What is a Slip and Fall?
A Slip and Fall is an incident in which a person falls and is injured on someone else’s property. A case is considered a slip and fall when the cause of the fall is a hazardous condition like a wet floor or a cluttered walkway. In other words, a slip and fall case in which someone is injured on another’s property, and that injury could and should have been prevented by proper conditions being met.
A slip and fall case involves negligence, and is under what is known as premises liability law. Property owners must maintain an environment that is safe for visitors, and if they do not, they can be found liable for injuries incurred by visitors. Despite its simple name, a slip and fall can result in serious injuries to the injured party, and may leave them seeking damages.
An injured party in a slip and fall case must show that the property owner had a duty of care to them and that the property owner’s own negligence caused their injury. That negligence entails the failure to prevent hazardous conditions and keep their property safe. Property owners do typically have a duty of care to all visitors, even trespassers in most cases.
More information about Slip and Fall
Your First Steps After a Slip and Fall
An unmarked area of spillage on a hotel lobby’s floor. An unmaintained stairwell that’s missing the proper railing. An untreated patch of ice on a train platform. These are all examples of potential safety hazards that could lead to a dangerous slip and fall for anyone in the vicinity.
According to the National Safety Council, “Falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries in the United States.” Reportedly, falls account for 8.9 million visits to emergency rooms each year, as well as more than 25,000 fatalities — an occurrence that can increase with age. Falls can happen on the job, at a restaurant, at a grocery store, at a school, and even at a private residence.
Regardless of who you initially think may be at fault, there are certain action steps you should take to protect yourself and your legal rights if you ever find yourself in such a situation:
- Keep calm and call for help. […]
