On behalf of Law Offices of Mauro Fiore, Jr. posted in Premises Liability on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.
Chances are that you have slipped (or tripped) on something and fallen at least once. In fact, spend some time around children learning to walk, and it is amazing how often they fall and how resilient their bodies are. Unfortunately, even these children sometimes suffer serious injuries in slips and fall, and older children and adults are at risk too. It is worth examining a few top causes of slip-and-fall accidents.
Not enough maintenance
When you go to a hotel or grocery store, it is reasonable to expect the premises to be safe. That is, you should not have to find out there are maintenance problems by tripping on uneven pavement and suffering serious injuries. Yet that is what happens to many people. Quite a few properties, including restaurants, hotels, malls, schools and churches, do not receive enough maintenance to outdoor and indoor surfaces.
Improper design
Alternatively, a property may have been designed improperly. For example, maybe there is no lighting in the far reaches of the parking lot, putting employees at an increased risk of slipping or falling on something when they return to their cars at night. Or perhaps the building does not meet the proper codes and safety standards, and a lack of guardrails means that you fell when you otherwise should not have. In fact, many people slip and fall and then blame themselves. They do not realize that building codes would have mandated that a handrail or guardrail go in X spot or that the rail on a balcony should have been higher.
Negligence
The reality is that property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe for authorized visitors. For example, that means training workers to clean up spilled water or liquid as soon as possible, to do so safely, and to put up caution signs around the area. It means keeping a proactive maintenance schedule and responding to possible safety concerns before they become genuine dangers. Those people who have suffered injuries in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident may be able to claim compensation. They should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney to learn about their legal options.