If you know if a property owner was negligent in a slip and fall accident it can help you decide if you can file a personal injury claim. Some of the most common reasons people slip and fall on premises owned and/or controlled by someone else include wet floors, accumulation of ice and snow on surfaces that people walk on, objects and debris left in walkways, uneven and damaged flooring, such as frayed and worn carpets, loose rugs and floor runners, cracked sidewalks, loose, damaged or missing handrails, badly designed steps and stairs, and poor lighting in areas used by the public.
What is Negligence?
When proving negligence took place in a slip and fall, the victim has to prove the defendant was responsible for the cause of the slip and fall because he or she breached their duty of care which would help prevent the accident from taking place. Examples of negligence are failure to warn users of an area such as erecting caution signs near a known hazard and failing to cordon off areas in a dangerous area. Also, failure to maintain an area in or outside a premises such as conducting regular inspections of the area of concern, failing to undertake necessary repairs, failing to provide adequate lighting in an area that could potentially cause a slip and fall accident because there is poor lighting and poorly designed steps and stairs.
Proving Negligence
Property owners and occupants are not expected to know everything about their premises. However, legally they are expected to take steps to ensure that their premises are both clean and accessible to those who use the area which means they are required to regularly check for hazards and warning signs should be posted when required.
Proving negligence in a slip and fall accident is never easy but collecting evidence is essential which could include the following:
- videos or photos of the accident site and the injuries to the victim;
- witness statements showing that a slip and fall accident was inevitable unless something was done about the hazard that caused it;
- an accident report submitted to the premises manager after the accident took place;
- copies of medical bills related to injuries caused by the slip and fall accident.
Get Help Proving Negligence
It is never easy winning a slip and fall injury caused by negligence as the person accused often states they didn’t know the hazard existed that caused the slip and fall accident. As long as you can find evidence to support your claim you should get connected with an independent attorney who may be able to help you with your case and get the compensation you deserve. Complete the Free Case Evaluation on this page right now to get connected with a personal injury attorney who can help today.
