Slip and Fall Accidents: What Constitutes a Claim?

by Staff Blogger | June 2nd, 2023

Although common in the winter, slip and fall accidents happen all year round. Icy surfaces, puddles, trailing cable wires, and other hazards can cause personal injury accidents to occur in a moment’s time. Because these accidents can cause severe injuries that may lead to loss of wages or even life-long medical care, it is important to contact a Sacramento slip and fall attorney to evaluate if negligence was at play.

Understanding Slip and Fall Accident Liability

There is a flawed assumption in our society that it’s often older people who slip and fall. These accidents can happen to people of all ages. Everyone is at risk, including customers visiting a business premise, guests at a friend’s house, and children playing in a public park. Property and business owners have a duty to keep the area maintained to meet reasonable safety standards.

You don’t have to be inside a building to file a claim for another person’s carelessness. You can slip, trip, and fall anywhere, including the following places:

  • Inside and outside business buildings
  • Private homes
  • Parking lots
  • Walkways
  • Steps and staircases

If you are injured on someone else’s property and believe it is due to negligence by the owner, you may have a premises liability case. The slip and fall attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers in Sacramento will evaluate the situation and provide you with the best guidance and options for moving forward.

Property and Business Owners: Reasonable Safety

To prevent accidents, property owners should remove hazards as soon as possible. The following are examples of dangerous circumstances that can lead to this type of injury:

  • Stairway hazards: Stairway hazards can cause falls which can result in spinal injury, lacerations, fractured bones, and brain trauma, among others. Property owners should therefore ensure that they repair broken steps and replace missing guardrails quickly. Failure to take prompt safety measures can make the property owner liable if someone gets hurt.
  • Slippery floors: Wet, soapy, or oily floors have sent many victims to the emergency room. It’s good practice to clean up spills immediately. Whenever a staff member is cleaning or carrying out any maintenance activity that compromises floor surfaces, clearly marked warning signs can save lives. If there is no visible warning, or the responsible party takes too long to clean up spills and puddles, they may be liable for any resulting accidents.
  • Obstacles left on walkways: As a rule, walkways should always be clear. Leaving toys or tools lying around is dangerous. Someone could unexpectedly trip over them and fall. If they get hurt, they may file a claim for the damages they sustain.
  • Poorly lit entryways: Walking in the dark poses a risk. Not being able to see in tight spaces can be especially hazardous. Slip and fall victims may deserve payment from the negligent party, even if the accident happened in a private home.

When to File a Claim After a Slip and Fall Accident

Victims should not be scared to demand compensation if someone else’s actions or negligence caused an accident that resulted in personal injury. Even if the injured party feels they are partly to blame, California laws allow them to receive payment in proportion to the other party’s share of the blame.

Claims should include not only medical bills but also physical and emotional pain, lost income from missed workdays, and other expenses related to the injury.

How Can a Sacramento Slip and Fall Attorney Help You?

Berg Injury Lawyers has handled slip-and-fall claims for years and can evaluate your case to determine if you should go forward. Our team of investigators, researchers, and lawyers are ready to gather documentation, identify parties responsible, and fight for you and your family. We treat you as a human being, listen to you, and simplify the complicated filing process.

Berg Injury Lawyers works hard for victims who are at a loss of where to start. Contact our Sacramento office today and have one of our personal injury attorneys help you through this difficult time.