Slip, Trip and Falls

In general terms, “slip and fall”  or "trip and fall" accidents are where a person is is injured by slipping or tripping and falling due to a dangerous condition on the premises. Falls can happen inside or outside a building, and be caused by such conditions as uneven floors, debris on floors, poor lighting, potholes, ice, snow, or other hidden hazards.

Although falls are most common in people over age 65, anyone can have a falling accident. In fact, statistics from the National Safety Council show falls as the leading cause of nonfatal injuries treated in the emergency room, with nearly 8 million people treated for fall related injuries in 2001. In 2002, 14,500 people died from falls from one level to another or on the same level.

Studies show that 60 percent of all falls are related to a slipping or tripping incident, with such likely causes as a foreign object on the walking surface, a design flaw in the walking surface, a slippery surface caused by weather or a spill, or a person's impaired physical or mental condition.

Who's Responsible for the Accident?


Just because you slipped or tripped and fell on someone's property doesn't make them automatically responsible to you.  Property owners have a "duty of care" to make sure that their property is safe however they are not guarantor's of your safety.

In a successful slip or trip and fall case, we must establish that there was dangerous or defective condition on the property which caused the fall.  That's usually the easy part.  We must also show that the property owner (or possessor) knew about the defect before the accident or should have known about it because the defect existed on the property for a long enough time for them to have discovered it.  This is the more difficult part and which involves review of business records and analysis of the actual slip area itself.

Many slip and fall or trip and fall accidents also focus on the conduct of the person who fell.  The most common argument made by the defense is that the Plaintiff was not watching where they were going and, had they been more attentive, would not have fell.  This point must be addressed in any slip and fall case.       


What To Do After An Accident...


After an accident you must do what is necessary to protect yourself and your legal rights. We suggest the following:

• Call the police and paramedics if necessary.

• Obtain the names and addresses of all witnesses right away. They may need to leave the scene and go about their business.

• Obtain a disposable camera and photograph the accident scene and especially the "dangerous condition" that caused you to fall.  If you cannot photograph the condition, take extensive notes about it's size, shape, color, location, etc.

• Report the accident and the dangerous condition to the landowner or possessor, but do not give an extensive statement until you have spoken with a lawyer.

• Make a notation for your records of how the accident occurred. Be sure to note the date and time of the accident, location of the accident, names of all witnesses, names of the persons to whom you reported the accident to, names of the property owner and their insurance information,  weather conditions, and what you were wearing at the time, particularly your shoes.  Keep all clothing or other physical evidence which confirms the accident.

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