Many people think of slip and fall cases as “minor” injuries, but the fact is that these accidents can be as physically harmful as a car crash. Depending on the circumstances, the height of the fall and the part of the body that is injured, you could suffer permanent disability from a slip-and-fall accident. Therefore, it is important to treat slip-and-fall accidents seriously and to do everything possible to protect your rights and recover damages for your injuries.
What Is A Slip-and-Fall Accident?
Most people think of slip-and-fall accidents as something that happens when someone slips on a wet spot on the floor and falls to the ground, possibly sustaining bruises or other minor injuries. Certainly, these types of slip-and-fall accidents do happen. However, this is not the only type of slip-and-fall mishap that occurs. It is also possible to sustain major trauma from a slip-and-fall accident, particularly if you fall from one height to another.
Different types of slip-and-fall accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents can be divided into two groups: same-level and different-level falls. Both are capable of causing serious trauma.
- Same-level falls occur when a person falls to the ground or floor on the same level as that on which he or she was standing. This is the typical slip-and-fall case and can be caused by a wet floor, an icy patch of ground or by tripping over something that is lying in the walkway.
- Different-level falls occur when someone falls from one height to another. This type of fall occurs when someone takes a tumble down the stairs, falls off a ladder or a loading dock, or even falls “up” the stairs.
No matter how the fall occurs, if it is caused by someone else’s negligence, that person may be required to pay your medical bills and other expenses.
What Type of Negligence Causes Slip-and-Fall Accidents?
Negligence is the failure to use reasonable care to prevent harm to others. Property owners have a duty to protect those on their premises from undue danger, including surfaces that can lead to slip-and-fall accidents. For example, store owners have a duty to protect their customers from slipping and falling on wet floors, up or down escalators or from one floor level height to another.
If you have been the victim of a slip-and-fall accident, contact the attorneys at Bernstein &Maryanoffin Miami today for more information on protecting your rights and possibly collecting compensation for your medical bills and other expenses.