What Causes Slip & Fall Accidents?

March 5, 2020

What Causes Slip & Fall Accidents?

Red emergency sign with white text and a cross symbol in a hospital setting.

According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), over 1 million people each year visit emergency rooms because of injuries they sustained in a slip and fall accident. These incidents can happen for a variety of reasons, but when they are the result of someone else’s negligence, victims can often recover compensation for their injuries. The best way to find out whether you can file a claim is to discuss your case with an experienced Alabama personal injury lawyer as soon as you can.

Was Your Slip & Fall the Result of Negligence?
Under Alabama law, negligence occurs when a person fails to use the degree of care that would ordinarily be used by a reasonable person in the same or similar circumstances. There are a variety of slip and fall hazards that are typically the result of negligence, including:

●   Inadequate lighting
●   Debris in walkways
●   Torn carpet
●   Wet floors
●   Uneven stairs
●   Stairwells without handrails
●   Exposed electrical wiring
●   Failing to warn of slipping hazards
●   Slippery flooring materials

As a victim, it's critical to understand that negligence is a complicated legal concept, and the existence of a slip and fall hazard is itself does not entitle victims to file a claim. The standard of "reasonableness" is very fact-specific. For example, whether the presence of a liquid spill was the result of a shopkeeper's negligence depends on a number of factors, including how long it had been there, it's location, and whether the shopkeeper or his or her employees had reason to be aware of it.

Protecting Your Rights after a Slip & Fall

If you are hurt in a slip and fall accident, there are certain steps you should take to protect your legal rights.

Document the Incident

If you are not too injured to do so, document the incident as thoroughly as possible. Take pictures of the hazard that caused your accident and ask witnesses for their contact information. In the event that your fall occurred in a commercial setting, make sure the manager on duty generates an incident report.

Seek Medical Attention

You should seek medical attention after any slip and fall incident, even if you think your injuries aren't particularly serious or will heal on their own. Not only is it extremely important to have your injuries properly diagnosed and treated, but you also need to develop an official medical record in order to support any claim you may make in the future.

Retain an Attorney as Soon as You Can

You should retain a personal injury lawyer in Alabama as soon as you can after a slip and fall accident. A lawyer will ensure that you are not manipulated into accepting a lowball settlement offer from the insurance company and that you get the full value of your claim.

Call Us Today to Schedule a Case Evaluation with an Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, you should speak to an attorney as soon as you can. Attorney Matt Matthews understands how seriously preventable accidents can affect victims’ and their families and works hard to ensure that every client he represents gets the compensation they deserve. To schedule a consultation with Mr. Matthews, call our office today at 334-398-8408 or contact us online.

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The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. These recoveries and testimonials are not an indication of future results. Every case is different, and regardless of what friends, family, or other individuals may say about what a case is worth, each case must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances as they apply to the law. The valuation of a case depends on the facts, the injuries, the jurisdiction, the venue, the witnesses, the parties, and the testimony, among other factors.

With offices located in downtown Montgomery, The Law Office of Richard F. Matthews, Jr., serves Montgomery County, Pike County, Elmore County, Autauga County, the River Region of Alabama and throughout the State of Alabama, including Montgomery, Troy, Wetumpka, Prattville, Selma and Tuskegee. No attorney-client relationship is established by requesting a consultation or emailing Attorney Richard F. Matthews, Jr.. Information submitted in such communication is not privileged and may be subject to disclosure.