A slip and fall can cause you serious injuries, and if they happen because of someone else’s negligence, you should be able to recover for those injuries. Under the law, both businesses and private individuals are required to ensure that their premises is safe before inviting someone to come to it. Slip and fall cases can result in severe injuries entitling the victim to recover for their medical bills, pain and suffering, and any lost wages.
Common Injuries in a Slip and Fall Case
Any number of injuries can happen in a slip and fall case. There are four common types of slip and fall cases:
- Trip and fall injuries occur if something is in your path and you trip over it.
- Stick and fall injuries occur if there is something sticky in your path or something that impedes your ability to walk
- Step and fall injuries occur if there is a hole or other defect in the walking area that causes you to loose your footing when you step down on it
- Slip and fall injuries occur if the walking surface impedes your center of gravity when walking, such as if the floor is wet and you don’t get sufficient traction.
Duties of Premises Owners to Prevent Slip and Falls
The owner of a business or residence you are invited to has a duty to ensure all four of these slip and fall accidents don’t happen. Different levels of responsibility are imposed on the premises owner, depending on the situation. If you went to a business area where you were “invited” to go for the benefit of the business owner, such as a department store or restaurant, then the owner has a duty to inspect the premises for any dangers, and to warn or protect you from dangers. This means that the store or business has the obligation to make sure there are no spills or damage to walkways that could cause you to fall, and that if there are dangers, they have to warn you about them.
If you go to someone’s home as a guest or for a social visit (not to do business) and are injured, a less stringent duty is imposed on the homeowner- but they still have to make sure you are safe. A homeowner, for example, has to warn visitors of any dangers or protect them from dangers if those dangers aren’t obvious. This means if you can’t visibly see that tree roots are likely to trip you or that the front steps have a hole in them, the premises owner has a legal duty to warn you about these things.
What Happens if You Are Hurt in a Los Angeles Slip and Fall?
If you are injured in a slip and fall case, and you believe that the owner of the premises failed in his duty to protect you or warn you, you need to contact a personal injury attorney. The attorney can help you to gather evidence, such as proving that the conditions that caused the fall were unsafe and that you were not responsible for the fall.
Our law firm specializes in personal injury cases like slip and falls. If you have been recently injured please contact our office for a Free Consultation. 1-877-702-7274
[...] you hear about slip and fall claims and recovery for slip and fall injuries, you often think of grocery stores or other public places. [...]