Seattle, WAAlthough they may seem innocent enough, slip and fall incidents can actually cause devastating injuries to those people unfortunate enough to experience them. Although the vast majority of slip and fall injuries are no more than cuts and bruises, some incidents result in broken bones, concussions, back injuries and even permanent brain injuries. Too often, these slip and fall accidents could be prevented if people followed safety rules for their premises.
Slip and fall injuries occur when a person slips or trips and subsequently falls because of a dangerous condition on another person or organization's property. Such falls can be caused by water, ice, snow, uneven flooring, hidden hazards, or poor lighting. There are 2 kinds of falls: same-level falls and elevated falls.
Same-level falls occur when a person slips and falls without changing levels. They are typically less severe than elevated falls, which occur when a person slips from a higher level and falls to a lower level. This can include falls from a ladder, falls from equipment, falls on construction sites and falls down stairs.
Slip and fall injuries can occur at someone else's home, on public property (such as a retail store or restaurant) in an office building or even at a workplace. When a slip and fall injury occurs, the victim can file a personal injury claim based on premise liability laws. In such cases, the owner could be found liable for the victim's injury.
A common slip and fall incident occurs when a person slips and lands with force on his or her buttocks. Force from the ground moves up the spine and can result in a compression of the person's vertebrae and spinal discs. This can cause an increase in pressure, which causes the disc wall to burst. Some back injuries are serious enough to temporarily or permanently paralyze the victim.
Of course, with any slip and fall incident, there is also the potential for a head trauma. Falling with great force and hitting your head on a hard surface can result in a concussion or even a traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury can be a devastating injury, depending on its severity. Other slip and fall injuries include damage to the victim's pelvic region. Such damage, which often involves a broken bone, can be debilitating and require a long time to recover.
The scary thing about slip and fall accidents is that they can happen at any time. All it takes is one slippery spot on the floor or one warning that is not properly posted about a spill or one uneven section of pavement. That is why people who own or operate public premises are required to put up signs warning people about potential hazards. When a floor is mopped, there should be a sign warning about the wet floor, so that people know they must be careful.
Unfortunately, those rules are not always followed. Perhaps employees feel it will take too much time to put out the sign, so they wash the floor or mop up a spill but do not put out the required signage. And then someone walks into the area, slips and winds up with an injury—all because a required warning sign was not posted.
At first glance, slip and fall accidents seem harmless. They do not seem to be as devastating as a car crash or a plane crash. But, to those who are injured in a slip and fall incident, the consequences can be devastating. They can include serious head trauma, internal injuries and back injuries. In fact, for seniors, slip and fall accidents can be permanently debilitating.
If you or someone you love has suffered injury as a result of a slip and fall incident, it is important to take action to ensure that all costs associated with the injury are covered.