The guy slipping on a banana peel and falling with arms and legs flailing in all directions has been an often-used joke for comics since the long ago days of burlesque. The woman who slips on ice and shatters her hip won’t be laughing. The man who falls from improperly assembled scaffolding won’t be laughing. The elderly lady who falls down the stairs because of the torn carpet won’t be laughing. The reality of a fall isn’t the comic and the banana peel; it’s much more likely to be similar to the “help me, I can’t get up” ads.
The Facts about Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents send eight million people to the emergency room yearly, more than from any other type of accident. They are also the leading reason for people missing work. Some of these falls are simply accidents, but many others are caused because the owner or caretaker of the property didn’t bother to correct an unsafe condition.
Older people are especially likely to be seriously injured in a fall. At work, falls are the leading cause of injury for those over 55. Almost two million people over 65 are treated in emergency rooms every year because of falls. Hips fractures resulting from a fall mean the end of independent living for half of the elderly people who suffer from hip fractures.
The Responsibility to Keep Property Safe
Premises liability refers to the obligation of an owner or caretaker to keep property relatively safe for others. Each situation is unique, but if someone slips and falls on a wet floor in a store, the store is normally responsible. They could have chosen to install a type of flooring that was less slippery, or they may not have tried to keep the floors dry when it was raining out. An employee may have seen the spilled liquid on the floor and made no attempt to keep customers from the area.
It’s necessary to examine the facts of the case with a slip and fall attorney. The store may claim that the fall victim was responsible for their own injury even if that was not the case.
When you need an aggressive slip and fall attorney to help you through a difficult time, request a free consultation at . David S. Kohm has over 20 years of experience in representing clients who’ve been injured because of another’s negligence.
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