Slip and Fall

Slip and fall, also known as “trip and fall,” accidents are pretty straightforward and self-explanatory. In such cases, a claim is made that the injury happened due to negligence of the owner on whose property the accident took place. Hazardous conditions – circumstances with relatively high potential for injury - under which such accidents occur include water/wet areas, ice and snow, abrupt changes in the floor/surface, and bad lighting.

When considering “hazardous” conditions, there are two primary types: permanent and temporary. The permanent category includes situations such as a broken stairwell, while conditions that are considered temporary include snow and ice. In assigning responsibility, property owners are generally held responsible for permanent conditions, but temporary conditions can be more debatable. Workers’ compensation laws generally cover slip and fall type injuries that occur at work.

Compensation for slip and fall injuries may include coverage for things like medical bills, “pain and suffering,” and lost wages. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control estimated that in the year 2004, over 8 million people were injured in falls. Slip and fall accidents tend to effect older individuals more. The Center for Disease Control estimated that in 2005, 1.8 million people aged 65 and over were treated in emergency rooms for fall-related injuries. Having a general handle of slip and fall laws and access to dependable and appropriate legal counsel can be of great importance.

References:

http://personal-injury.lawyers.com/Personal-Injury-Slip-and-Fall-FAQs.html

http://accident-law.freeadvice.com/slips_falls/slip_fall.htm