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To some, the expression “slip-and-fall accident” may sound like a minor occurrence when someone falls unexpectedly and just gets up and dusts himself or herself off to carry on. However, statistics show quite the opposite. Slip-and-fall accidents occur quite frequently and often result in serious injuries for victims.
In fact, according to one source, more than 8 million people visit a hospital emergency room for injury-related falls year after year. This explains why slip-and-fall accidents are the most common type of all personal injury cases. In most cases, it is discovered that the cause of the slip-and-fall accident was negligence on the part of someone else.
This is why if you or your loved one has suffered injuries from a slip-and-fall accident, you need to speak with a personal injury lawyer sooner rather than later! Your fast action will pay off, and our lawyers work even faster.
Gould Injury Law is a fast-working law firm with personal injury lawyers who can aggressively fight for you to receive compensation fast for injuries suffered. Call us today at 888-WIN-FAST to schedule a free consultation.
Most Common Locations Where Slip-and-Fall Accidents Occur
A slip-and-fall accident can occur literally at any time and at any place. Some of the most common locations include the following.
Retail locations
Supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores, supply stores, department stores, and shopping malls, are all locations where slip-and-fall accidents frequently occur. A recently mopped floor in a retail location is one common reason for an innocent consumer to suffer a slip and fall. Other causes include spills from food and drinks, uneven surfaces, and products, debris, and cords left in walkways.
Restaurants
A restaurant is another common location for fall accidents. Guests and workers may slip on unattended food and beverage spills or trip on clutter left in pathways. There is also the risk of a victim suffering a fall while visiting the restroom due to poor lighting or slippery floors.
Entertainment and recreational facilities
At cinemas and performance venues, guests have to try to step over spills of food and drinks in dimly lit areas. This means a high risk of slip-and-fall accidents occurring. At gymnasiums and swimming pools, common slip and fall hazards include exercise equipment, water bottles, and other items carelessly left in pathways, and wet floors near the pool area.
The workplace
Certain workplaces, such as construction sites and factories, are often full of hazards that could potentially result in a worker suffering a slip-and fall-accident. These hazards include liquid spills, electric cords left in walkways, dust and debris on the floor, oily surfaces, and others. In office settings, potential slip and fall hazards can include torn carpets, loose rugs, uneven surfaces, and extension cords in aisles.
Stairways
In commercial buildings, stairways can become hazardous if not properly maintained. Handrails can loosen and steps can break or become covered with debris over time. In addition to these hazards, the lighting in a stairway can get progressively dim if not checked regularly.
Sidewalks, parking lots, and garages
After a winter storm, an accumulation of snow and ice can render sidewalks and parking lots hazardous for pedestrians if not immediately cleaned. Other types of slip and fall hazards may occur on sidewalks, parking lots, and in garages due to a lack of maintenance including uneven or cracked pavement, potholes, and poor lighting.
Hotels and resorts
Due to the amount of traffic that frequents hotels and resorts, a schedule of regular routine maintenance is imperative to prevent slip-and-fall accidents. When regular upkeep has been neglected, multiple hazards accumulate, such as loose carpeting, slippery surfaces near pools and in bathrooms, broken handrails on stairs, and poor lighting in parking areas.
Residential homes
Apartment complexes and private homes are another area where slip-and-fall accidents commonly occur. Some risk factors in these locations can include snowy and icy walkways, broken or uneven steps, cracked floor tiles, and newly waxed or wet floors.
Nursing homes
Although a nursing home is a type of residence for senior citizens, it is separated on this list because these facilities generally harbor additional slip and fall hazards not found in most residential buildings. Some common dangers in nursing homes include incorrect bed height, poorly installed handrails in bathrooms, and clutter in walkways.
This list is by no means comprehensive. However, it does highlight the fact that a slip-and-fall accident can occur practically anywhere and at any time.
Common Injuries From Slip-and-Fall Accidents
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every 1 out of 5 falls causes a serious injury. Such harm results in costly medical expenses and years of rehabilitation for victims.
Common injuries from slip-and-fall accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): When a person falls, his or her head can hit the surface and result in a traumatic brain injury. Types of TBIs ranging from mild to severe can include, concussions, contusions, hemorrhage, hematomas, and cerebral edema.
- Spinal cord injuries: A slip-and-fall can leave a victim with a severed or compressed spinal cord. When the spinal cord is not severed, it’s considered an incomplete injury, which may result in nerve damage, pain, and decreased mobility for a victim. A complete spinal injury, when the spinal cord is severed, usually results in paralysis.
- Broken bones: Sometimes the impact from a fall can be so severe that it can cause bones to break. A victim’s arm, elbow, wrist, ribs, leg, pelvis, hip, or ankle can suffer a fracture from a fall. A broken bone cannot only be very painful but may also require physical therapy and long-term treatment. In some cases, a fracture such as a hip fracture could prove to be fatal.
- Sprains and torn ligaments: These injuries are the most common type that result from slip-and-fall accidents and can range from minor to serious. Dislocated shoulders, sprained ankles, and knee injuries are all types of soft tissue injuries. Some soft tissue injuries require surgery and physical therapy, such as tears of the ACL, MCL, and PCL, which can drastically affect mobility.
There are many other injuries that can result from slip-and-fall accidents, including untimely death. In fact, slip-and-falls cause more than 17,000 deaths each year in the United States. If you or your loved one has suffered harm in such an incident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for damages. And with the help of Gould Injury Law, you can get what you need faster than if you act alone.
Types of Compensation You May Receive From a Slip-and-Fall Accident
Various forms of premises liability law have been established in all states across the nation. This law states that property owners are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for visitors (not including trespassers).
Therefore, the owner or manager of the property could be held liable if he or she failed to correct or warn of a foreseeable hazard if an injury occurs.
All residence and business locations, including parking lots and sidewalks, come under premises liability law. This means that a fast-working law firm can help you or your loved one pursue compensation for damages suffered from a slip-and-fall accident on someone else’s property.
Compensation may be possible to help recover:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Household renovation for disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life, and;
- Wrongful death-related costs
Keep in mind that you do not have an endless time limit for which to file your personal injury claim. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Connecticut is just 2 years from the date of the accident. So, you need to act fast!
Get Help with Your Case and Get Paid Fast!
If you or your loved one has suffered a slip-and-fall accident, do not ignore any initial pain that may be felt. In many cases, what may initially appear to be just minor aches and pains as a result of the fall later proves to be symptoms of serious or life-changing injuries. Therefore, fast action on your part would be wise. See a doctor and call a lawyer right away.
It is only logical that the property owner who negligently caused you to suffer injuries from a slip-and-fall accident should pay for your recovery. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help with the process of seeking recovery for losses in the form of compensatory damages, and possibly punitive damages, from the responsible party.
Your recovery can be maximized – and come faster – if you choose the right lawyer to aggressively fight hard and fast for your best interests. Our effective personal injury lawyers have been successfully helping families to receive compensation for damages suffered for years.
Call Gould Injury Law, “The Fast Firm,” today at 888-WIN-FAST to schedule a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys.