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Premises Liability Accidents Happen More Often Than You Think

A slip and fall accident, known in the personal injury world as a premises liability accident, are not always the fault of another person, but in many cases they are. They occur daily in commercial locations such as stores, hotels, hospitals, and retail stores. They happen at people’s homes as well. If you have been injured in a premises liability accident, and the cause of your injury can be tied to a person or entity acting or failing to act in a reasonable way, then you may have grounds for a personal injury case.

The best way to find out for sure is to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney who has the necessary background and knowledge to know if someone can be held accountable. To talk to such an attorney, reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.

Common causes of slip and fall accidents

There are many causes of premises liability accidents. Common examples including the owner of a property not being responsible in keeping their property safe, whether a residential owner or commercial manager. Some examples include:

  • Not posting necessary warning signs or placards
  • Stairs or hand rails that are broken or damaged
  • Over-waxing and / or over-polishing floors to the point that they are slippery
  • Mats in entry ways that are worn or broken
  • Obstructions in walking space areas
  • Damage to rugs and carpeting
  • Spills on walkways that have not been cleaned up
  • Ice or rain in the event the owner or manager did not take steps to warn or remedy the issue
  • Property that was not designed or constructed safely
  • Uneven floors
  • Potholes, uneven pavement, and other defects in parking lots
  • Walking surfaces without adequate lighting

Note that these are just some examples. There are hundreds of other ways in which a property owner or manage can be responsible for an accident.

The statistics on these accidents may shock you

The Centers for Disease Control say that more than 15,000 people die every from falls. Additionally, falls are the top cause of non-fatal injury in the U.S. Just how common are they? Some say they cause more than 780,000 hospitalizations and other 11+ million injuries that do not require hospitalization. Many of these cases are caused by property owners and managers acting in a negligent way.

You do have options if you are injured in a premises liability accident

If you slip and fall on someone’s property then you do have options. Even if their homeowners’ police covers your injury, this does not mean that you should accept the first settlement offer you get. Remember that your past medical bills may not be all that’s coming. When you work with a personal injury attorney, we can assure that both past and future estimated medical costs are taken into consideration.

Before you sign off on any document, reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.