“Slip and fall” refers to a personal injury case where a person trips or slips and gets injured on another person’s property. Usually, it may occur on premises maintained or owned by someone else where the property owner is legally responsible for the injury. Wet floors, narrow stairs, poor lighting, changes in flooring, or damaged carpeting can cause someone to slip and get injured.
It may also refer to cases where someone fell or slipped due to snow, ice, rain, or a hidden hazard like potholes in the ground. You should have sustained severe injuries to file a claim and collect the proper compensation.
What Is A Slip and Fall Accident?
A “slip and fall” accident refers to a personal injury case where someone falls or slips and gets injured on another person’s property. Usually, slip and fall cases fall under the broader classification of cases referred to as “premises liability” cases. Usually, it may occur on a property maintained or owned by another person where the property owner can be held legally liable.
It can also happen at a friend’s house, at work, and home. It can often leave you seriously injured. Here are some of the most common slip and fall injuries you can experience:
Ways To Prevent Slip and Fall Accidents
It’s best that you learn how to keep your home safe from these kinds of accidents. Here’s a list of what you can do to reduce those risks:
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Minimize Any Dangerous Areas.
Most of the cases are from people who got injured in swimming pools, staircases, and walkways. They often link their injuries to lack of signages, slippery floors, or unlit areas. You should make sure that you’re always on the lookout for potentially dangerous places to avoid serious injuries. Evaluate accident-prone areas and make the necessary repairs to lower the chances of accidents happening.
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Fix Damaged Areas Immediately.
After locating potentially dangerous areas, clean them and do the repairs immediately. It helps minimize the chances of injuries on the property. It would help if you got rid of clutter from the landings and stairs. Fix the surface of highly trafficked areas to make them slip-resistant. It can mean coating the walkway with a material that has slip-resistant properties, using non-coat rugs, or putting down carpets.
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Make Sure There’s Enough Lighting.
When walking along dark corridors or hallways, there are chances that you’ll miss a few spilled liquids or clutter on the floor. It can cause you to fall and slip, leading to serious injuries. It would help if you had enough lighting on your property, especially at night, to lower the risks of another person getting injured in inadequately lit areas.
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Use Warning Signs if Necessary.
Fixing, organizing, and cleaning areas in your property are easy. However, you can’t quickly address other dangerous hazards or conditions. One example of this is a wet floor that still needs drying. You can use a “wet floor” sign to ensure that employees or customers take extra care when walking around. Using the proper signages prevents accidents.
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Have Adequate Insurance Coverage.
You should have adequate insurance coverage to protect you from financial losses when an accident happens. It’ll help further protect you from premises liability. Your homeowner’s insurance policies may already include premise liability insurance, so make sure to review the policy first if you’re planning to get one.
Common Causes of a Slip and Fall Accident |
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Wet and Uneven Walking Surfaces |
According to statistics, 55% of all slip and fall accidents resulted from hazardous walking surfaces. It may refer to:
Such conditions make walking surfaces more dangerous. |
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Improper Safety Practices |
Most slip and fall accidents also happen on the job. Other workplaces, especially those in the construction and manufacturing fields, may ask workers to spend a lot of time walking on narrow pathways or wet surfaces. If employers don’t provide the proper on-the-job training, they can be held responsible if a slip and fall accident occurs. |
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Environmental Conditions |
Hazardous environmental conditions can also cause slip and fall accidents. It may refer to:
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Weather Conditions |
Most outdoor slip and fall accidents can result from dangerous weather conditions such as snow, ice, and rain. Even if you can’t predict what the weather will do, you should put salt on the walkways and stairways, shovel sidewalks, or plow streets to minimize accidents. If you fail to do that and someone gets injured, you may be held legally responsible. |
In the event that you or a loved one suffers injuries from a slip and fall accident due to another’s negligence, you can file a claim for compensation. Get in touch with the experienced personal injury lawyers from Diamond & Diamond at 1-800-567-HURT!
Keeping walkways clear quickly reduces the potential for injury and avoids slipping hazards. Clear paths minimize chances of tripping or falling over unexpected objects and surfaces. Pro Tip
Seek Legal Advice From A Slip and Fall Lawyer
Many victims suffer from chronic pain or disability for months or years after the accident, seriously affecting their quality of life. If you or your loved ones suffer slip and fall injuries due to the negligent actions of another person, you can file a claim for compensation and a lawsuit.
Call the personal injury lawyers at Diamond and Diamond at 1-800-567-HURT (4878) or use our fast CASE EVALUATION TOOL to schedule your free consultation today.
