There are many ways that you can suffer injuries after a slip and fall accident. Each year victims of slip and fall accidents are awarded with tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages because of their injuries and losses. Sadly, many slip and fall accidents are entirely preventable. Property owners are responsible for ensuring that anyone who enters their property is safe, and they have a duty of care to uphold. If they fail to make any necessary repairs, clean up spills, or dispose of other hazards that can lead to a slip and fall, they can face lawsuits from victims. Some of the most common slip and fall scenarios are described below.
Slippery Surface
There are many ways that a slippery surface can cause a slip and fall accident. A piece of spilled food, water, liquid, or other substance can be hard to see and cause an unsuspecting person to fall. A water leak can also pose a safety hazard. When these accidents happen, they must be cleaned up immediately. Ignoring them or failing to clean a slippery floor properly can result in a victim suffering serious injuries.
Exposed Wire
Some slip and fall accidents are caused because a wire is not safely bundled up or held down on the floor, which can increase the chances of a person tripping on them. You can learn from a seasoned slip and fall accident lawyer like one from Schehr Law about how liability works. In any case, a property owner who is made aware of a hazard like a wire or object that can cause a slip and fall has the responsibility to remove the hazard. Failure to do so can amount to negligence.
Cracked or Uneven Pavement
Imagine that you are walking on a path and suddenly trip over a raised section of the ground. A walkway or sidewalk that is not even or has cracks can cause someone to trip and hit their head on the ground. Common injuries from uneven floors or pavement are sprains, broken hips, and serious head injuries. You don’t need to fall from a great height to suffer a life-threatening or fatal injury. Whoever owns the property must report any repairs such as for sidewalks and paths.
Spilled or Cluttered Objects
When there are spilled objects or materials on the floor, it must be cleaned up right away because people can slip over them. Clutter on the floor can also put people at risk of suffering an injury because they can trip over them. If people struggle to move across a room because of objects in the way, an accident is likely to happen.
Broken Rails
Another common problem that often leads to a slip and fall accident are broken rails. People depend on rails to safely use stairs and ramps, especially the elderly and the disabled. If a rail is not repaired, it becomes loose or unsafe to use and can cause serious harm to someone using it.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, be sure to contact an experienced slip and fall lawyer right away to learn about legal services.
