Slip And Fall Accident

Everyone falls down from time to time, but sometimes, it’s not always easy to get back up again afterward.

Every year, millions of people have slip, trip, and fall accidents and it’s estimated that 20-30% of all people who have a slip and fall accident suffer moderate to severe injuries as a result. 

Anyone can be injured in slip, trip, and fall accidents, but they can be particularly dangerous for older adults. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among adults age 65 and older.

Many of these falls result in injuries that make it harder for older adults to live independently.

Common causes of slip, trip, and fall accidents

Slip, trip, and fall accidents can happen in many different ways, including:

• Wet floors without warning signs
• Loose floorboards or edges of rugs and carpeting
• Poor lighting in staircases or outdoor areas
• Damaged sidewalks and parking lots
• Cords running across a floor
• Uneven flooring
• Damaged staircases
• Missing handrails by stairs

Slips, trips, and falls at work

Slip and fall accidents are a leading cause of workers comp claims and the risk for these types of accidents exists in all types of occupations, even if you work in an environment that’s traditionally seen as being safe, like in an office. However, certain industries tend to have a higher rate of fall injuries than others. According to the National Safety Council, the construction industry had the highest rate of fall fatalities in 2016, resulting in 384 deaths and 24,700 injuries. Some of the other industries with the high rates of fall fatalities and injuries include:

• Professional and business services: 111 deaths and 22,090 injuries
• Manufacturing: 49 deaths and 22,040 injuries
• Transportation and warehousing: 46 deaths and 23,490 injuries
• Government: 44 deaths, 63,350 injuries
• Retail: 29 deaths, 29,830 injuries
• Wholesale trade: 21 deaths, 10,250 injuries
• Education and health services: 18 deaths, 43,660 injuries

In the construction industry, falls are such a widespread problem that it’s one of OSHA’s “Fatal Four,” a list of the four most deadly types of construction site accidents. OSHA also consistently cites fall protection violations on construction sites as being one of their most frequently cited types of workplace safety violations. 

Common injuries from falls include

California slip and fall laws

Under California law, there is a statute of limitations on the amount of time people have to make a claim for a slip, trip, and fall accident. For cases involving injuries caused by a slip and fall accident, there is a two-year statute of limitations on making a claim for damages. However, if your slip, trip, and fall accident resulted in property damage of some kind and you would like to make a claim for those damages, those types of claims have a three-year statute of limitations. 

If you’re injured in a slip, trip, or fall accident in the state of California, one important legal concept that comes into play is comparative negligence. This means that any damages you receive are determined by how much of the accident is found to be your fault. For example, if your damages are $200,000, but you’re found to be 50% at fault for the accident, you would only be awarded $100,000. 

Since defendants in slip, trip, and fall cases are very quick to blame victims for their own injuries, saying things like they shouldn’t have seen the hazard or that they shouldn’t have been in the area where they fell, it’s extremely important to contact a Los Angeles slip and fall attorney as soon as possible. When you have a slip and fall attorney on your side, it will be harder for them to try and get away with avoiding responsibility.

Damages in a slip, trip, and fall claim

There’s nothing funny about the effects injuries slip, trip, and fall accidents can have on your life. If you’re considering making a claim for damages related to your accident, some types of damages you can collect include: 

• Medical expenses, including future medical care
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Household assistance

Contact a Los Angeles slip and fall attorney

The tragic reality of far too many slip, trip, and fall accidents is that they could have been prevented. Falls don’t even have to happen from a particularly high height to seriously impact a person’s life. At The Wallace Firm, we’re on your side every step of the way and ready to fight for you. When you contact us, you’ll be able to speak to an experienced Los Angeles slip and fall attorney who can help answer any questions you have about your case and make sure that your claim is handled correctly. Contact us today to get started.