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Slipping and falling is a leading cause of Worker’s Compensation claims, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and hip fractures. Unfortunately, broken bones and head injuries can be expensive to treat and may leave you out of work and struggling to pay your bills for some time.
In severe cases, you might even become permanently disabled and find that you can’t return to work at all.
Older adults are at higher risk, but anyone can experience a fall, especially in the presence of hazards that make slipping or tripping more likely. Here are some common issues that cause falls:
- Loose or broken floor tiles. These are often unnoticed until a person trips and falls. The property owner is responsible for noting damaged floor tiles and attempting to replace them. In the meantime, they should also warn others visiting the property to be careful of this area, for example, by placing a sign indicating guests should watch their step. Holes, cracks, or uneven flooring are additional potential causes of slip/trip and fall accidents.
- Wet floors. There’s a reason “Wet Floor” signs exist, and property owners should use them when a floor is still drying. Sometimes, a spill or leak has happened recently, and the owner is unaware of the problem. But if they were or should have been aware, they are responsible for cleaning up the mess and putting out a sign until the floor is dry.
- Items or debris on the floor or ground. This is another situation that can happen quickly, and the property owner may not be immediately aware of the problem, but they should keep the floors clear on a regular basis, especially in public businesses. Stores, for example, usually have staff members moving around the sales floor who should be able to spot a dropped item or spilled drink and alert a manager. If the hazard remains for an extended period of time and no one addresses it, the store or owner may have been negligent. We also see situations where people have tripped on items in the yard of private property, such as rakes, hoses, children’s toys, or gardening tools.
- Stairwells. When stairs get a lot of use over several years, the carpeting or flooring can become worn, especially near the middle of the stairs. Carpeting often develops holes, snags, or tears that a shoe can catch on quickly. Hard flooring could become chipped or loose, depending on the materials. Another potential hazard here is poor lighting—even if the stairs are in good condition, you might trip if you can’t see where you’re going! Finally, stairwells should come with handrails to help if someone does start to lose their balance.
- Overwaxing. Managers of stores and other public buildings frequently wax their floors to keep them looking nice. This isn’t a problem on its own, but if the waxing company leaves too much wax on the floor, there could be slippery spots that are hard to see. A store manager should slowly walk the floor after a wax treatment, check for any areas with wax buildup, and then clean them before the store opens again.
- Damaged or disheveled carpeting. Similar to the stairwell problem, a carpet with holes or snags can also be dangerous on a flat surface. Additionally, scatter rugs that bunch up or get flipped over can also be dangerous. Even doormats that keep people from tracking mud or rainwater into the building and causing wet floor hazards can be problematic if they’re rumpled, or the edges are kicked backward.
How Can a Dekalb County Slip and Fall Accident Attorney Help?
If you recently fell on another party’s property and suffered injuries, we recommend speaking with a slip and fall attorney to learn more about your rights and options if you want to pursue compensation. This consultation is free and confidential.
Sometimes, after a slip and fall accident, the injured person doesn’t think they want to pursue a lawsuit or seek compensation in any other way. They may write the experience off as a simple accident that could happen to anyone or assume it was unavoidable.
In some cases, they may be right.
But then they start receiving medical bills for everything their health insurance didn’t cover. They may spend several days, weeks, or even months out of work because of their injuries, while those medical bills still need to be paid—along with all their regular living expenses.
At the same time, the injured person might be in a lot of pain that doesn’t go away as quickly as they’d hoped. As their financial and physical stress grows, they start to wonder if there’s any way to cover their expenses.
If you or a loved one are in a similar situation, please contact a personal injury attorney immediately. In many cases, we may be able to help you find a solution and recover your damages.
Did You Fall Because of Another Party’s Negligence, Or Was It Just Bad Luck?
This is an important question to answer before proceeding with your case.
Many people don’t know why they fell, or they mistakenly assume it was their fault. They might tell us that they were walking one minute, and the next, they were on the floor, or they may have looked around afterward and noticed nothing amiss.
To prove negligence, we will show that there was a hazard on the property that the owner should have known about and addressed. If you aren’t sure what happened, we’ll investigate the accident, quietly visiting the scene and observing how it looks now.
In some cases, our investigators have found the hazard that caused the client’s fall still exists in a public area like a store. In other situations, the owner may have finally put up a sign, but the hazard itself remains, or there could be evidence of recent repairs.
We are more likely to find the cause of your accident if you contact us quickly after your fall, but there are other options if we don’t immediately spot any issues at the scene. Our investigators will try to find witnesses who observed your fall or search for photo or video evidence, sometimes available from security or doorbell cameras.
Sometimes, we locate a store employee who was working when the accident happened and recalls an important piece of information.
What Should You Do After a Slip and Fall Accident?
We understand that falls are usually upsetting, and it can be difficult to think clearly when you’re in pain or otherwise dealing with your injuries. But if possible, we recommend getting the names of any bystanders present after your accident in case we need to talk with them later.
It’s also essential to seek prompt medical attention, even if you think your injuries are mild. Many people are surprised to find they feel worse the next day or a few days later or that their pain doesn’t resolve on its own.
The sooner you see a healthcare provider, the sooner you can get treatment and rule out any serious injuries (like a TBI or a head injury that requires immediate treatment). You’ll also establish a record of your injuries, which is helpful if you don’t heal independently and need further care.
Finally, contact a slip and fall lawyer to understand your options if your injuries become expensive or create more challenges for you later.
What if You Slip and Fall at Work?
As discussed earlier, worker’s compensation almost always covers these accidents. The good news is that worker’s compensation does not require you to prove negligence, only that you were at work when you were injured.
Worker’s compensation is designed to be a simple system allowing employees to get medical care for work-related injuries without the time and stress of a lawsuit.
The bad news is that your employer’s insurance company may still fight or reject your claim. While they can’t deny your claim because you were at fault, they can deny it for a number of other reasons.
For example, they might claim you weren’t really injured at work, that your injuries weren’t that bad, or that you injured yourself on purpose. These situations are frustrating, but your slip-and-fall lawyer will fight for your right to compensation under the Worker’s Comp system.
We’ll also evaluate your case to determine if you have grounds for a third-party claim against another party (not your employer) whose negligence caused your accident.
How Can You Get Assistance From a Dekalb County Slip and Fall Accident Law Firm?
Please contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation about your case. We’ll review what happened, answer your questions, and explain your options for pursuing compensation.
If we take your case, there are no fees until we win or settle it.
The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm was founded by attorney Ali Awad, who quickly expanded it into one of the fastest-growing law firms in the country. With the help of his experienced team, he has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for injured people and their families.
You can also find him on social media, where he delivers down-to-earth legal advice to more than a million followers. Work with The CEO Lawyer today by calling 833-254-2923.