Have you been hurt in a slip and fall accident in Crowley, LA? If so, you might be entitled to compensation for your injuries. A Crowley slip and fall accident lawyer can evaluate your case and file a personal injury claim on your behalf.
Where you fell in Crowley matters just as much as how you fell. Louisiana treats a slip and fall at a private business completely differently than a fall on public property, like a city sidewalk or the Acadia Parish Courthouse, and knowing which standard applies to your case changes what you have to prove.
Kenny Habetz Injury Law has more than ten years of experience helping injured people in Crowley, Louisiana, in cases involving Crowley truck accidents, car accidents, Crowley brain injuries, wrongful death, and more. We prioritize client communication, clear legal advice, and collaboration on every slip and fall case.
Contact our law firm at (337) 329-8883 to set up a free case evaluation with an experienced Crowley personal injury lawyer today.
Two Different Legal Standards, Depending on Where You Fell
Falls at a private business, like the Walmart Supercenter on Odd Fellows Road, one of the dollar stores or pharmacies along North Parkerson Avenue, or any downtown storefront, are governed by Louisiana’s merchant liability statute (La. R.S. 9:2800.6). To win, you generally need to show the hazard created an unreasonable and foreseeable risk, and that the merchant knew or should have known about it and failed to act with reasonable care.
Falls on public property, the sidewalks around the Acadia Parish Courthouse on the court circle, Crowley City Hall, or the grounds of a city-sanctioned event like the International Rice Festival, are governed by a different law entirely (La. R.S. 9:2800). Public entities can only be held liable if they had actual or constructive notice of the specific defect and a reasonable opportunity to fix it before your fall. That’s a tougher standard to meet, and claims against a parish or city government often come with additional procedural requirements that don’t apply to a private business.
Knowing which of these two paths your case falls into, before you talk to an adjuster or a government claims office, makes a real difference in how your case is built and how quickly it needs to move.
Where Slip and Falls Commonly Happen in Crowley
- The Odd Fellows Road retail corridor, home to Crowley’s Walmart Supercenter, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply, and several dollar stores: high foot-traffic areas where spills, loose flooring, and poorly maintained parking lots are common causes of falls.
- Downtown Parkerson Avenue and the courthouse square, where uneven sidewalks, aging storefronts, and heavy pedestrian traffic during business hours and public events increase fall risk.
- The International Rice Festival grounds, every October, when temporary vendor setups, extension cords, and crowded, sometimes wet walkways downtown create foreseeable hazards on both private and city-owned property.
- Acadia General Hospital and nearby medical offices, where waiting rooms, parking lots, and building entrances are common fall locations for patients and visitors.
What Causes Slip and Fall Accidents?
Slip and fall claims fall under premises liability law, meaning property owners and managers are responsible for keeping their premises reasonably safe. Common causes include:
- Spilled liquids or slippery substances left on the floor
- Loose rugs, mats, or uneven flooring
- Poor lighting in stairwells, parking lots, or hallways
- Cluttered aisles or walkways
- Unmarked steps or uneven sidewalks
- Wet outdoor surfaces after rain, common during South Louisiana’s heavy seasonal downpours
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
- Head and brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Broken or fractured bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Cuts, bruises, and abrasions
- In severe cases, wrongful death
Who Is Responsible for a Crowley Slip and Fall?
Liability depends on where the fall happened:
- Private property or business: the landowner, business owner, or property manager, under the merchant liability standard above
- Public property: the City of Crowley, Acadia Parish government, or another public entity, under the stricter notice-based standard above
- Multiple parties: it’s possible to have more than one responsible party, particularly at mixed-use or event locations like the Rice Festival grounds
Steps to Take After a Slip and Fall in Crowley
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if the injury seems minor. Some injuries, like concussions, don’t show symptoms right away.
- Document the scene: photograph the hazard, the surrounding area, and your injuries before conditions change.
- Identify witnesses and get their contact information, especially in a busy location like a downtown store or festival crowd.
- Report the fall to the property owner or manager (or the appropriate city/parish office, if it happened on public property) and request their insurance information.
- Contact a Crowley slip and fall attorney before speaking further with an insurance adjuster or government claims office.
Potential Damages in a Crowley Slip and Fall Case
You can pursue both economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, rehabilitation costs) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering, mental anguish, permanent disability, loss of enjoyment of life).
Statute of Limitations for Slip and Fall Cases in Louisiana
You generally have two years from the date of your fall to file suit (one year if it happened before 7/1/24). Claims against a public entity, like the City of Crowley or Acadia Parish government, can involve additional notice requirements on top of this deadline, so it’s especially important to involve an attorney quickly if your fall happened on public property.
How Kenny Habetz Injury Law Can Help After a Slip And Fall Accident in Crowley, LA
Kenny Habetz Injury Law can help you recover compensation for damages like medical bills and emotional distress after a slip and fall in Crowley, Louisiana. Our team has recovered millions for our injured clients and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
When you hire a Crowley personal injury attorney from our law firm to handle your slip and fall accident case, we will:
- Determine the cause of the slip and fall
- Identify who is responsible
- File insurance claims, if applicable
- Negotiate with insurance on your behalf
- Collect evidence
- Consult expert witnesses
- Request and review your medical records
- File a personal injury lawsuit, if necessary
We prefer to settle cases for our clients, but we aren’t afraid of a trial if it means getting you fair compensation. We always put our clients, their case, and their needs first. Plus, when you hire us, you won’t pay anything until you recover the money. If we lose, you don’t pay us anything at all.
What Causes Slip and Fall Accidents?
A slip and fall accident is a type of case that falls under premises liability law. Premises liability law states that property owners and managers are responsible for maintaining safe premises for guests and lawful visitors. If they ignore or create a dangerous condition and someone gets hurt, they can be held responsible for damages.
In a slip and fall case, someone gets hurt after falling on another person’s property. The reason that they fall is because of something hazardous and avoidable.
Sometimes, slip and falls are caused by:
- Ice, water, or slippery substances on the floor
- Loose rugs or carpets
- Poor lighting
- Objects in the walkway
- Uneven floor surfaces
- Hidden stairs
However, slip and fall accidents can be caused by any number of other factors. Kenny Habetz Injury Law can investigate the exact cause of the fall and who is responsible.
Common Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
In a slip and fall case, usually, someone falls backward and lands on their back. However, it is also possible for someone to fall forward or to the side. As a result, slips and falls can cause many different types of injuries.
Some of the most common injuries include:
- Head injuries
- Brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken and fractured bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Cuts, bruises, and abrasions
- Wrongful death
It is important to hire a lawyer who has experience with slip and fall cases and understands the nature of your injury. Some injuries are more complex and have long and difficult recovery. A qualified Crowley slip and fall accident attorney will ensure that you get compensation to support you throughout the entire process.
Who Is Responsible For a Slip and Fall Accident in Crowley, LA?
Who is liable for a slip and fall accident will depend on how and where it happened.
In our experience, the most common responsible parties include:
- Landowner
- Land managers
- Business owners
- The local government
We will identify all of the responsible parties and seek compensation from them for your injuries. It is possible to have multiple defendants in a slip and fall case.
Where Do Slip and Fall Accidents Happen?
Slips and falls can happen anywhere from a public sidewalk to a restaurant or store. The key is that it must occur in a place where you are lawfully present. You cannot bring a claim for a slip and fall if you were trespassing, for example.
Most slips and falls happen in businesses of some sort. They may even occur in a workplace accident.
Louisiana law outlines the duties of a merchant to maintain their premises. Specifically, merchants must keep their property in a reasonably safe condition for customers. This means maintaining the aisles, floors, and passageways free from hazards.
To hold a merchant liable for a slip and fall, you must show that the hazard created an unreasonable and foreseeable harm and that the merchant knew or should have known about the hazard.
Steps to Take After a Slip and Fall Accident in Crowley, Louisiana
If you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall, make sure to take the following steps immediately after the accident. This will protect you from worsening injuries and set you up for a successful legal case. The earlier you hire a lawyer, the better. They can advise you on the best course of action.
Seek Medical Attention
You should go to a doctor immediately after a slip and fall. If you are severely injured, you should dial 911 and seek emergency treatment. A doctor will evaluate the extent of your injuries and document them in medical records. The records will become helpful later on in your case.
When you go to the doctor, you also increase your chances of a better recovery. Some injuries are not obvious and become apparent later. For example, a brain injury might seem mild but become severe if not treated. It’s better to get checked out by a physician than to regret it later on.
Determine the Cause and Collect Evidence
If you have a few moments before heading to the doctor, look around and see if you can determine the cause of the accident. Was it a slippery floor? Is there an uneven surface?
Even though slips and falls happen quickly, you may be the best person to say how it happened – especially if there are no witnesses to the accident. Once you find out what caused it, collect any evidence possible. This may be as simple as taking a picture on your phone.
Identify Witnesses
If there are other people around, like shoppers in a supermarket, ask them if they saw what happened. If they did, get their contact information. Your lawyer will want to speak with them later and potentially call them as a witness to corroborate your story.
Notify the Owner and Request Insurance Information
If you fall at a business, you should notify a manager or the owner. Many stores have certain reporting policies in place for when people are injured on their premises. This may include documenting the fall and writing out a brief statement. They might also put you in contact with their insurance company.
If you are simply on someone else’s personal property, there might not be a formal reporting procedure. You should still inform the owner immediately about the fall and the hazard. You should also ask them for their insurance information so that you can file a claim against their homeowner’s insurance or umbrella policy.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Crowley
After you take the initial first steps, you should call a slip and fall accident lawyer in Crowley to guide you through the case. Your lawyer will help you file claims and negotiate with the insurance company. This may include giving you advice on what to say and not to say.
You are much more likely to get a favorable outcome with an experienced personal injury lawyer. They can play hardball with insurance and even file a slip and fall lawsuit if necessary.
Potential Damages in a Crowley Slip and Fall Accident Case
In Crowley, you can ask for monetary and non-monetary damages in a slip and fall case. Economic damages are for actual expenses that resulted from the accident or injury.
Examples include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Medical devices
You can also ask for non-monetary damages for your emotional losses. Injuries can cause you psychological damage that may impact your life in invisible ways.
Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Permanent disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
You should always document the impact of the fall on your physical and emotional health after an accident. That way, you keep track of your non-monetary losses and include these costs in your lawsuit or negotiations.
Statute of Limitations For Slip and Fall Accident Cases in Louisiana
Louisiana has a relatively short statute of limitations for slip and fall accidents. You typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, there could be exceptions. For example, your deadline might only be one year if your accident happened before 7/1/24. Additionally, if you are planning on negotiating with insurance first, this will take time.
You should immediately contact a lawyer to keep track of important deadlines and make sure you don’t miss the filing period. If you miss it, your case will be dismissed, and you will lose the chance to recover any damages for your losses.
Contact a Crowley Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer For a Free Initial Consultation
If you are ready to pursue your case, contact a Crowly slip and fall attorney at Kenny Habetz Injury Law for a free consultation. Our lawyers are ready to help you analyze your case and maximize your recovery. Since you have limited time to pursue compensation, you can’t afford to wait.
Our Crowley, LA, personal injury law office also provides:
- Bicycle Accident Attorneys in Crowley, LA
- Brain Injury Lawyer in Crowley, LA
- Car Accident Attorney in Crowley, LA
- Construction Accident Lawyers in Crowley, LA
- Dog Bite Lawyer in Crowley, LA
- Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Crowley, LA
- Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Crowley, LA
- Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Crowley, LA
- Premises Liability Lawyers in Crowley, LA
- Product Liability Attorney in Crowley, LA
- Truck Accident Attorney in Crowley, LA
- Uber Accident Lawyers in Crowley, LA
- Workers Compensation Attorney in Crowley, LA
- Workplace Accident Lawyer in Crowley, LA
- Wrongful Death Attorneys in Crowley, LA
Frequently Asked Questions
I fell on the sidewalk near the Acadia Parish Courthouse. Is that different from falling in a store? Yes. That claim would likely be governed by Louisiana’s public entity liability law, which requires showing the parish or city had notice of the defect and failed to fix it in a reasonable time, a different (and tougher) standard than a private business claim.
What if I fell during the Rice Festival? It depends on exactly where and how the fall happened. Festival claims can involve the city, a vendor, or both, and we’ll help sort out who’s responsible.
Does it matter that I fell at a big chain store instead of a small local shop? No. Louisiana’s merchant liability law applies the same way regardless of the size of the business.
Contact a Crowley Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Wherever your fall happened, a downtown storefront, a big-box retailer on Odd Fellows Road, or public property near the courthouse, the standard of proof is different, and getting it right matters. Contact Kenny Habetz Injury Law for a free consultation to find out how. Call (337) 329-8883 today, because when in doubt, Go Kenny.
