Slip and fall accidents are the most common type of personal injury cases. In fact, they are even more common than auto accident cases. A slip and fall accident can cause serious harm, and it may even be fatal. The elderly and small children are most often injured in slip and fall accidents. In almost all slip and fall cases, the injury may have been prevented if the hazardous conditions were not present.

In a slip and fall case, the owner of the property where the slip and fall incident took place is usually deemed to be responsible. If the owner invites guests to his home or business establishment, he has a duty to provide a safe venue to the guests. If the premises had dangerous conditions and those conditions caused the guest to fall and become injured, the property owner usually will be held legally responsible.

Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents may be caused as a result of dangerous conditions, such as slippery or wet floors, uneven floor surface, raised or cracked pathways, a change in elevation like a small step, broken railings, uneven stair treads, inadequate lighting, unsecured carpets or rugs, a change in the floor surface, cords or wiring stretched across the walking path, too narrow stair treads among other things. These dangerous conditions can occur at a private home, a shopping center, a restaurant, an apartment or at a public place such as a park or sidewalk.

Who is held responsible for a Slip and Fall?

Determining responsibility in a slip and fall is the first step. The slip and fall could have occurred as a result of dangerous or hazardous conditions. Dangerous conditions often are caused due to the negligence of the property owner who was in charge of maintaining the property. Even when the property owner did not create the dangerous condition, he may be liable if he knew or should have known about the condition and failed to fix it or warn his guests about it. However, in order to hold the property owner responsible for the slip and fall injury, a number of things have to be established:

• First, you have to determine if the property owner had an obligation towards the injured person. If the owner is inviting guests to his property, he has a duty to fix any hazards that exist. The owner also has a responsibility to warn the guests of any dangerous conditions on the property. The thing to note in these cases is that the property owners don't have an obligation to actually inspect the property for any dangers. They only need to take care of any risks which they know (or should have known) about.
• The second thing to determine is whether or not the obligation was breached. Property owners are required to maintain their property in a reasonably safe way. If they fail to do so and an invited guest is injured as a result, the property owner can he held liable.
• The last thing to determine is the extent of the injuries suffered in the slip and fall accident. Victims and their family members can file a lawsuit to obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, as well as wrongful death damages. An experienced slip and fall accident claims attorney can help determine the extent of the losses in slip and fall injury cases.

Get help from a Slip and Fall accident lawyer

Anyone who has been hurt in a slip and fall accident can attempt to get the compensation they deserve by contacting an attorney and filing a lawsuit. Alternatively, the injured party can negotiate a settlement with the property owner or other responsible party. In either case, it is advised to contact a slip and fall accident lawyer in order to maximize your recovery.