Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are not always but, often times the result of negligence on the part of a residential or commercial property owner. They occur much more frequently than they should especially in retail stores, hotels, hospitals or nursing homes, or even when you are a guest at another person’s home. If you sustain injuries as a result of a slip and fall accident and the cause of your fall can be attributed to some action or inaction on the part of the premises owner, it may be best to obtain legal advice from an experienced California personal injury attorney who is familiar with the law and the requirements to hold the negligent party responsible for payment of medical expenses, lost wages and to compensate the victim for emotional trauma and physical pain. Personal injuries can be a result of a number of reasons, such as spilled chemicals or liquids, improperly waxed floors, or obstructions in the walking area, dangerously slick floor materials such as certain types of commercial-grade tile and many other reasons. Many types of injuries may occur as a result of a slip and fall injury and to get the compensation that you need, it is important to have a lawyer that is experienced in handling personal injury cases.

Some of the common reasons that people are injured in a slip and fall accident are due to factors that the owner or management were not responsible with their handling, such as:

• Lack of posted warning signs or placards
• Over waxing, over polishing floors
• Obstructions on the walk space areas
• Damaged rugs or carpeting
• Worn or broken mats and entry way items
• Broken or damaged stairs or hand rails
• Uncleaned spills in walkways that can cause the floor to be slick
• Negligently designed or constructed property
• Natural conditions like ice and rain when the proper procedures are not taken to warn or remedy about the condition
• Uneven flooring
• Parking lot defects such as potholes and uneven pavement
• Poor or inadequate lighting to illuminate the walking surface

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were over 15,000 people that died as a result of falls within a one year period. Furthermore, falls are the leading cause of non fatal injury in the United States and account for more than 780,000 hospitalizations and better than 11.5 million minor injuries which do not require hospitalization. Many of these injuries are caused by acts of negligence by property owners and managers.

Of those that are injured from slip and fall accidents, many sustain fractured bones, Traumatic Brain Injury, head injuries and back injuries. If you are injured from a fall, it is very important that you immediately seek medical attention. There may be injuries that cause serious medical problems at a later time that you are unaware of at the time of the fall or shortly following the incident. For example, falls often cause trauma to the spine that requires not just x-rays but more detailed studies like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to determine the existence and severity of the injury. Moreover, if the injury is an act of negligence on the part of a property owner or manager, having medical documentation will provide professional evidence to substantiate your case if you so choose to file a claim for injury settlement compensation.

Steven M. Sweat, APC is a personal injury law firm with over 20 years of experience representing the victims of slip and fall incidents in all types of venues throughout Southern California. We have team of investigators and forensic engineers who can do site inspections at the area in question and determine of there were any code violations or other types of negligent maintenance practices that may have solely caused or contributed to the spill. We also have a team of some of the highest rated trial lawyers in California who have decades of experience litigation and trying slip and fall cases. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed due to slipping and falling in or around a commercial or residential property anywhere in California, we would be glad to provide a free consultation and obtain facts to determine if legal action may lie to recoup damages. Our injury helpline is open 24 hours a day / 7 days a week toll free at 866-966-5240. Call today to speak with an experience attorney willing to help!

Recent Success Stories: We recently represented the family of an elderly gentleman who slipped on black ice in front of a retail store. The ice had been on the sidewalk for several days without any, meaningful attempts to remove it. Unfortunately, the victim slipped, fell face down on the hard concrete, and sustained significant internal bleeding, which results in his death. Our office was able to obtain compensation in the amount of $1,300,000 for the family of the victim, including his wife and children.