Slip and Fall Vs. Trip and Fall
People often fall at different public places and face several kinds of injuries. Many don’t know the difference between slipping and tripping. There are many probabilities of slipping as well as tripping.
You have probably slipped on something on your own, or you may fall after tripping on something. When a public area is involved, the legal considerations are similar, but not identical. Hence, it is essential to know the difference to take appropriate steps.
A Few Slip And Fall Incidents You Must Know About
A Fort Myers Personal Injury Lawyer is the best person to connect with when you are injured. If you fell somewhere in a public area or on the poorly maintained property of another person, due to someone else’s mistake, talking to a lawyer will be a wise choice.
He can evaluate your situation, analyze your losses and damages, consider your pain and suffering, and do anything needed to help you recover fair compensation.
The most common cause of slipping and falling is a wet surface, on slippery ground due to oil, snow, poor cleaning, or related circumstances. People tend to lose balance on such surfaces and get injured after falling down.
- A hard floor was cleaned or waxed just a few moments ago. When the owner does not warn other people about this, and someone ends up slipping and falling, the owner can be held liable. Owners need to keep their premises clean and safe for every person, but they must also warn of the temporary danger.
- Oily floors can be hazardous.
- Uncleaned floors in restaurants can cause slip and fall.
- In salons or related places, slip and fall can happen when hair products are still lying on the floor, and someone slipped.
Some injuries that we can expect in such accidents are head injury, neck injuries, back injuries, hip injuries, etc.
Some Details About Trip And Fall
The numbers of slip, trip and fall accidents are astonishing. Tripping and slipping are different. When a person trips, they step on something or misstep and fall down. When a person slips, they step on a dangerous surface and fall.
The causes and injuries can be very different in such a scenario. Here are some of the common trip and fall accident causes:
- Door jambs;
- Improperly maintained and rough parking lots;
- Uneven sidewalks
- Any item left on the floor causing someone to trip.
Injuries that Trip and Fall Accident Can Cause Include:
- Face injuries
- Elbow injuries
- Hand and arm fractures
- Knee injuries
- Elbow injuries
Because the cause behind the accident and injury differs, the legal approach also varies. So, if you are suffering due to severe injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, from a slip or trip and fall, you can take legal steps to sue the person or party at fault to recover your losses.
A good lawyer can help you evaluate your claim and your losses and damages. He will assist you and fight for the maximum-possible monetary compensation for your loss.
Determining Liability Is A Crucial Step
To seek compensation from the party at fault, it is essential to know how responsible the person was for your injury. Determining liability is one of the essential facts for winning any injury claim. To hold another legally accountable for the damages in slip and fall, or trip and fall on someone else’s property, you will have to prove one of the following facts:
- The property owner or an employee showed negligent behavior even after knowing the risk of slipping or tripping on his property;
- The owner failed to maintain the property or neglected to clean it;
- The surface was uneven, or an object was left unattended on the way, thus creating a hazard due to others’ irresponsible behavior;
- The premises owner should have known the danger and taken necessary steps to avoid any mishap.
Determining and proving liability in many incidents becomes very difficult. Judges and juries pay special attention to issues of liability. Having solid documents to prove negligence and another person’s fault can help win compensation for the injured party.
The property owner cannot be held liable for all slip, trip, and fall accidents. For example, if you fell down due to drainage grates in front of someone’s property, you cannot blame the property owner for it. Those grates are there for a purpose, and no one can avoid them. But if you fell due to excess snow accumulation right in front of a shop, there is a chance to prove the shopkeeper’s negligence.
A free legal consultation with us can be very helpful. We have been handling different types of slip,trip and fall cases for years, and have helped many clients.