Conditions leading to slip and fall accidents
Slip and fall accidents are the causes of injuries for thousands of individuals every year. Slip and fall lawsuits are among the most recurrent lawsuits with regards to personal injury. Different conditions lead to the occurrence of these accidents. In most cases, the owner of the property where the accident took place is the one at fault. Failure by property owners to take appropriate action to prevent the possibility of occurrence of such accidents results in them being legally responsible for injuries sustained from the slip and fall accidents.
The following are some examples of conditions leading to indoor slip and fall accidents:
- Floors
Property owners are expected to take necessary precautions to ensure that their floors are kept dry and safe at all times. When slip and fall accidents happen due to wet floors, the owner of the property might be held liable. Below are some of the reasons for which a property owner may be found liable in the event of a slip and fall accident:
- Failure to provide ‘Wet floor’ signs in cases where the floor is wet
- Failure to barricade areas with wet floors
- Uneven application of wax or polish that may cause a fall
- Application of floor treatments to sloping floors
- Treatment of some parts of the floor leaving some untreated
Negligence by a property owner in maintaining their floor space may also result in slip and fall accidents. Some conditions that may result in the slip and fall accidents in this case are;
- Torn or broken floor rugs/carpets
- Items stuck in the carpet material that could trip people 2. Escalators and Elevators
Slip and fall accidents occurring on escalators and elevators can be as a result of sudden movements in the systems, pieces of clothing getting stuck and when parts of the body such as hands and feet are caught in certain regions of the machinery.
3. Stairs
Stairs are prone to wear and tear after prolonged use and may result in slip and fall accidents when not maintained regularly. A property owner may be held liable for a slip and fall accident on their stairs if it can be proved that they knew of the condition before. Examples of some of the dangerous conditions are:
- Worn out stairs that have become rounded
- Missing handrails
- Presence of debris on the stairs
The following are some of the conditions leading to outdoor slip and fall accidents:
A property owner may also be held liable if a slip and fall accident happened outside of their premises due to negligence on their part. Examples of such cases are;
- Parking Lots
Every car park owner is responsible for the proper maintenance of their parking lot to promote the safety of its users. Any cracks in the parking space should be filled. The differences in height for the sections in the parking lot should be gradual and not abrupt to avoid or prevent tripping.
2. Poor Outdoor Lighting
A property owner is obligated to provide adequate lighting for customers outside the premises to prevent slip and fall accidents. These accidents might occur in parking spaces, stairs from stores or uneven surfaces outside buildings.
Slip and fall accidents result in huge medical bills and sometimes disabilities for the victims. Property owners, therefore, need to ensure that their premises and the areas around the premises are safe for use by people to avoid these accidents.