Slip and fall injuries are caused by a variety of circumstances. Generally, both private and public property owners are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for visitors. When they fail to do so, they can be held liable for the injuries their negligence causes these visitors, such as customers, clients, patrons, and more. This liability falls under the legal concept of “premises liability.” 

Common causes of slip and fall injuries can include:

• Wet floors, generally from spills, cleaning, or weather conditions on outside surfaces as well as icy sidewalks.
• Uneven or cracked floors, walkways, or sidewalks as well as debris on the walkways.
• Potholes. 
• Loose or missing floor mats or torn or loose carpets. 
• Loose or missing handrails on stairs, railings, decks, or balconies. 
• Uneven or defective stairs. These can be loose, rickety, worn out, or poorly constructed. 
• Defective or missing lighting in hallways, aisles, corridors, stairwells, and other pathways. 
• Negligent security in which you are attacked, causing falls. 

These accidents can occur on all kinds of property, from private residences to commercial properties, such as shopping malls, restaurants, grocery stores, office buildings, sports and entertainment arenas, parking structures, and public spaces, including parks, streets, and government buildings. 

These claims may result in damages similar to other personal injury claims, including medical expenses for immediate treatment as well as ongoing care or rehabilitation, lost income or wages from having to take time off work, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. For those catastrophically injured, it may lead to loss of enjoyment of life, at-home personal care, renovations to one’s home or vehicle to accommodate a permanent disability, and long-term or indefinite medical care needs. 

As your representative, our firm can ensure you are treated fairly by the insurance company. These are often complex cases in which the at-fault party or their insurers will work to shift the blame to you or otherwise deny their responsibility for your accident and injuries.

Don’t assume that the insurance company or your healthcare provider will look out for your best interests. Attorney Mark Rufo knows what to do, how to investigate and build cases, and how to aggressively fight for you at this critical time.