Common Slip And Fall Accident Causes

There are a lot of conditions that, if present on someone’s property, could present a risk of injury to visitors. We’ve included a list of some of the most common hazards encountered by Florida residents below.

Indoor Slip and Fall Hazards

Slip and fall hazards can be divided into two general categories: indoor hazards and outdoor hazards. When they occur indoors, which tends to happen more often, it is usually the result of a visitor coming into contact with:

• Wet floors, whether due to recent waxing or mopping, spilled food or liquids, leaks, or even tracked-in water;
• Torn, loose, frayed, or bulging carpeting or rugs;
• Staircases with broken or missing handrails, or crumbling or uneven steps;
• Sloping or uneven flooring;
• Debris or miscellaneous objects in the walkways;
• Poorly constructed flooring transitions; and
• Open cabinets and drawers.

Lighting can also play a role in causing slip and fall accidents. It is much more likely, for instance, that a person will fall when climbing a poorly lit stairwell. Even overly bright lights can cause a glare that also increases a person’s chances of falling.

Outdoor Slip and Fall Hazards

Despite its sunny weather, Florida still has its fair share of outdoor slip and fall hazards, including:

• Broken and uneven concrete on walkways and entrances;
• Slippery walkways from rain, ice, spills, or even decaying leaves and other plant matter;
• Divots and cracks in parking lot asphalt;
• Potholes; and
• Temporary walkways and construction ramps.

Because these kinds of defects are so dangerous for visitors, property owners are required to conduct regular inspections of their premises and if they find a hazard, to fix it as soon as possible. Property owners that fail to take these precautionary steps could end up being held liable for their negligence if it results in a slip and fall accident.

Pursuing a Slip and Fall Claim

When pursuing a slip and fall claim against a property owner, an injured party will need to prove that he or she sustained an injury because of a hazard on the owner’s property. An injured party will then need to prove that the owner either:

• Created that hazard (and so had to have known about it) and failed to correct it; or
• Wasn’t aware of the hazard, but would have been if he or she had exercised the proper degree of care in inspecting and maintaining the premises.

If successful, a slip and fall accident victim could be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses;
• Long-term care costs;
• Lost wages;
• Loss of future income due to disability; and
• Pain and suffering.

For help seeking reimbursement for your own slip and fall-related injuries, don’t hesitate to reach out to our legal team today.

Experienced Slip and Fall Lawyers in Tampa

Call 813-251-0072 to speak with one of the experienced Tampa slip and fall lawyers at Anderson & Anderson about your own legal options following a slip and fall accident. You can also set up an initial consultation with a member of our legal team by filling out an online contact form.

Sources:

cdc.gov/niosh/topics/retail/slips.html

leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.0755.html