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Slip-and-fall accidents are common and can happen anywhere. Whether stepping out for shopping, on the way to work, or visiting a friend, hazardous conditions such as a wet floor, torn carpeting, or narrow stairs can make you suffer from life-altering injuries.
Have you been injured in a slip-and-fall accident? If yes, you should know a few things before filing a claim.
Here’s everything you need to know about slip-and-fall-type claims, common causes, various types, and how to get compensation so you don’t have to pay for the debt you don’t owe.
Major Causes of Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents considered for compensation claims usually happen on a property owned by someone else. It can be your neighborhood or a market. Regardless of the location, they hold the property owners legally responsible for the accident.
Usually, various dangerous conditions cause slip and fall accidents. Such as:
- Wet floor
- Debris and dirt on floors
- Exposure to electrical wiring
- Narrow stairs
- Lighting issues on the road or stairs
- Cracked or broken pavement
- Lack of handrails
- Improper fixtures
- Warning signage
- Torn carpet
- Spilled drink or food on the floor
- Broken or uneven floor tiles
Florida Slip and Fall Statute
There are certain limitations to filing a slip and fall claim in Florida. Anyone facing injury must prove the element of negligence to get compensation. Moreover, you can only file compensation within a specific time range of four years from your accident’s date.
If you suffer from a slip-and-fall incident, you will be partially responsible for the accidents in most cases, and only a judge can help you get a settlement offer.
To understand comparative negligence in Florida, consider this example. If you fell on the wet floor. But they can hold you partially responsible. Because you wore the wrong slippers making you 20% blameworthy for the accident. You can claim compensation if you are not over 50% responsible for the accident. But, the court reduces the amount for settlement depending on the number you were at fault for, like 20% in this case.
This is why proving your claim is essential, as the property owner can make you accountable for the slip and fall. The most common factors that can make you responsible for the accident include age, dress, state of mind, and time.
Injuries Caused by Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Did you know slip and fall accidents result in 9 million emergencies annually? While many of us believe that these injuries don’t affect more than a little scraping or bruising, the truth is the opposite. Many major injuries can occur depending on how the human body falls and the nature of the accident. It’s often negligence that allows slip and fall accidents to happen.
Scrapes, Bruises, and Cuts
As mentioned before, slip-and-falls do not always cause severe injuries. However, you can experience bruises, cuts, and scrapes, ranging from mild to severe, but they are mostly recoverable. This doesn’t mean they won’t make you feel uncomfortable; however, they won’t cause lasting disability.
Broken Bones
People often suffer from broken bones because of slip-and-fall accidents. This is because the force involved in a slip-and-fall accident is quick enough to cause damage. While older people are more susceptible to bone fractures in a fall, all types of accident victims can suffer broken bones.
The most dangerous break is fractured hips, potentially leading to severe complications. However, broken bones in the lower arms, legs, shoulders, and collarbone can also require long-term treatment to recover.
Ankle and Knee Injuries
Slip-and-fall can twist a knee or ankle, causing injuries that can make simple physical activities such as walking and running difficult. Muscle sprain and strains are also common, as are other more severe injuries.
Head and Brain Injuries
Slip-and-fall accidents cause almost 40% of traumatic injuries requiring emergency treatment in the United States.
As slip-and-fall injuries make your head go speeding towards the ground, people can suffer from traumatic brain injuries, also known as TBI. Brain injuries are called traumatic injuries because they can significantly impact your brain and its function.
Some people only suffer a minor cut that heals quickly. However, others have to go through the severity of TBI, which causes severe brain swelling, mood changes, seizures, cognitive impairment, and other life-long debilitations. You can even suffer memory loss as a result of a slip-and-fall accident.
Neck Injuries
A neck injury is considered the most serious because it involves the spine and body. When you suffer from a neck injury, you risk damaging the upper and cervical parts of your spine. This is why neck injuries are really like back injuries, causing damage to the spinal disc, spinal cord vertebrae bone, or any of the ligaments, nerves, and muscles around it.
Neck injuries can be caused by a sudden movement of falling or a person landing on their neck or head. The damage to the neck occurs in the upper portion of the spine, which can put you at risk of being paralyzed or having some sort of disability. It also happens to people with a particular medical condition like epilepsy, which can damage their necks if they fall after being unconscious.
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have suffered a slip and fall accident in Florida, you should speak to a personal injury lawyer to make a claim. It’s always best to have a professional attorney review your case and guide you about the compensation you are entitled to in case of a slip-and-fall accident.
If you want to learn more about personal injury law, click here.
