Millions of slip, trip, and fall injuries happen all across the country each year. People get hurt when they slip and lose their footing, trip when they catch their feet on something, and fall. Loose rugs, wet floors, long cords, or other hazards cause falls. Slip and fall accidents are among the most common types of premises liability claims. People suffer injuries in many different ways when someone fails to maintain a property safely or warn of hazards.
Consider these accidents:
- Stairway accidents are the second-leading cause of injury nationwide. People fall up or down the stairs because of defects in the stairs, bad lighting, inadequate railings, dangerous stair risers, or some other failure to conform to construction codes.
- Balcony, deck, or porch collapse.
- Drowning and other swimming pool or hot tub accidents.
- Injuries or assaults due to inadequate security.
- Animal or dog bites or attacks. Pet owners are responsible for damages caused by their animals. This is especially true when a property owner has an aggressive dog.
- Injuries occurring on elevators or escalators.
- Stadium injuries, such as injuries from walking up and down stairs or escalators, poorly maintained bleachers, or excessive clutter.
- Assaults due to inadequate security. When you work for or become a patron of a company, that company is responsible for providing safe premises on which to conduct business. When employees or customers sustain injuries in a break-in, robbery, or vandalism incident, the business’s absent or inadequate security may be to blame, and the company may face liability for the resulting injuries.
- Injuries obtained from a lack of maintenance or repair of city sidewalks or streets.
- Fire-related injuries due to insufficient fire safety precautions.
- Injuries obtained near a construction site due to construction debris or barriers.
- Park and playground injuries due to unsafe equipment or neglected maintenance.
- Obstructions. Whether the obstruction is on the floor or hanging from the ceiling or another structure, it is a common premises liability issue. In a public or commercial space, the owner must warn of overhangs and other obstructions.
- Injuries resulting from icy sidewalks or parking lots where the owner failed to clear ice or snow in a reasonable time.
- Inadequate Maintenance. Businesses must perform regular maintenance and necessary repairs. For example, many commercial premises liability cases deal with neglected fire protection systems.