Premises Liability – Slip and Fall Accidents

According to United States legal precedent, individuals who suffer injuries on other people’s properties may be entitled to financial compensation from the property owners if something on the property caused the accident to happen.

This precedent is known as premises liability, which means that property owners are responsible for ensuring that their properties are safe. If they are not, they may be liable for the injuries that result from accidents. One of the common grounds for premises liability cases is slip and fall accidents.

Slip and fall accidents may occur when:

A floor is covered with loose carpeting or broken tiles

A surface is wet or slick

Floors are uneven

These accidents may occur on any type of private property, including personal homes and business places. In many cases, individuals do not file lawsuits against property owners unless they suffer their injuries at a business location, such as a mall or shopping center. This is because individuals often know the homeowners if they suffer their injuries at a personal residence.

When a person slips or falls, he or she is at risk for a number of injuries. These injuries range from minor to severe, depending on the surface on which the person falls and the impact of the fall. The potential injuries from slip and fall accidents include:

Bumps and bruises

Lacerations

Sprained joints

Broken bones and limbs

Head injuries

These injuries may take a long time to heal, and the victim of the fall may incur expensive medical bills and lost wages in the process. To help with finances in this period of recovery, individuals may pursue legal action if fault was involved in their accidents.