Slip and fall or trip and fall accidents happen every day and they are especially troublesome because they can happen anywhere to anyone. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, falls account for over 8 million (23%) hospital emergency room visits, making falls the leading cause of ER visits. Just slip and falls account for over 1 million of those visits. A wet floor or a loose mat in a hotel, bar, grocery store, or shopping mall causes you to fall, and all of a sudden you’re injured, and your life and that of your family are forever changed.
Slip and Fall Accidents and What To Do
The most common types of incidents are:
- Elevator/escalator accidents
- Equipment malfunctions
- Improper or poor lighting
- Loose mats in entryways
- Elevator/escalator accidents
- Wet floors with no signs
What to Do After a Slip & Fall:
We know accidents can sometimes be embarrassing and that you may initially feel as if you’re not seriously injured, and/or that it was your fault, and you may want to move on quickly after your slip and fall. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what you shouldn’t do.
What you should do is:
- Get immediate medical attention if necessary
- Ask for a manager - file incident report - get a copy
- Get contact information of witnesses
- Use your cell phone to take pictures
Locations such as shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters, and apartment or office building complexes all have a legal duty to make their premises safe from harm that is reasonably foreseeable.
- For example, if Publix leaves a pallet in the middle of an aisle and you trip over it, that’s foreseeable harm. However, if a hurricane suddenly and unexpectedly shakes the building and merchandise falls on you, that is unforeseeable, and the supermarket would not be responsible for your injuries.
Contact an experienced trip and fall injury lawyer
Saying there was a violation of the duty of care is one thing; proving it is another. The law states that the injured party must prove that the injuries were caused by the negligence of the business or owner of the location in which the accident occurred. The gym, restaurant, building, retail shop, or supermarket in which you fell doesn’t need to prove anything. Unless you know what you’re looking for when trying to prove negligence, you could end up with nothing.
The good news is Rubenstein Law is here to help. We have decades of experience and the resources to prove your slip and fall was due to the negligence of others. Among the many ways we help you, we:
- Locate the insurance coverage and identify defendants
- Deal with the insurance company
- Gather and preserve evidence
- Stay apprised of your medical care and document damages
- Build your case to show how and why the defendant was negligent
Injuries can overwhelm your life, don’t let this happen. If you have been seriously injured as a result of slip and fall or trip and fall call Rubenstein Law injury lawyers today. We have offices across FL, or we'll come to you. We are here to answer your questions 24/7, nights and weekends. Remote and virtual appointments are available. No costs or fees unless or until you win money.
