A slip and fall can happen just about anywhere which leads to serious and sometimes permanent physical injuries or at worst lost of life and medical treatment is costly.
These injuries are often the responsibility of property owners often caused by their lack of diligence in maintaining the upkeep of their establishment.
In case you or a loved one is a victim of a slip and fall mishap on another’s property, call a personal injury attorney to protect your legal rights and fight for the appropriate compensatory and punitive damages available.
Slip and fall types
This type of mishap is classified into four groups based on the type of hazard that caused the accident.
- Trip-and-fall. A trip happens when a foreign object obstructs the path of an individual hindering their passage such as walkways filled with debris or clutter.
- Stump-and-fall. A person falls when he tries to avoid a sudden threat in their path such as an electric cord which wasn’t there earlier.
- Step-and-fall. A person also slips when there is an unforeseen hole or failure in their path such as potholes or a missing manhole cover.
- Slip-and-fall. This happens when a person falls on a wet or slippery surface due to a liquid spill.
Causes of slip and fall
Most of these mishaps happen in business settings. These incidents are usually the consequence of carelessness or negligence by the property owner not properly keeping the place where the event transpired.
- Broken or uneven pathways, walkways, potholes, malfunctioning elevators or escalators
- Unmarked hazards such as wet and slippery floors, uneven surfaces, or flooring
- Building infractions
- Environmental conditions including poor lighting, trash or debris on the floor, open desk or cabinet drawers, or cords that cut across footways
- Not properly maintained stairways including lost handrails, damaged staircases, or failure to put slip-resistant layers on stairs
- Loose rugs that do not grip the floor or tattered carpet
- Swimming pool tiles with insufficient friction or slipping on swimming pool
Read more about slip and fall lawyers Burbank.
Injuries Suffered by Slip and Fall Victims
Most people who are victims of a slip and fall accident would assume that injuries are petty like a bit of bruises and scratches. But, serious injuries may happen depending on the fall and the part of the body that was affected. Here are some of the common injuries from a slip and fall accident:
Head trauma
This is often caused by a head speeding toward the ground and leads to a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
What to do after a slip and fall accident
The steps that you take after a slip and fall accident are crucial to acquire compensation for the injury that you suffered. Here is what you should do:
- Get immediate medical care, regardless of whether injuries are serious or not.
- Inform the property owner about the accident.
- Take photos of the scene where the mishap happened to preserve evidence. This is vital because the condition that contributed to your fall can be altered or it can vanish.
- Contact a lawyer who handles slip and fall accidents. These types of accidents are hard to prove, you will need someone to help protect your legal rights.
Your attorney at work
There is a misconception by slip and fall victims that the property owner will automatically compensate for the injury suffered in the accident. Think again, Las Vegas businesses won’t allow accidents to tarnish their reputation and there will be a pile of made-up accidents by malefactors.
If you have been injured by a slip and fall accident, it’s best to hire the services of a personal injury attorney Las Vegas.
These injuries are serious which often requires medical care, hospitalization, surgery, and therapy. You’ll be fortunate if the insurance company covers some of these costs, leaving the victims and loved ones financially strapped.
Property owners have business insurance in case someone gets injured on their premises. And insurance companies have lawyers with one goal that is to pay as little as possible or none at all.
With a lawyer by your side you’ll have someone who will make the laws work in your favor. He is committed to defend your rights and protect your best interests. Everything will be done to give you just compensation for the injury that you suffered.
