Victoria Slip and Fall Lawyer
There are many benefits to gravity. It keeps us from floating off into space and it tethers us to the sun, enabling our existence in the first place. However, one of the downfalls of gravity is tripping and breaking a wrist, slipping and tearing an ACL tendon, or falling down a flight of stairs and suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury. These slips, trips, and falls are often our own fault. Whether you were not looking where you were going, slipped on a wet floor within your own residence, or you simply failed to properly put one foot in front of the other, falls happen to all of us and they are not always caused by another’s negligence.
However, in some instances they are not your fault; they are caused by a negligent business owner or property owner, and they or their insurance provider will undoubtedly attempt to redirect the blame back on you. Common claims are that the injured slip and fall victim was wearing improper shoes, was intoxicated, was running or rushing, or was being careless in some other fashion. Our lawyers fight these false allegations and work tirelessly to create a case that accurately and clearly shows the cause of the fall and the severe resulting injuries.
Common Causes of Slips, Trips, and Falls
- Wet floors caused by outdoor weather;
- Wet floors due to leaking pipes or holes in the roof;
- Uneven walking surface;
- Ice on parking lots or on walkways;
- Failure to provide hand rails for steps or stairs;
- Failure to adequately mark a step up or step down;
- Worn or damaged walking surface, such as a torn carpet or missing ceramic tile; and
- Cluttered walking area, such as improperly piled equipment, poorly placed merchandise, or a loose outlet cord.
Business and Property Owner are Required to Take Reasonable Care
All premises, including businesses and private homes, need to be safe for all invitees. An invitee is anyone who is legally allowed to be in the premises, such as a patron, customer, or invited guest. Because people have all different ability levels when it comes to walking up a flight of stairs, steadying themselves on potentially slick linoleum surfaces, and navigating dark passageways without tripping, business and property owners must keep their premises reasonably safe for all invitees – that means safe for a sure-footed 30-year-old, as well as safe for a less physically fit 80-year-old. Taking reasonable precautions to maintain a safe premises for all invitees involves the following:
- Mopping up puddles at entrances when it has been raining out;
- Putting floor mats at entrances so that puddles do not form in the first place;
- Fixing leaking pipes in a timely manner, and putting caution signs around areas that have been leaked on in the meantime;
- Using new carpeting and mats that do not have tears, rips, or upturned edges that can easily catch a foot;
- Having a well-lit hallway, staircase, or main walkway;
- Fixing broken hand railings, or installing hand railings where needed; and
- Using a carpet or floor design that provides appropriate depth of vision for those with poor vision and/or balance.
Slip and Fall Injuries Vary in Their Level of Severity
According to a recent report, falling is the leading cause of hospitalization here in Canada, according to Global News. In one year, nearly 150,000 Canadians were hospitalized for falling onto the same level, falling from one level down to another, or falling down or onto steps or stairs. These hospitalizations, which involve serious and sometimes life threatening injuries, do not take into account the hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits caused by falls that result in sprained ankles, minor concussions, lacerations that requires stitches, whiplash, and other moderate injuries that still result in pain and suffering, lost wages, and other expenses for the injured victim.
Being Compensated for Your Damages
The average cost of hospitalization in Canada may only be $7,000, according to The Star, but the cost that you pay due to your slip and fall injury may be much higher if your injuries are severe and you are forced to take time away from work. You can be compensated for pain and suffering, lost wages, lost earning ability, out of pocket medical expenses, ongoing medical costs, property damage, loss of joy of life, and more. It is important to think about the potential long-term impacts of your injuries.
Contact a Victoria Lawyer Today
If you slipped or tripped due to an unsafe premises, and sustained a concussion, broken bone, sprained joint, laceration, whiplash, or other injury, you deserve to be compensated fairly. Do not hesitate to contact the Victoria slip and fall lawyers of Preszler Injury Lawyers today at 1-844-373-8202.
