Types of Slip and Fall Accidents

Legal experts refer to accidents involving slips, trips, and other balance-related mishaps as slip and fall accidents. When most people hear the words “slip and fall,” they imagine someone losing their footing in a puddle of spilled milk at the supermarket. However, there are actually many different types of slip and fall accidents.

A slip and fall accident can occur almost anywhere—at your favorite shopping center, at work, and even in your own home. Some slip and fall accidents are minor, involving only bumps and bruises, while others are much more severe. In the worst cases, the affected person can sustain injuries that take years to recover from.

If you’ve suffered a severe injury in a slip and fall accident, the experienced attorneys at Morgan & Morgan can help. As the nation’s largest personal injury law firm, we’ve helped thousands of people recover the compensation they need to move on after a serious accident.

What Are Typical Types of Slip and Fall Accidents?

Slip and fall accidents typically occur when a property owner doesn't take proper care to ensure that their walkways and floors are clear from potential dangers. For example, they may fail to promptly clean up a spill or leave lots of clutter on the ground.

The most common types of slip and fall accidents involve the following elements:

Liquid or Food Spills

Grocery stores and restaurants are frequently the sites of liquid and food spills. Sometimes, employees don’t act quickly to clean up the area, resulting in slipping hazards.

Spills in grocery stores can occur when people drop goods while shopping or restocking shelves. Customers who drop food sometimes fail to notify employees, and the resulting mess may be left on the floor for some time before someone notices and cleans it up.

Restaurant employees regularly carry food items to and from the kitchen. Servers or other workers may accidentally drop these items, resulting in a slippery spill.

If the eatery’s staff doesn’t deal with the spill in a timely manner, employees or guests may slip over them, potentially resulting in serious injury.

Water Leaks

Buildings sometimes have water leaks in various locations that produce standing pools of liquid. Places with numerous water pipes, like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, are prime locations for leaks.

Property owners may be unaware of a leak until someone informs them. During that time, visitors are at increased risk of accidents, especially in high-traffic areas.

Broken Stairs

Premises with wooden stairways sometimes contain broken steps that can contribute to accidents. Poorly maintained outdoor decks are susceptible to damage, as are older indoor staircases.

Property owners must regularly check the stairs on their premises for potential damage. If they discover signs of damage, they should block off the stairway until they can make repairs.

Clutter in Walkways

Clutter in walkways is another common cause of slip and fall accidents. Clutter can pile up anywhere, and when those responsible for the space don’t keep walkways clear, visitors can easily fall and suffer injuries.

For the same reason, construction workers and other laborers must be conscientious about keeping their working spaces free of clutter. Tools, electrical cables, and various other materials can accumulate quickly at worksites, which could cause someone who isn’t paying attention to experience an accident. 

Similarly, supervisors at places where young children regularly play with small toys, like daycare centers and preschools, should carefully monitor walkways for loose items so children, staff, or visitors don’t fall.

Loose Handrails

Handrails are often found along stairwells and other non-level paths. While anyone can use them, older adults and those with disabilities commonly rely on them for extra support when walking.

If a handrail is loose, the person using it can easily trip and suffer an injury. Property owners should check their handrails regularly to ensure they’re secure.

Improper Lighting

Proper lighting is essential in public areas, especially in rooms that don’t have windows and along outdoor paths frequented in the evening. 

Home and business owners must make sure they’re supplying adequate lighting throughout their buildings and outdoor walkways. If visitors can’t see what’s in front of them, they’re more likely to suffer a fall.

Poorly Maintained Landscaping

In some cases, untended landscaping can also result in slip and fall accidents. For instance, neglected paved surfaces littered with wet leaves or grass clipping can easily result in a mishap.

Property owners should monitor sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots for cracks, holes, and uneven paving. Most visitors don’t expect to encounter rough pavement or other structural issues that provide poor footing and may inadvertently trip and fall with the slightest misstep.

How to Determine Responsibility in a Slip and Fall Accident?

Courts typically rely on premises liability laws to determine who’s responsible for a slip and fall accident. Each state has its own rules for establishing liability, and courts often determine liability according to the injured party’s classification while visiting the property. 

There are three main classifications: invitee, licensee, and trespasser.

Invitee

An invitee is anyone visiting a specific property for the owner's benefit. Invitees can include the property owner’s employees or customers who come to shop for goods or acquire services.

All property owners are responsible for ensuring their property is safe from slip and fall accidents. They should regularly monitor the location for potential hazards and take action to protect their invitees from harm. 

If a property owner becomes aware of a hazard, they should warn anyone who visits the premises. For example, they might rope off an area with cracks in the pavement until they can make the necessary repairs.

Licensee

Licensees are individuals invited onto an owner’s property for reasons not related to business. A licensee may be a friend or family relation who doesn’t live in the home.

Property owners who invite licensees to their premises should take special care to ensure that the area is free of hazards that could cause a slip and fall accident. If there are known risks, like damaged steps or clutter, they should make it a point to warn the licensee promptly.

Trespasser

Under the law, property owners have little (if any) responsibility of care to trespassers who visit their premises without express invitation or knowledge. However, they cannot intentionally create risks that could harm trespassers, like a concealed trap or tripwire.

What Should I Do if I Suffer an Injury From a Slip and Fall Accident?

If you suffer an injury from a slip and fall accident, try to document the scene as best you can by taking pictures. Detailed photos of the hazard or condition that caused your accident can help prove your case if you decide to file a legal claim later on. 

You should also ask witnesses for their contact information, especially if the accident occurs in a public place like a shopping center. Witnesses can provide further evidence to support your claim.

Next, notify the property owner or on-site manager of your accident. Don’t give too many details or admit responsibility for the mishap. Instead, simply identify the condition that led to the fall.

The owner or property manager will need to take immediate action to clean up spills, remove clutter, or block off a hazardous area from other visitors until they can repair it.

Once you’ve notified the property owner, go to the hospital for medical treatment. A physician will evaluate you for injuries and provide whatever treatment you may need. Make sure you follow their instructions to the letter, including visiting specialists or other clinics for follow-up treatments.

Finally, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with a qualified lawyer, even if you’re uncertain whether to file a legal claim. A knowledgeable attorney can advise you of your legal options and explain how to recover financial damages for the accident.

What Types of Slip and Fall Accidents Result in Severe Injuries?

All types of slip and fall accidents can result in serious injuries, whether they’re caused by spilled liquids, clutter, or poorly maintained walkways. These injuries can vary from minor to severe—in the worst case, they can even be fatal.

Sometimes, the severity of the injury depends on the victim’s current health status. Seniors and young children tend to be more susceptible to injury because they’re frailer than older individuals. Seniors may also have pre-existing conditions that make it difficult for them to protect themselves in the event of a slip and fall.

But older children and adults can suffer serious injuries, too. Their injuries will depend on the conditions of the fall and how hard they collide with the ground or other nearby objects. Accident victims who hit their heads could suffer traumatic brain injuries, which can have long-term impacts that require months or years to recover from.

Do I Need a Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer?

People who suffer severe injuries from a slip and fall accident should always seek legal assistance. Severe injuries may lead to burdensome medical expenses that the victim may have trouble paying for on their own. The victim may also be unable to work following their accident, compounding their financial hardship.

A slip and fall accident lawyer can review your case and determine your legal options for recovering compensation for your losses.

How Long Do I Have to File a Legal Claim in a Slip and Fall Accident?

The time you have to file a slip and fall case depends on your state’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims. The statute of limitations in most states is typically between two and five years. If you fail to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, you won’t be able to recover any damages.

Rather than waiting to explore your legal options, schedule a consultation with a personal injury attorney immediately after your accident. A knowledgeable attorney like the ones at Morgan and Morgan can help determine who was responsible for your accident and whether you have a viable claim.

If you wait too long to seek legal aid, your lawyer may find it more difficult to gather the evidence needed to prove your lawsuit. People tend to forget critical facts as the weeks and months go by, and locating witnesses can become tricky.

Don’t leave your future to chance—seek legal help right away.

Morgan & Morgan: Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers

If you need legal assistance for your claim, it will pay to choose a team with a proven track record of success in and out of the courtroom.

Since 1988, Morgan and Morgan have helped personal injury victims recover over $13 billion in damages for various cases, including slip and fall accidents. Contact Morgan & Morgan today to schedule a free consultation.