5 Top Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents are common and both their causes and effects vary. They can cause serious problems such as head and spinal cord injuries or they can leave just a few scratches and bruises. Sometimes they are not due to any fault or oversight on anybody’s part, but are just a result of negligence. As personal injury attorneys who deal with slip and fall injuries, we have dedicated a considerable amount of time to determining the causes of slip and fall accidents. In our experience, the most common causes are as follows.
Weak Muscles
Sometimes slip and fall incidents are due to nothing more than muscle weakness, especially (but not exclusively) among older adults. Weak legs are a major cause of poor balance, which can cause people to be unsteady on their feet. In many cases, slip and fall accidents take place merely because individuals lose control of their legs. In these cases, no external cause, whether accidental or specifically due to negligence, can be blamed for the fall.
Health Conditions
Poor health could be another factor contributing to slip and fall incidents. Faintness, dizziness or, in extreme cases, seizures, are typical medical circumstances that lead to falls. All of these can result in fairly serious injury, but if they are found to be the cause of the fall, no other party can be held liable.
Bad Weather
Weather is a very common cause for slip and fall incidents. Wet or icy conditions make floors slippery and unstable and make falls highly likely. Property owners and government agencies have a responsibility to mitigate the slipping hazards caused by bad weather, for example by shoveling sidewalks, plowing and salting streets and walkways, or mopping and drying tiled floors in rainy conditions. If they fail to do so and injuries occur, they may be held liable.
Neglect
Negligence takes many forms, from bad maintenance to nursing home neglect. The latter has proven to be the cause behind many slip and fall instances. Elderly people are weaker on their feet and have a reduced sense of balance. Administrators and aids in nursing homes have a responsibility to monitor their patients and residents carefully at all times, and offer assistance with walking. If it is ever proven that slip and fall incidents have occurred as a result of nursing home staff’s failure to take proper care of their patients, the legal consequences can be dire.
When to Hire a Slip and Fall Personal Injury Attorney
If a slip and fall accident has led you to sustain injuries or financial losses, you have a right to seek compensation against an organization or property owner that may have had a legitimate duty of care to ensure your safety. Speak to a personal injury attorney with a good understanding of slip and fall injuries, who will be able to build a case on your behalf and pursue compensation on your behalf.
If you have experienced slip and fall injuries in Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, or North Carolina, speak to a personal injury attorney at Goss & Fentress.
