Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere in Paramus—at Garden State Plaza, local supermarkets, office buildings, restaurants, or apartment complexes. When property owners fail to maintain safe conditions or warn visitors about hazards like wet floors, uneven pavement, or poor lighting, innocent people suffer serious injuries that disrupt their lives for months or years.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident in Paramus or Bergen County, Luis Martinez can help you pursue compensation from the negligent property owner. With 34 years of experience handling premises liability cases throughout Northern New Jersey, Luis understands the local courts, knows the roads and businesses where these accidents occur, and provides the personal, accessible representation you deserve. As a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, he will fight to secure maximum compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Contact our Hackensack office today for a free consultation and let us help you pursue the justice and full compensation you deserve.
Many slip and fall victims wonder whether they need a lawyer or can handle their claim directly with the property owner’s insurance company. While minor injuries from simple falls might be resolved without legal help, most slip and fall cases benefit significantly from experienced representation.
Property owners and their insurance companies have teams of lawyers and investigators working to deny or minimize your claim by arguing you were at fault, your injuries aren’t serious, or the dangerous condition didn’t exist. Without a skilled attorney on your side, you may struggle to prove liability, properly document your injuries, or negotiate for fair compensation that covers all your damages.
A qualified slip and fall lawyer brings invaluable experience to your case by thoroughly investigating the accident scene before evidence disappears, gathering photographic and video evidence, identifying and interviewing witnesses, consulting with safety and engineering authorities, reviewing property maintenance records and inspection reports, and building a compelling case that demonstrates the property owner’s negligence. Your attorney will handle all negotiations with insurance adjusters who are trained to minimize payouts, accurately calculate the full extent of your damages including future medical needs and lost earning capacity, and take your case to trial if necessary. Most importantly, slip and fall attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless they successfully recover money for you.
At Luis Martinez Law, we represent clients injured in all types of slip and fall accidents throughout Paramus and Bergen County. Premises liability cases can occur in virtually any location where property owners fail to maintain safe conditions, properly inspect their properties, or warn visitors about known hazards.
No matter where your slip and fall accident occurred in Paramus or the surrounding Bergen County communities, Luis Martinez has the local knowledge and legal experience to effectively represent your interests. Having grown up in this area and practiced law here for over three decades, Luis knows the businesses, properties, and local conditions that contribute to these preventable accidents.
Slip and fall accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, from minor bruises and sprains to catastrophic injuries requiring extensive medical treatment and long-term care. The severity of your injuries depends on factors like the height of the fall, the surface you landed on, your age and overall health, and whether you were able to brace yourself during the fall. Understanding the most common types of slip and fall injuries helps victims recognize the full extent of their damages and pursue appropriate compensation.
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Hip fractures, wrist fractures, and ankle fractures are extremely common in slip and fall accidents as victims instinctively extend their arms to break their fall or land awkwardly on their hip or leg. These injuries often require surgery, extended rehabilitation, and may result in permanent mobility limitations, particularly in older adults. Hip fractures can be especially devastating, with many elderly victims never fully recovering their previous level of independence and mobility.
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When victims strike their head during a fall, they may suffer concussions, traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, or other serious head trauma that can have lasting cognitive and physical effects. Even seemingly minor head injuries require immediate medical evaluation because symptoms of brain injuries may not appear until hours or days after the accident. Traumatic brain injuries can result in memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and other symptoms that significantly impact quality of life and earning capacity.
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The impact of a fall can damage vertebrae, discs, ligaments, and nerves in the back and spine, resulting in herniated discs, compression fractures, nerve damage, and in severe cases, partial or complete paralysis. Spinal cord injuries are among the most catastrophic outcomes of slip and fall accidents, often requiring lifetime medical care and dramatically altering every aspect of the victim’s life. Even less severe back injuries can cause chronic pain, limited mobility, and permanent disability that prevents victims from returning to their previous employment.
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Sprains, strains, torn ligaments, and muscle damage may seem less serious than broken bones but can cause significant pain, require months of physical therapy, and result in chronic problems if not properly treated. Soft tissue injuries to the shoulders, knees, ankles, and back are particularly common in slip and fall accidents and may not be immediately apparent, with pain and swelling developing over the hours and days following the incident. These injuries can significantly impact your ability to work, perform daily activities, and enjoy life.
While many slip and fall accidents result in relatively minor injuries that heal with time and basic medical care, some falls cause catastrophic injuries that permanently alter the victim’s life. These severe injuries often occur when victims fall from heights, strike their head on hard surfaces, or land with significant force on critical body parts. Understanding the potential severity of slip and fall injuries underscores the importance of seeking immediate medical attention after any fall and consulting with an experienced attorney to protect your rights.
Severe head trauma from a slip and fall can result in traumatic brain injury with permanent cognitive impairment, personality changes, memory loss, difficulty processing information, and reduced ability to perform work or daily activities. Victims may require extensive rehabilitation, ongoing therapy, and lifetime assistance with basic tasks. The financial and emotional toll of severe traumatic brain injury extends far beyond the initial medical treatment, affecting not only the victim but their entire family who often becomes caregivers.
When a slip and fall causes damage to the spinal cord, victims may experience partial or complete paralysis below the point of injury, loss of sensation, inability to control bodily functions, and dependence on assistive devices and caregivers for the rest of their lives. Spinal cord injuries represent some of the most devastating consequences of slip and fall accidents, requiring millions of dollars in lifetime medical care, home modifications, specialized equipment, and ongoing assistance with daily living activities.
Falls from significant heights or onto hard surfaces can cause multiple broken bones, crushed extremities, severe internal injuries, and compound fractures that penetrate the skin and carry high risk of infection and complications. These injuries typically require multiple surgeries, extended hospitalization, months of rehabilitation, and may result in permanent disfigurement, limited mobility, chronic pain, and inability to return to previous employment or activities.
Tragically, some slip and fall accidents result in fatal injuries, particularly among elderly victims who may have underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable to complications from their injuries. When a loved one dies from injuries sustained in a slip and fall accident caused by property owner negligence, surviving family members may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death claim for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and other damages resulting from their tragic loss.
The actions you take immediately after a slip and fall accident can significantly impact your ability to recover compensation for your injuries. Property owners and their insurance companies will look for any reason to deny your claim or minimize your payout, so documenting the accident and your injuries from the very beginning is critical. Many slip and fall victims are confused, injured, or embarrassed after their fall and fail to take important steps that would strengthen their legal claim. Following these guidelines can help protect your rights and preserve crucial evidence.
Notify the property owner, manager, or business staff about your fall right away and insist they create an official incident report documenting what happened. Get a copy of this report for your records before leaving the property. If you’re in a store or business, ask to speak with a manager who can properly document the accident. Reporting immediately creates an official record that the accident occurred and prevents the property owner from later claiming it never happened, wasn’t reported timely, or didn’t occur on their premises.
If you’re physically able, take photographs or videos of the exact location where you fell, the hazard that caused your fall, and the surrounding area. Capture multiple angles and include any warning signs or lack thereof. Get photos of your injuries as well. This visual evidence is crucial because property owners often quickly repair dangerous conditions after an accident, destroying evidence of what caused your fall. If you can’t take photos yourself, ask a witness or family member to do so on your behalf.
Get the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of anyone who saw your fall or the dangerous condition that caused it. Witness testimony can be invaluable in proving what happened and that the hazard existed. Even if witnesses didn’t see the actual fall, they may have noticed the dangerous condition earlier or seen how long it had existed. Don’t rely on the property owner to gather witness information—many witnesses may leave before their information is collected, so act quickly to identify and contact potential witnesses yourself.
Visit a doctor or emergency room as soon as possible after your fall, even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured. Some injuries like concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage may not be immediately apparent. Delaying medical care gives insurance companies ammunition to argue your injuries weren’t serious or weren’t caused by the fall. Medical records created shortly after your accident provide crucial documentation of your injuries and establish a clear connection between the fall and your medical problems.
Keep the clothing and shoes you were wearing when you fell, as they may become important evidence. Maintain detailed records of all medical treatment, expenses, medications, and how your injuries affect your daily life and ability to work. Save all receipts related to your accident and recovery. Create a journal documenting your pain levels, limitations, medical appointments, and impact on your quality of life. This documentation strengthens your claim by providing a comprehensive record of how the accident affected you.
Consult with a qualified premises liability lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. An attorney can immediately begin investigating your claim, preserving evidence before it disappears, and protecting your rights before you make statements or sign documents that could harm your case. Most slip and fall lawyers offer free consultations and work on contingency fees, so there’s no financial risk in speaking with an attorney about your legal options. The sooner you involve legal counsel, the better your chances of recovering full and fair compensation.
If you have additional questions about your slip and fall accident or want to discuss your specific situation with an experienced attorney, Luis Martinez offers free consultations to evaluate your case and explain your legal options. With 34 years of experience handling premises liability cases in Paramus and throughout Bergen County, Luis can provide clear answers and honest advice about the strength of your claim.
Don’t let uncertainty about the legal process prevent you from pursuing the compensation you deserve. Contact our Hackensack office today to schedule your free consultation and learn how we can help you hold negligent property owners accountable for your injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident in Paramus or anywhere in Bergen County, you need an attorney who knows the local courts, understands the community, and will provide you with direct, personal representation. Luis Martinez has been practicing personal injury law in Northern New Jersey for 34 years and brings unmatched local knowledge to every case. As a Certified Civil Trial Attorney—a designation held by less than 1% of New Jersey lawyers—Luis has the courtroom experience and legal acumen to effectively fight for your rights against property owners and their insurance companies.
What sets Luis apart is his commitment to accessibility and personal service. You’ll work directly with Luis, not an associate, and he provides his personal cell phone number to all clients for immediate access. He speaks your language—both literally, as a fluent Spanish speaker, and figuratively, as someone who understands what clients want: responsive communication, clear explanations, and dedicated advocacy. Contact our office today for a free consultation to discuss your slip and fall accident and learn how Luis Martinez can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
