According to the National Floor Safety Institute, one million people visit an emergency year each year because of a slip and fall. These falls represent around 12% of all emergency room visits, and hundreds of thousands of people suffer serious injuries.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, then you should consider seeking a financial settlement to help you recover. The economic costs of a slip and fall can reach into the tens of thousands of dollars, and few people are prepared to shoulder those economic losses along. Below we present some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents that cause our clients to injure themselves in a fall.
Hazard #1: Water
Collected water is easily the most common cause of a slip and fall accident. Water can collect on the floor in many ways. For example, someone might spill liquids that are not cleaned up quickly. In a grocery store, for example, a jar of pickles could smash on the floor, releasing liquids. Or in a fast food restaurant, spilled soda could collect on the floor around the soda machine. Store owners have a duty to keep their property safe, but many are too busy to check to make sure that the floors are clear of hazards.
Water can also collect naturally, such as after a rainstorm, which can make parking lots and mats in the entrance of a store slick. If the temperature goes below freezing, then collected water can freeze. Ice is incredibly slippery, especially in Orange County when few people expect to step onto an icy sidewalk or parking lot.
Sometimes water is placed on the floor intentionally, as when a store owner mops the floor during business hours. Careful store owners will warn customers that the floor is slick, but many people nevertheless still fall.
Hazard #2: Worn Tread
Old carpeting that is not replaced can become worn down and slick. Many people will slip while walking on stairways or when walking down an incline if the tread is completely worn out and they cannot get their footing.
Hazard #3: Debris
Small pieces of debris can get caught underfoot, sending pedestrians flying. We often see slippery debris in grocery stores, where leaves or small pieces fruit or vegetables end up on the floor. Slipping on a banana peel is a great gag in cartoons, but it is also very close to the truth in many slip and fall cases.
On a sidewalk, people can slip on leaves and other clutter. After a rainfall, this debris becomes especially slippery.
Hazard #4: Poor Lighting
It is easy to lose your footing when you cannot see where you are walking. This is especially true of staircases that are poorly lit. If you plant your foot too close to the edge of the step, you can lose your balance and go tumbling down the stairs.
Poor lighting also includes very bright lights that create glare and temporarily blind pedestrians. When you cannot see where you are going, it is very easy to fall.
Hazard #5: Footwear
The shoes that a person wears can also contribute to a slip and fall accident. If the treads are worn out, or if the treads were poor to begin with, then it is difficult for someone to gain adequate traction. As a result, they can easily slip and fall on any surface, inside and outdoors.
Hazard #6: Uneven Floorboards
Some might slip or trip over floorboards that are not even, either stubbing their toe or landing too far back on their heel so that they lose their balance. Uneven floorboards are often masked by carpeting, making it hard to see the problem until you suddenly come upon it.
Slip and Fall Injuries & Symptoms
Many people might consider slip and falls relatively minor accidents. After all, who hasn’t fallen at some point in their lives but gotten right back up?
However, many of our clients suffer serious injuries, including:
● Broken bones
● Dislocated joints
● Damaged nerves
● Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
● Spinal cord injuries
● Eye injuries
● Back injuries
These injuries warrant compensation when the property owner did not exercise sufficient care to keep their property safe.
At RMD Law, our team of Orange County slip and fall lawyers proudly stands by slip and fall victims. We are committed to doing everything in our power to secure the compensation you rightfully deserve. For more information about our services, or if you have a question, please call us at (949) 326-5000 or contact us online.
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