June is National Safety Month sponsored by the NSC. Parents, employers, and community leaders are encouraged to focus on a different safety opportunity each week of the month to highlight leading causes of preventable injury and death so people can live their fullest lives.
Week 1: Emergency Preparedness
Week 2: Slips, Trips & Falls
Week 3: Heat-Related Illness
Week 4: Hazard Recognition
Preventable Injury and Death from Slips, Trips & Falls
A slip and fall accident is a very common type of accident that is sometimes caused by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. Slip and fall accidents are most common among the elderly but they can affect people of all ages. Many types of injuries may result from a slip and fall, including broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, cuts and bruises, sprained wrists and ankles, dislocated shoulders, and spine and nerve damage.
Property owners have a duty to use reasonable care on their property. This means being aware of dangerous conditions on their property and fixing those problems in a timely manner in order to make the property safe for visitors. Until issues are fixed, the area should be well marked to warn about the hazard. Property owners who fail to fulfill this obligation may be held liable for damages such as pain and suffering and medical bills from the injuries sustained in a slip and fall accident on their property.
According to cdc.gov, the most common causes of slips, trips and falls are:
- Spills
- Ice
- Snow
- Rain
- Loose mats
- Rugs
- Stepladders
Slip and fall accident claims
If you are looking to collect damages from your slip and fall accident, your premises liability lawyer will help you through a premises liability claim. As the plaintiff, you will need to prove that the property owner was negligent in caring for the property either because they failed to notice that there was a dangerous situation on their property or because they chose not to fix the situation in a timely manner. One exception to this rule is an “open or obvious danger” where a dangerous condition is considered so obvious that anybody who comes on the premises should reasonably understand to avoid the danger.
In comparative negligence states such as Washington, a property owner and the slip and fall victim can both be held partially responsible for the accident and the owner will have to pay damages proportionate to their share of the blame.
Part of keeping yourself safe is helping to prepare yourself and your family. But when you are injured as a result of the negligent or reckless behavior of another, you may need help to get back on your feet – physically, emotionally, and financially. As personal injury lawyers, we take on slip and fall cases caused by the negligence of another person, business, or organization. A personal injury attorney can help walk you through each step of the personal injury claims process to ensure that you have the support you need on the road to recovery – starting with building a strong case.
Seek the help of a personal injury lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
