Just about everywhere you go in the normal course of a day contains at least one set of stairs to navigate. You probably have stairs or steps in your home as well, but these are not typically the ones you must beware of the most.Commercial establishments in Los Angeles contain many different types of stairs, from short to long and wide to narrow. Because you are not as familiar with these as you are with the ones in your home, you could find yourself the victim of a slip-and-fall accident on unfamiliar ground. It turns out that even stairways appearing to be clean and well-maintained may present one or more potentially dangerous hazards to users. Here are just a few:
- Broken, loose, and cracked stair treads
- Stairs and steps covered in carpet
- Defective, loose or absent handrails
- Stair treads that are not deep enough to accommodate the entire foot
- Stairways covered in snow, ice, water, or even algae
- Step risers that are too tall or too short
- Uneven, worn, damaged, or loose steps
According to InspectAPedia, even stairways that are a single contiguous color can cause people to misjudge the steps (height, depth, condition, etc.), resulting in slip-and-fall accidents. Property owners have a duty to provide safe premises for all guests, visitors, and customers. This means that you can pursue a legal remedy if you suffer injuries in a slip-and-fall accident caused by negligence on the property owner's part. To find out if you have grounds to file a personal injury or premises liability claim, it is wise to take your case to a California lawyer for evaluation. Filing a successful claim can help you acquire the compensation you need to make a full recovery.