Slip and fall accidents are easily some of the most common types of personal injury accidents. Why are slip and fall accidents so common? Slip and fall accidents are common for one main reason – they can occur virtually anywhere. Slip and fall accidents can happen while you are out visiting friends, doing your shopping at your favorite store, working at your office, or even walking through a parking lot. Although the outcomes of slip and fall accidents can vary, victims could suffer a variety of injuries, such as head injuries, brain injuries, neck injuries, back injuries, and spinal cord injuries, for example.
Without a doubt, slip and fall accident could flip your world upside down. Many victims have the right to pursue a claim and receive compensation; however, they do not exercise this right because they do not understand liability.
Have you ever suffered a fall? What is your immediate reaction? You probably became conscious of what was happening as soon as you slipped and began falling. After falling and landing on the floor, you probably got up as quickly as possible. It is human nature to blame oneself. You might blame yourself for not paying attention or for not seeing the hazard in time. You might consider yourself careless or clumsy for slipping and falling.
What is wrong with this point of view? Without a doubt, carelessness and clumsiness could lead to slip and fall accidents. However, such reasoning usually prevents the victim from seeing the true cause of their fall. “There are a number of questions that victims of slip and fall accidents should ask themselves after being involved in a slip and fall accident,” says personal injury lawyer Farid Yaghoubtil – of Downtown L.A. Law Group. “Unfortunately, the first thing in the minds of victims of slip and fall accidents are usually placing the blame on themselves; however, they should be asking questions that help them establish liability.”
Consider some of the following questions that victims should ask themselves after suffering a slip and fall accident:
- Why did I slip?
- Was something spilled on the floor?
- Was I able to see the hazard prior to the fall?
- Did I ignore a hazard?
- Was the hazard hard to see?
- Was there any warning sign to alert me of the hazard?
- Did I ignore a warning sign?
- Could the hazard have been quickly addressed and resolved?
- Could my slip and fall have been avoided?
- Did someone’s negligence cause my accident?
Why are these questions relevant? These questions could help victims understand whether someone could be held liable for their accident and for the harm that they suffered. Consider some of the most common locations of slip and fall accidents: stores, workplaces, and restaurants, for example. When you are shopping at a store, the store owner or manager has the duty to maintain a store that is free of any hazards that could harm you or other shoppers. When you are working at your workplace, your employer has to ensure that the workplace is free of any hazards that could cause an accident. Likewise, when you are at a restaurant, the restaurant owner/manager must ensure that there are no hazards present. In all of these places, an owner, manager, or any party with authority, must ensure that there are no hazards; if hazards are present, they must ensure that they are promptly addressed. In many cases, hazards cannot be immediately addressed; therefore, there must be a clear warning.
Whenever someone creates a hazard, fails to address a hazard, or fails to place a warning for a hazard, they could be found liable for any harm suffered as a result of their negligence. If you ever suffer a slip and fall accident, do not automatically blame yourself – it is possible that a party or establishment can be found liable for your accident and for the harm that you suffered. Without a doubt, understanding liability can be difficult; establishing liability could be even more complicated.
In most cases, hiring an attorney to help establish liability in slip and fall accidents is the best option. Doing so provides victims of slip and fall accidents with both the information and the guidance that they need to take action after experiencing a slip and fall accident.
