Most Common Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries

 Posted on October 17, 2016 in Premises Liability

Each year, as many as one million people are seen in emergency rooms for a slip and fall injury. Some experience minor injuries, such as bumps and bruises, minor fractures, or mild concussions. Others may suffer from injuries so severe that it can take months to recover, if they recover at all. These injuries may include everything from a major concussion and multiple fractures to traumatic brain injuries and death. What causes so many falls each year? Understand the most common causes and how you should proceed if you experience a slip and fall because of negligence.

Dangerous Walking Areas

According to statistics from the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), more than half of all slip and fall accidents are caused by dangerous walking areas. These surfaces may be wet, cluttered, or contain loose tiles, carpeting, or floorboards. This could also include potholes in a parking lot, defective or damaged sidewalks, or damaged or poorly constructed stairways. When these defects are contained with the injured person’s home, there is no external fault or negligence. However, conditions like these in a place of business, at someone else’s home, or in a public area could make the owner of that property liable in a premises liability lawsuit.

Adverse Weather Conditions

Snow, ice, rain, and other adverse weather conditions can make roads and pathways treacherous. Due diligence, adequate footwear, and slower steps are often needed to avoid slip and falls. However, shop and store owners have a responsibility to maintain walkways, pathways, and even parking lots in a reasonable and responsible manner. So, if adverse weather is on the horizon, or has already occurred, and they failed to take the proper steps to ensure patron safety, they could be held liable for a slip and fall victim’s injuries.

Nursing Home Negligence

Slips and falls are one of the leading causes of death for those aged 65 and older. This is due, in part, to their diminished sense of balance and increased likelihood of sustaining a life-threatening injury. However, failure to properly maintain walking areas, or to ensure that residents are adequately cared for, can also serve as contributing factors to slip and fall injuries among the elderly. In these instances, the nursing home could be held responsible.

Our Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You Seek Compensation

Although obtaining compensation for a slip and fall injury might seem fairly straightforward, it is actually a complex matter. Stores, nursing homes, and other establishments have protections in place to help them avoid losses if and when a patron is injured. For this reason, victims should always seek experienced assistance with their premises liability claim.

At Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP we have more than 40 years of experience in helping victims with slip and fall injuries. We fight for their rights and always work to get the most compensation possible. To ask how we can help with your slip and fall injury case, contact our Milwaukee personal injury attorneys today. Call 414-271-1440.

Source:

https://nfsi.org/nfsi-research/quick-facts/