Fortunately, not everyone has or will experience a slip or trip and fall accident in their lifetime.  However, this type of accident is becoming more and more common here in the United States as the average age of our population increases.  In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls.  These falls are often related to mobility issues common among the elderly, such as unstable or weak hips, knees or ankles.  However, when the neglect of a property or business owner causes or contributes to the happening of a fall, then the injured party should do all they reasonably can to protect their rights.  Absent taking certain, protective measures, a perfectly valid claim or lawsuit may be lost and the injured party may be denied some or all of the compensation they deserve.

The first thing to do when you are involved in any type of slip or trip and fall accident is to determine whether some artificial, dangerous condition played some role in the accident.  For example, if you were to take a fall in a retail store you would want to look at the floor to see if there is something on it (such as a liquid of some kind) that may have caused the fall.  If something dangerous is found, then steps should be taken to identify the source, if at all possible.  Identifying the source will likely aid in proving how long the condition existed and whether the store's employees knew or should have known of its existence.  The next thing to do is to document the scene of the accident with photographs, if at all possible.  Just about everyone carries a cell phone camera with them, and this would be the perfect time to put it to use.  Photographs of the condition causing the fall will likely go a long way to proving negligence, where it exists.  Next, a report (very short and concise) should be made to the property owner through their employees at or near the time of the accident.  If asked to write out an incident report narrative, careful attention should be paid to keeping the description of the accident as short and to the point as possible.  Finally, if there are any injuries sustained, medical attention should be sought and photographs take of any visible injuries.  If all of these steps are followed, then at a minimum the victim of a fall can rest assured they have done all they could to protect their rights, in the event they were harmed by some else's neglect.

Compensation for the victims of slip or trip and fall accidents, caused by a business owner's negligence, should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a business patron is injured because reasonable measures were not taken by a business owner to keep the property safe, the owner should be held accountable and compensation paid to the victim.   An Orange County injury attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a family member been a victim of a slip or trip and fall that could have been prevented?

This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.