Most slip and fall accidents happen in residential homes and public places. The presence of unstable surfaces is a common cause of these accidents. The most hazardous surface types being icy, oily, greasy, and snowy surfaces. These surfaces can be found on sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, doorsteps, and staircases. Let’s discuss where most slip-and-fall accidents occur and why.
Common Places Where Most Slip and Fall Accidents Happen and Why.
Kitchen Floor
It’s natural to think of a slippery kitchen floor, but the fact is that slip and fall accidents are most often caused by the slick surface of a kitchen tile floor. Such can be spilled food and drinks on the floor. Kitchen floor slip and fall lawsuits are one of the most common reasons why people seek legal help. A personal injury solicitor can help you if you have slipped and fallen on a kitchen floor due to negligence on the homeowner’s part. You can often recoup your losses and move on, while other cases may require mediation or even litigation. An experienced attorney will help you make informed decisions about how to proceed with your case.
Nursing Homes
This is commonplace for people who are elderly to have accidents. The number of people with Alzheimer’s or dementia has increased, and these patients often forget to use the safety rails on their walkers. When it comes to responsibility, nursing homes and staff must keep their residents safe. If negligence from employees is found, they are liable for damages and the victims can get justice.
Public Places
Slip and fall accidents occur mostly in public places. Areas with the highest levels of foot traffic also have a higher likelihood of such accidents occurring. A common site for this sort of injury might be inside a busy grocery store or department store. Slip and fall lawsuits in public places and commercial real estate are also among the most common reasons people seek legal assistance.
Parking Lots
Unfortunately, the parking lot is often a place where plenty of people slip and fall. This may occur due to varying reasons such as oil on the surface from engines or cars leaking fluid parked in this area, to snow and ice. Many parking lots are poorly lit and with others, there are hardly any lights at all. Some places may have dim lighting, especially near the lot’s perimeter, where most people walk or drive into and out of. This makes it difficult to see faults on the parking lot surface, which may result in a slip and fall accident.
Doorsteps and Staircases
Doorsteps and staircases are an often overlooked but potentially dangerous place for an accident to happen. This is because they are usually wet or soapy in the morning after a shower, and sometimes get dripped on when residents carry food across them from one room to another. Injuries like these can be serious–sometimes even life-threatening. That’s why every time you must slip and fall on a staircase to take pictures of the scene. This is best done immediately after the accident so that there are no changes in evidence or other factors which may make it difficult to prove negligence faults.
Walkways and Sidewalks
Slips are also common on outdoor surfaces, such as walkways or sidewalks. These surfaces may have been covered with snow or ice for an extended period. High traffic in an area can also lead to people tumbling down the stairs if they slip due to a wet surface.
Why Contact a Slip and Fall Lawyer?
When injured in a slip and fall accident, you must contact the right people to help.
It’s important in these cases to know that a slip and fall lawyer is always there to assist you in obtaining the legal compensation you rightfully deserve after falling victim to such an accident. Contacting a knowledegeable attorney will also allow them to gather evidence such as photos or witness statements. If you are hurt on someone’s property, they may have to pay for your injury. More so, if the property owner knew about the danger and didn’t do anything about it, they could be at fault. Most slip and fall accidents occur when businesses fail to post a visible “wet floor” sign.
Conclusion
Therefore, hiring a slip and fall attorney for legal representation will undoubtedly give you a better chance of receiving compensation for your injuries. In addition, they will help you get better medical care and also provide assistance in dealing with the insurance company.
