Unsafe floors are the most common cause of slip and falls, but determining why the floor was unsafe could decide whether you have grounds for a slip and fall case if you had an accident on someone else’s property. If no hazardous condition existed at the time of your fall, and your accident happened due to your carelessness or inadequate footwear, you probably do not have a case.
However, if a slip and fall happened due to a hazardous condition that a property owner did not remedy or fix in a timely manner, you could have a case.
Common Causes of Slip and Falls
Some causes for a slip and fall accident include surface conditions such as:
- Wet floors
- Loose floorboards
- Loose or bulging carpeting
- Loose mats or rugs
- Spillages of food or liquids
- Potholes or cracks
- Uneven flooring or sidewalks
- Exposed wiring or other tripping hazards
Slip and falls can also happen because of inadequate lighting, missing handrails, broken steps on a staircase, and a multitude of other reasons. To have a slip and fall case, you must prove someone else’s negligence caused your injuries.
Where Slip and Falls Happen
Slip and falls can happen while walking along a sidewalk or crosswalk. They also occur in the workplace and other locations that we frequent daily:
- Grocery stores
- Restaurants
- Shopping centers
- Parking garages
- Apartment buildings
- Amusement parks
- Swimming pools
- Escalators and elevators
- Stadiums
- Nursing homes
Consequences of Slip and Falls
Slip and falls can be painful as well as expensive. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), nearly one-third of all preventable nonfatal injuries in 2018 resulted from falls. Also, almost 150,000 workers missed time from their job after a same-level fall.
A fall could even change your entire life, especially for older adults ages 65 and over. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five falls causes serious injury to an older person, such as head trauma or broken bones, and falls cause 95 percent of hip fractures.
A hip fracture could present life-threatening complications for a senior citizen. According to the Mayo Clinic, a broken hip typically requires surgery and extensive physical therapy. A slip and fall victim may have expensive medical bills and lose income from missing work for an extended time.
Falls can cause other serious injuries such as:
- Traumatic brain injury and other head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Bone fractures
- Sprained and strained muscles
- Soft tissue injuries
- Joint dislocations
If you suffered any injuries in a slip and fall, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible afterward, even if you have only minor symptoms. Some injuries may have symptoms that take days to manifest. Having a medical report that documents your accident-related injuries can provide you with useful evidence if you later intend to hold a property owner accountable for your damages.
If someone else caused your pain and medical bills, they should make you whole again. Slip and fall cases are not always clear-cut. If you doubt whether you have legal recourse, you can contact a slip and fall lawyer for advice and help.
Proving a Slip and Fall Case
If you suffered injuries and financial damages due to a fall, you might have legal recourse with a slip and fall case. However, you will have to prove that a property owner or employee negligently caused your accident and injury. Proving negligence is where things can get complicated. You might find consulting a slip and fall lawyer helpful for building your case against an at-fault party. In general, you will have to prove that:
- The property owner or employee had a duty of care to maintain a safe environment.
- They breached their duty of care (negligence).
- You suffered harm due to their negligence.
- You have damages as a result.
You might find proving negligence in your slip and fall case challenging. A defendant could argue that you had some fault in the accident and behaved in a way that either contributed to the accident or caused it.
Compensation
If you can prove a defendant’s negligence, you could receive compensation for several types of damages:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
A slip and fall lawyer can advise you on any damages that you could pursue and help you gather evidence to build a case against a negligent party.
Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC, for Help
The most common causes of slip and falls all have one thing in common: They happen due to the responsible party’s negligence in not promptly removing a hazardous condition. If you suffered injuries due to someone else’s carelessness, you should not be stuck with the costs.
Proving negligence in slip and fall cases is not always straightforward. However, a personal injury attorney can advise and help you with your case. The team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, does not shy away from tough cases and can assist you with every aspect of a slip and fall case, including:
- Providing legal advice
- Collecting evidence
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Representing you in court
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at 800-959-1444 for your free case review with a team member.
