Slip and Fall
Slip and Fall
Slip and fall or trip and fall accidents happen every day and they are especially troublesome because they can happen anywhere to anyone. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, falls account for over 8 million (23%) hospital emergency room visits, making falls the leading cause of ER visits. Just slip and falls account for over 1 million of those visits. A wet floor or a loose mat in a hotel, bar, grocery store, or shopping mall causes you to fall, and all of a sudden you’re injured, and your life and that of your family are forever changed.
Expert Lawyer
We know accidents can sometimes be embarrassing. You may initially feel that you’re not seriously injured and/or that it was your fault and want to move on quickly after your slip and fall. Unfortunately, that’s precisely what you shouldn’t do.
- Elevator/escalator accidents.
- Equipment malfunctions.
- Improper or poor lighting.
- Loose mats in entryways.
- Wet floors with no signs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but keep in mind what you were doing on the person’s property will affect your rights. If you were a trespasser then you will have very different rights than if you were someone’s invited guest. It can be quite complicated determining how the law classifies a person while on the property of another, and as such it is a good idea to speak to a qualified lawyer about any potential case.
Yes, although in Colorado it can be tricky as we often encounter icy parking lots. If you’re in the middle of a blizzard, the company that owns the parking lot is probably not responsible if you slip and fall because they had no time to fix the danger. On the other hand, if ice has been accumulating in a particular spot in a parking lot and the lot owner fails to address it then they can be held responsible.
Businesses which invite the public onto their property have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. For example, if a grocery store knows a refrigerator is leaking and fails to repair it and you slip, then the store can be held responsible for injuries suffered as a result.
Typically you can have a claim if you were injured in the common area of a residential property. If you were injured in your unit the potential case will be highly fact specific. For example, if you trip over your own coffee table it is going to be very hard to hold your landlord accountable. On the other hand, if you complained several times to your landlord that your stove is defective and your stove catches on fire, then you may have a claim. Keep in mind these types of questions are very fact dependent and it is best to discuss any potential claim with an experienced personal injury attorney.