Slip and Fall Accident

A slip and fall lawyer Little Rock Arkanss handles personal injury cases in which individual slips, trips or falls on a property owned or maintained by someone else. Although it may seem overly excited by the media, slip, and fall is one of the most common accidents in the USA. It is divided into the same level, and the elevated level falls. The same level falls occur when someone trips over items like wires, power lines or door jams, or falls over objects that were left on walking areas, or slips on wet or slippery (icy) surfaces such as roads, driveways or sidewalks. Elevated level falls are far less frequent; however, when they do occur, they result in much more serious injuries.

Causes of accidents

Some common causes of indoor falls are damaged or wet floors, ripped carpets, unleveled floors, no warning signs and inadequate lighting in areas of gaps or non-smooth surfaces. Outdoor slip and falls may be caused by snow or ice potholes, debris on sidewalks, cracked or uneven walkways, uneven flagstone patios or inadequate lighting conditions. Slip and fall accidents can also occur on stairs due to steps without handrails, actions that are hard to see or awkwardly placed, small unmarked steps, uneven stairs, or damaged railings. Wheelchair ramps can also be places where falls may occur as a result of no handrails or improper designs.

Accident statistics

As surprising as it may, slip and fall accidents are the second leading cause of injuries and death after car accidents. It is estimated by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) that about 20,000 people die each year of slip and fall accidents that cost about $30-35 billion annually. Slip and fall accidents that happen most frequently in hotels, restaurants, fitness centers, as well as in other public buildings, are the foremost reason for emergency room visits. Seventy percent of falls are same-level falls. The food industry is one of the main contributors to this kind of accident, with about 3 million employee and 1 million guest injuries each year. Workplace slip and fall is quite common as well as accounting for approximately 12-15% of all workers compensation claims.

Possible injuries

A simple slip and fall may cause fairly serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, scars of various kinds, foot and ankle injuries, spinal cord injuries, back injuries, burn injuries (fall on hot objects), concussions, head and neck injuries, as well as paralysis.

What shall I do?

If you fall on someone else’s premises, follow a simple routine: examine yourself for injuries, take pictures of the conditions that caused the slip or the trip, get the details of possible witnesses, inform the owner about the accident and make sure no one else gets hurt, tell your insurance company about the accident and file an accident report if it is a minor injury, get medical treatment if necessary, and contact a Little Rock personal injury lawyer who is experienced in premises liability claims.

What mistakes shall I avoid?

It is recommended that you avoid the following: take a settlement from the property owner immediately after the accident, sign anything without consulting with a lawyer, take the first offer from your insurance company, negotiate with your insurance company on your own, agree to a recorded statement without the presence of your lawyer, and assume that you cannot make a claim without witnesses (you do not necessarily need witnesses to get compensation from a slip and fall accident).

How to prevent an accident?

There is a lot an individual or a company can do to prevent slip and fall accidents: conduct frequent inspections and fix anything that may cause slip and fall, e.g., lighting, visibility, signs, etc.; as mandated by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) provide extensive safety training for all employees; make sure that all employees wear proper working footwear that is slip and toe crush resistant, and supports the ankles; report all slips, trips and falls with or without injury and make the proper correction to avoid future occurrences; install hand bars outside the showers; keep walking areas free of clutter; tape down the carpet to the floor; repair all cracks on walkways and on the stairs; and make sure that all fields are adequately illuminated.

Some legal advice

To prove liability in a slip and fall case one has to show that the condition, e.g., spill, was caused by the owner or an employee; the owner/employee must have known about the situation but done nothing; the owner/employee should have known about the situation but neglected to follow safety procedures; and the owner/employee had a reasonable time to fix it. Premises liability is a complicated issue, so it is highly recommended to consult with a contact Little Rock, AR slip and fall lawyer.