One of the most common reasons millions of people are treated in emergency rooms every year is fall injuries. This is due to the frequency with which slip-and-fall incidents occur. The term “slip-and-fall” is frequently used to describe a variety of accidents.
An Orlando Personal Injury Attorney will help gather evidence, determine liability as to who was responsible for your injuries, and help pursue compensation and justice for you.
Types of Situations That Can Occur on Dangerous Walking Surfaces
Four types of situations can occur on dangerous walking surfaces.
- Trip and fall. This occurs when a person trips over an unexpected object while walking.
- Fall. This occurs when one of your feet is obstructed by an object.
- Step and fall. This occurs when a foot comes into contact with a hole or other unforeseen flaw in the walking surface.
- Slip and fall. It occurs when the contact between the walker’s foot (or feet) and the ground does not support the walker’s center of gravity, resulting in a fall.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Slip-and-Fall Accidents?
Wet and Uneven Surfaces
These are, by far, the most common causes of slips and falls worldwide. According to statistics, uneven and wet surfaces are responsible for more than half of all accidents reported in emergency departments.
These accidents occur most often under the following conditions: loose floorboards, untidy floors, potholes in car parks, defective paths, torn carpets, poorly constructed stairs, recently waxed or washed floors, moisture build-up or missing mats.
Weather Conditions
Weather is a natural phenomenon over which we have no control. Snow, sleet, rain, and ice buildup create dangerous conditions that increase the likelihood of falls outside businesses and residences.
While property owners cannot control the weather, they are required by law to clear snow from sidewalks, plow driveways, and salt roads during inclement weather. If they fail to do so, they can be held liable for any mishaps that occur.
Inadequate Footwear
There is a common misconception that women are more prone to falls when it comes to footwear, especially if they wear high heels. However, slips and falls are not just a thing for women in high heels.
Even people wearing work boots and sneakers are in the same danger. If your footwear does not provide adequate traction, you will be prone to slipping and falling. Slips and falls can happen not only at work but also at home or in public.
Inadequate Lighting
When people cannot see, they are more likely to fall on any surface. Poor lighting makes it difficult to identify hazards. Bright lighting creates a glare on polished floor surfaces, making it difficult to see.
Pool areas, roads and sidewalks, garages, and stairwells are just a few examples of places where poor lighting can be very harmful. In addition, a surface that is not dangerous in broad daylight can become hazardous in the dark. It is the property owner’s obligation to ensure that pedestrian areas are adequately lit.
Poor Safety Training
According to our Orlando personal injury attorneys, insufficient safety training for staff is a common cause of slip-and-fall accidents. The National Floor Safety Institute mentions that employees at businesses and construction sites must receive sufficient training to avoid slipping and falling on the job. This includes special instructions on how to recognize and avoid hazards, how to properly operate equipment, how to use and secure ladders, and how to wear non-slip footwear.
Every employer is responsible for providing a safe workplace. Unfortunately, some employers take workplace safety instructions lightly or ignore them altogether, putting their employees and even their customers at risk of a slipping accident.
Missing or Defective Handrails and Railings
Handrails are an important safety feature on a staircase. They allow you to maintain balance when going up or down stairs. They also give a person something to hold on to if they lose their balance.
Missing handrails are problematic because they eliminate one of the most important safety measures. A defective handrail can cause a person to lose their balance or grab onto it and fall.
Trip Hazards
Trash or debris on the floor, cables running across hallways, open desks or cabinet drawers, and transitions from one type of surface to another, such as carpet to hardwood, are all examples of hazards. Cables are the most common trip hazards. Many people walk around distracted.
Most of the time, they don’t notice the cables and wires strewn across the floor. These cables and wires snag shoes or force legs to slide, causing pedestrians to slip and fall. The parties involved must take control and correct the problem.
Nursing Home Negligence
Unfortunately, falls are common in nursing homes. Most patients admitted to hospitals are elderly and frail, which contributes greatly to slip-and-fall accidents, as this concern is often overlooked. With age and illness, the sense of balance deteriorates. As a result, they are more vulnerable to injuries from falls. Such an incident can result in death or serious deterioration of their current condition.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you were injured or suffered economic losses as a result of a slip and fall, you may be able to seek legal relief through a slip and fall case. However, you must prove that a negligent property owner or employee caused your accident and injuries. When it comes to proving negligence, things can get complicated.
A consultation with an Orlando personal injury attorney can be beneficial in building your case against an at-fault person. Generally, you must prove several key things. These include:
- The property owner or employee failed to keep the surroundings safe.
- They breached their duty of care (negligence).
- You suffered harm as a result of their recklessness.
- As a result, you have suffered losses.
You may find it difficult to prove fault in your slip-and-fall lawsuit. A defendant may allege that you were at fault for the accident and that you acted in a way that contributed to or caused it. An Injury Attorney in Orlando will be crucial to proving your case and holding the at-fault party accountable.
The Orlando Personal Injury Attorney That Can Help With Your Case
If you have a slip-and-fall accident, you should get a lawyer to help you with your case. At Louis Berk Law, we are The legal professionals you need. You can get access to our experienced attorneys, who are ready to help. Here, we speak your language. Our team of Spanish-speaking lawyers will be willing to study your case, clear up doubts, and get you the best compensation for your losses caused by the accident you experienced.
We specialize in personal injuries, and with a decade of experience, we have a long list of successful cases and satisfied clients who can attest to our work.
If you suffered injuries from a slip-and-fall accident, we are here to help. Contact us, and we will give you a totally free consultation. We have a no-win, no-pay policy.
Don’t let your case be handled by sloppy Attorneys who don’t understand their clients; with Louis Berk Law, we will get you fair compensation.