could aid your attorney in making that determination. Stay calm and avoid getting into a verbal altercation about the incident.

How Much to Expect from a Slip and Fall Settlement

Average case settlement amounts can be misleading. Every case has a unique set of facts that when taken together will shape the amount of the award. The process to calculate what exactly is fair and just compensation for your losses involves multiple steps. Only by working closely with your attorney and doctors can a satisfactory monetary amount be arrived at. Here are some of the initial factors commonly used to help determine the award amount:

Medical bills both past and future
Lost wages or missed work
Compensation for pain, suffering, and emotional distress
Loss of companionship or consortium
Impact on quality of life

Impact of Comparative Negligence

The State of Utah is a comparative negligence state. Pursuant to this doctrine each party is assigned a percentage of the blame for their contribution to the accident. Parties will assign the percentage of fault via agreement during the settlement process, or by findings made at trial. The court or settlement agreement will reduce final award by the percentage of fault assigned to you. A common tactic in defense of slip and fall cases is to argue the victim bears some of the responsibility for the accident. If successful, this tact can significantly reduce the amount of your settlement or award. Anticipating this approach and being ready to counter it is an important part of the settlement process or trial preparation for your attorney.
Filing a claim for a slip and fall injury can be quite an involved process. Insurance companies can be dismissive of your injury claims or offer you a low settlement, leaving you on the hook for your medical bills. Having an experienced attorney fighting for your rights is the only way to make sure they are paying their full share.
The Advocates have been Utah’s premier personal injury firm for almost 30 years. We have recovered over $300 million on behalf of our clients. The expert attorneys at The Advocates take the guesswork out of filing a claim and fight to make sure you get everything you are due. Take advantage of our free case evaluation by calling us today at 1-801-797-2446, or you can fill out the form below, or chat with us here. Don’t you deserve an Advocate?

Who Are Sergeant Watson and Cash?

Sgt. Watson has been a police officer for nearly 20 years, with experience in patrol, detective work, and SWAT. He joined the UPD’s K-9 Unit about seven years ago. As the unit supervisor and lead trainer, he oversees five K-9 teams. He cites K-9 work as his favorite assignment of his career, finding it both challenging and rewarding.

Cash is a seven-year-old German Shepherd. He and Sgt. Watson have been working together since Cash was one year old. Cash is a dual-purpose K-9, meaning that he is trained to locate illegal substances as well as apprehend suspects. He uses his sense of smell to detect both narcotics and humans in a variety of places, including vehicles, buildings, fields, and neighborhoods.
In 2020, Sgt. Watson and Cash were recognized by Friends for UPD K-9 as the UPD K-9 Team of the Year. They work together to lead the unit with dedication, collaboration, and high professional standards.

What Does the K-9 Unit Do?

K-9 officers are both police officers and trained dog handlers. Each officer is paired with a canine partner, who is trained in-house by the UPD. Police dogs live with their handlers, and the handler makes sure the dog is properly trained, cared for, and healthy. Cash is part of the Watson family, and he enjoys time off at home just as much as Sgt. Watson does. K-9s know when they are working and when they are off duty, meaning they are perfectly safe around children and strangers. In fact, playing with people and other dogs helps the K-9s gain important social skills.
The duties of K-9s are varied, depending on the unit. Police dogs can be trained to track down illegal substances, explosives, missing persons, and bodies. K-9s can also assist in day-to-day operations, such as traffic stops or emergencies. The UPD K-9 Unit works a graveyard shift from 6:00 pm to 4:00 am every night. The teams can also be called out during daytime hours.
Our UPD K-9 Unit is also active in community events. Over the last several years, the UPD has participated in the Festival of Trees, the Soldier Hollow Sheepdog Championships, and in many police dog demonstrations for schools, church groups, and businesses. The teams enjoy holding these demonstrations because they are effective learning tools for the public, and the officers appreciate the chance to interact with community members.

How Does a Dog Become a Police K-9?

Not just any dog can work as a police dog. A K-9 needs to have specific personality traits, as well as physical attributes. Most of the dogs on the UPD K-9 team are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, or mixes of the two breeds. These dogs are herding breeds that are highly loyal. They were acquired from a variety of countries across Europe, including Germany, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands.
Before the UPD’s dogs could begin police work, they had to undergo rigorous physical checks and temperament tests to ensure they were able to reliably perform the job of a K-9.
At around one or two years of age, the dogs are ready to begin training with our UPD officers. The dogs train full-time for several months to become certified for police work. After they are certified, they continue to train daily until retirement. The UPD’s K-9s work regularly on obedience, endurance, agility, and specialty training.
The UPD has both single-purpose and dual-purpose K-9s. Like Cash, dual-purpose K-9s are trained in two areas of police work—narcotic detection and suspect apprehension. Single-purpose dogs are only trained in one of these areas.
After seven or eight years of service, K-9s usually retire. In most cases, the dog will continue to live with his handler after retirement. The UPD’s dogs are truly part of their handler’s families.

Who Are the Friends of UPD K-9?

Friends of UPD K-9 is a non-profit organization that helps support the K-9 unit. They raise money to help the teams with a variety of expenses. First and foremost, they assist the UPD with purchasing service animals, as the dogs are typically in high demand. They also help provide ballistic vests, paw protection, harnesses, leashes, and more for the K-9s. Additionally, “Friends” gives the K-9 teams the opportunity to attend and host trainings throughout Utah. The organization also helps supplement medical care for retired K-9s.
The Friends of UPD K-9 accept donations through their website or by mail. Their mailing address is 2376 Cinnabar Lane, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121. Their website also provides more information about the K-9 unit, including spotlights on the five other UPD K-9 partnerships.
The Advocates would like to express our sincere thanks to the Unified Police Department K-9 teams for their service. We appreciate their dedication and commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our communities.

Category Archives: Wyoming

Slip and Fall Accidents in Utah