Slipping or tripping can cause a wide range of debilitating injuries. There are many situations that can cause someone to slip or fall, including holes in sidewalks or greasy or slippery surfaces. If this happens, the sustained injuries are many times caused by the liability on either the property owner or the government entity that is responsible for keeping up with the maintenance of the public area. 

If you happen to be on private property and hurt yourself because of something dangerous on the property, the property owner might be responsible for the injuries. 

The Law Office of Lona L Webb, LLC works with trip and fall  injuries, and is ready to provide you with the assistance you deserve.

Categories of Slip and Fall Accidents-Fall down accidents are categorized under four categories. 

Trip and Fall-a foreign object is in a normal walking path, such as a stack of supplies blocking the path or vegetation compromising the path. 

Stump and Fall-an impediment is in the walking surface, such as a power cord that was not there before. 

Step and fall-a hole or unexpected failure is on the walking surface, such as a sidewalk that has a missing utility cover or manhole cover.

Slip and Fall-a greasy or wet floor, with no warning signs, cause you to slip and fall.

Slip and Falls Causes

Most of the time, slip and fall accidents happen in a business setting. Usually, the business or property owner is liable for the event due to inadequate maintenance of the area causing the event to happen. 

Damaged paths, walkways, or driveways leading to a business, which includes potholes or sidewalks that have shifted within these areas. 

Danger zones that are not marked, including failure to notify the public of uneven flooring or pavement, failure to post signs signaling a wet floor, or not properly warning the public about other dangerous areas. 

Stairways with inadequate maintenance, including handrails that are broken or missing, not placing slip-resistant coverings on individual stairs, and missing lights or not enough lighting in stairwells and walk areas. 

Failure to remove clutter or debris from walkways and making sure they are easy to maneuver. 

Failure to remove ice and snow and treat the ground as to prevent it from getting slippery after ice and snow are removed. 

It is important to take all injuries related to slip and fall events seriously. Medical attention is necessary for anyone who has experienced a slip and fall. No injury is too minor for medical attention. The most common injuries related to slip and falls include: 

Neck and Spine Injuries-The impact from hitting the ground along with twisting while falling can cause injury to the neck and spine. 

Concussion and/or Traumatic Brain Injury-Serious injury is always a possibility when you hit your head. 

Shoulder, Wrist, and Elbow Injuries-When falling, many people place their arms out in hopes of bracing themselves. This can cause serious injury to the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. 

Tailbone and Lower Back Damage-Abruptly falling on a hard surface can shock your tailbone and lower spine. 

Ankles, Twisted or Broken and Displaced Hip Joints-When the body falls it twists in such a way that damage to the ankles and hips are common. 

Should you or a loved one find yourself the victim of a slip and fall accident, you should make sure to file an accident report at the business where it happened. Another important thing to do is be sure to take pictures of the area where the accident occurred. Additionally, writing down each and everything that happened up to the accident is very important. Write down all that you can remember, even if you think the detail is not important. When you file a compensation claim for the injuries that occurred, all of this information will be extremely important to have.