Slip and fall accidents are common occurrence, but they can be very dangerous. Many people don’t realize the seriousness of these accidents, which is why it’s important to know the risks involved.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss why slip and fall accidents can be so dangerous and what you can do to stay safe. We’ll also cover some of the most common injuries associated with these accidents. If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, please contact a Daytona Beach slip and fall attorney for legal advice.
Why Are Slip and Fall Accidents So Dangerous?
While slipping and falling may pose fewer risks to young, energetic people, they pose a great risk to children and senior citizens. Young children often have weaker bones compared to grown-ups. Children are also more clumsy and cannot often distinguish potential slipping hazards. Fortunately, young children can easily bounce back from slip and fall injuries, and their recovery rate is much faster.
On the other hand, physical weakness, poor vision, and diminished flexibility are some of the things that make the elderly prone to slipping. Once they fall and sustain injuries, their road to recovery may be long and painful. They are also likely to sustain more serious injuries due to their brittle bones.
In younger adults, a slip and fall may only prove fatal if someone lands their head or spine on a sharp object or the floor. Traumatic brain injuries or spinal injuries may change the trajectory of your life. In severe cases, they may cause disability or even death.
What Are The Common Causes Of Slip and Fall Accidents
Slips and falls may happen anywhere. You could slip on legos that your toddler left lying around or trip on electric cables in your workplace. If your accident was on a privately owned property, you could sue the premises owner for your accident. However, there has to be proof of negligence for you to get compensated for your injuries. Here are some leading causes of slips and falls in the country.
Wet and Slippery Floors
Slippery floors are the leading cause of slip and fall accidents around the country. They often occur due to leaks and spills. Some floors are also slippery due to the material used to build them or the cleaning products that janitors use to clean up the premises. In such cases, the building’s management must put up proper signage to warn the tenants or visitors of the risk.
There also needs to be an effort to keep all floors and surfaces clean and dry. If you sustain injuries after falling on a slippery floor with no warning signs, you can file a liability claim against the building’s owner.
Cluttered Paths
If a building or pathway is unnecessarily cluttered, there is a high risk that someone may trip over something and fall. Building owners must do everything they can to maintain a clean and clear pathway.
One of the most common tripping hazards in commercial buildings is electric cables that run across hallways. Landlords and tenants must ensure that such cords do not threaten building users.
Uneven And Unrailed Stairs
Faulty and uneven steps cause the most dangerous slip and fall injuries. That is why landlords need to be extra careful when building their stairs. All the steps in a staircase should be even. Premise owners should also install safety rails to prevent additional injuries in case someone trips when using the stairs. The materials used to build stairs should also be non-slip.
Potholes
Parking lots and sidewalks are prone to getting potholes at some point. If the property owner does not fix the potholes in good time, they pose a risk to the people using their premises.
If you trip over a huge, visible pothole, you may have grounds to sue the property owner since they should have repaired the sidewalk in good time or placed signs to warn people of the potential risk on their sidewalk.
Loose Floorboards and Carpeting
Another common cause of slip and fall accidents is poorly carpeted floors and loose floorboards. Property owners must promptly repair any damaged floorboards to avoid injuries to their tenants and visitors. Any ragged carpets also need to be repaired or replaced as soon as they are damaged.
Poor Lighting
All areas in a building need to be well lit. Poor lighting will often lead to dangerous falls. For instance, if a sidewalk with a pothole does not have proper lighting, the risk of tripping and falling is much higher. The same applies to stairwells and cluttered hallways.
Common Serious Slip And Fall Injuries
The intensity of your injury will depend on the kind of fall you sustained, what body part you landed on, and what object broke your fall.
Fractures and Broken Bones
Most fractures you sustain from a slip and fall will be minor and require a short recovery time. However, some serious falls may cause irreversible damage to your bones.
If a bone is severely broken, your doctor may order surgery to fix it. In such cases, you can file for higher compensation to cater to your bills.
Spinal Injuries
Spinal injuries are common if you land on your back during a slip and fall accident. You may easily dislocate your spinal discs due to the landing impact.
Treating spinal injuries can be financially draining. What’s more, some injuries may have a long recovery time after the accident. You may also suffer long-term effects such as paralysis. If that happens, your Daytona Beach slip and fall attorney should include your disability costs in the claim you file against the defendant.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Any head injuries you sustain from your fall may put you at great risk of TBI. The saddest thing about TBIs is that most of their symptoms may appear mild, so many patients brush them off until it is too late.
You may experience drowsiness, loss of balance and coordination, mood swings, blurred vision, or even nausea. If the injury is severe, you may experience seizures or have clear fluid dripping from your nose or ears. TBIs can be fatal if you do not treat them in good time. Your doctor should order conclusive tests whenever you get into an accident to ensure nothing goes undetected.
Soft Tissue Injuries
These are injuries that damage your muscles, tendons, or ligaments. They may occur if you forcefully move a part of your body. Examples of soft tissue injuries include contusions, bursitis, tendonitis, sprains, and strains. Unlike most injuries, soft tissue injuries are hard to detect and may require a doctor to diagnose.
Some of the symptoms you may experience are swelling, bruising in the affected area, and pain. Soft tissue injuries may lead to chronic pain that will affect your ability to work and enjoy life. By getting medical records that indicate your pain, you can get compensation for the effects of your injuries on your life.
Cuts and Abrasions
The depth of your cuts will determine what kind of treatment you receive. Most cuts will require a few stitches and antibiotics to keep infections at bay. However, if you fell from a high place and landed on a sharp object, your cuts may be deeper and may put you at risk of infection if you do not get immediate medical care.
The cuts may also be accompanied by serious injuries such as broken bones or soft tissue injuries. So before using a band-aid on your abrasions, you may want to seek an expert’s opinion on how bad your injury is.
How Much Compensation Can I Get From a Slip and Fall Accident?
The settlement you get from a slip and fall accident will vary based on the injuries you suffered from the fall. If your injuries were severe and cost a fortune in medical bills, you may get higher compensation. The defendant should also cover your lost wages, therapy fees (if there are any), and other costs you may incur from the accident.
Most slip and fall settlements range between $15,000 and $55,000. However, if you have a good lawyer to fight your case, you may get higher compensation for your injuries after the accident.
Getting The Perfect Lawyer
Proving negligence in a slip and fall accident is not easy. There are plenty of factors that the court will consider before ruling in your favor. If you were in a slip-and-fall accident, you are probably torn about where to begin. That is where we come in!
Our Daytona Beach slip and fall attorneys have been in the business for years. We have won cases for thousands of clients and would take pleasure in helping you as well. We know how scary and stressful lawsuits can be. However, do not let your fear hinder you from getting the rightful compensation. We are here to make it easier.
Do not settle with the defendant without first consulting a slip-and-fall attorney. Reach out to us and let us help you determine what your best option is. With our help, you will get your rightful dues.
