Slip-and-fall accidents might seem like they are fairly uncommon, but a lot of Americans each year are injured due to these incidents. While slip-and-fall accidents can occur in many places, these accidents can commonly happen due to the following four hazards.
1. Cracked Sidewalks
While sidewalks are a great asset to enable people to walk from one place to another, they can also be a detriment if they have cracks, especially wide ones. Cracks on sidewalks can form because of expanding soil, plant life, and frequent foot traffic. If the people in charge of the sidewalk do not maintain it, the crack will often expand.
The larger the crack, the greater the risk for injury. While many people might trip and stumble but quickly correct their footing, other people might fall to the ground, land on the sidewalk, and sustain injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to brain injuries or broken bones.
So if a person receives an injury due to a cracked sidewalk, how can they receive compensation? First, they must find out who is liable for their injury. The responsible party might be a private property owner, or if the sidewalk is on public property, the local municipality or state highway department might be the one to seek damages from. Special rules may dictate how long a person has to pursue a slip-and-fall injury and the amount they can get compensation for.
Once they find out the liable party and determine their negligence, the injured party should determine what damages they can seek for their specific injuries. An attorney experienced in slip-and-fall accidents can help the injured party gather evidence, find out the facts, and get rightful compensation.
2. Grocery Store Aisle Spills
Grocery stores carry a large number of items that can spill and injure a person. The spills can occur in a number of ways. A grocery store employee or customer might accidentally spill the item as they reach for it or put it back, or some unstable displays or shelves might cause the item to spill over onto the aisle floor.
No matter the cause, the spill is still a hazard and liability that the grocery store must deal with. If they do not and someone gets injured, then that person can often sue for compensation. The injured party must still prove negligence, such as that the grocery store did not mop up the spill quickly or put out a warning for a wet floor. However, with proven negligence, the injured party can then get due compensation for their injuries.
3. Standing Water on a Person’s Property
A property owner has a duty of care to any visitors. That duty of care includes cleaning up debris and maintaining the property so that visitors can be safe from harm. If a property owner has standing water, such as puddles from a water leak, poor drainage, or lack of maintenance, they might be responsible for any slip-and-fall accident that occurs due to that standing water. This standing water can be on either private or public property.
If the injured person can prove negligence — such as if the standing water had been there for a while without any steps to fix the cause or get rid of the water — then compensation is often available.
4. Parking Lot Potholes
While potholes are more known for their damage to cars, they can also harm people walking across a parking lot. Potholes come from continual cycles of water penetration, cold temperatures, and frequent traffic.
Potholes can be shallow or deep. They may also have cracks, gravel, and dirt in or around them. All of these could contribute to the type and severity of the injuries. Common injuries might include sprained or broken ankles or wrists, broken bones, head injuries, or soft-tissue injuries.
If the owner of the parking lot is not proactive in filling and repairing the potholes, then a person who is injured from a parking lot pothole can often pursue compensation. However, before they do, they often have to prove negligence, such as that the parking lot owner knew about the pothole, did not do anything to fix it, or did not put any warning signs.
Also, you might also have to prove you were unable to avoid the pothole. Things that can contribute to not noticing a pothole include poor lighting, poor maintenance, lack of warning signs, or poor parking lot design.
Contact Our Slip-and-Fall Accident Attorneys Today
Wherever you sustained injuries from a slip-and-fall accident, you need the right legal representation. Garrison Law Firm stands for the rights of people who have suffered from personal injury. If you want to seek compensation for your injuries, then contact us today for a free legal consultation. We look forward to speaking with you soon and helping you with your personal injury case.