Common Causes Of Slip And Fall Accidents
Each year, at least a million people are taken to the emergency room following a slip and fall accident. The result of these falls varies from retaining minor bumps and bruises to more serious consequences like skull fractures, and sometimes even death. The vast majority of slip and fall incidents are preventable. Often these slip and fall accidents are caused by common conditions that can very well be avoided if people paid more attention to safety. Below are some of the typical causes of these mishaps. Be sure to call slip and fall injury lawyers if you think you might be entitled to a claim.
- Wet, slippery, or uneven surfaces. Hazardous walking surfaces are very common—so common, in fact, that they lead to about 55% of all slip and fall incidents according to a survey by the National Floor Safety Institute. Many conditions— including cluttered floors, loose floorboards, parking lot potholes, defective sidewalks, torn carpeting, poorly designed or constructed staircases, and recently waxed or mopped floors—can turn walking surfaces into real hazards.
- Hazardous weather conditions. Many slip and fall injuries that occur outdoors happen as a result of dangerous weather conditions like heavy rain, snow, and ice. Even though the weather is hard to predict, it pays for municipalities and property owners to take the responsibility of plowing streets, salting steps and walkways, and shoveling sidewalks so as to prevent common slip and fall injuries.
- Inadequate/improper training. Job-related slip and fall accidents are often a result of failure to provide adequate on-the-job training to workers. Many workplaces (especially in manufacturing and construction) subject employees to hazardous machines, narrow pathways, slick surfaces, and similar types of working conditions. Employers that don’t supply their workers with proper gear and training to use their equipment or navigate through their establishment often pay the price of slip and fall claims and having to deal with slip and fall injury lawyers.
- Footwear. The same survey from the National Floor Safety Institute shows that a whopping 24% of all slip and fall incidents are caused by dangerous footwear. This isn’t limited to sky-high heels as work boots and even comfy sneakers can cause slip and fall incidents at home, on the job, and in public.
Experienced slip and fall injury lawyers at Burton Law Group have represented numerous victims of various slip, fall, and trip incidents, providing services that put clients in the best position to recover damages. A free consultation with an Oklahoma slip and fall attorney will give you a roadmap to the claims process and help you achieve your expected outcome.