More than a million hospital visits each year can be attributed to individuals slipping or tripping and fall down a flight of stairs. Besides being one of the biggest contributors to slip and fall accident statistics in the United States, falling down a flight of stairs is also one of the leading causes of accidental deaths. These accidents can happen to anyone at any time, making them highly unpredictable and requiring a significant level of care when ascending or descending a staircase.
Slip and fall accidents involving staircases can occur on personal or private property. If you or your loved one got involved in a slip and fall accident down a staircase, you might be able to sue the liable parties for damage provided that you present sufficient evidence against a property owner’s negligence and provide proof for your physical injuries and financial damages directly resulting from the accident.
Why Staircase Slip and Fall Accidents Occur
These accidents most commonly involve slippery surfaces, and the same is true for staircase slips and falls. Liquid spills and improper cleaning of stairwells can lead to an unsuspecting person slipping and falling down the stairs, incurring serious physical injuries. People are also more likely to trip and fall down a staircase if it lacks proper handrails or has been built unevenly.
Poor lighting, loose carpeting, tripping hazards, snow buildup, and other causes of slip and fall accidents send thousands of patients to the emergency department with life-threatening injuries. Most causes of slip and fall accidents can be traced back to the negligence of a property owner, maintenance crew, or another party. If negligent maintenance or building code violations resulted in your staircase slip and fall accident, you might be able to file a lawsuit against the liable parties for financial compensation for your damages.
Determining Liability
Since staircase slip and fall accidents can occur almost anywhere on personal and private property, determining the exact party liable for each incident can be challenging. Additionally, comparative negligence laws vary between different states, making slip and fall settlements vastly different from one another.
To obtain financial compensation for your damages, you have to prove negligence on part of the property owner in a court of law. It must fulfill certain criteria, including the establishment of negligent behavior, awareness of safety hazards, and failure of the property owner to take appropriate measures to remove said safety hazard.
Depending on the state where the accident occurred, your case might be subject to the comparative negligence principle, whereby the court will assess your level of negligence, if any, which contributed to the accident. Accordingly, your financial compensation will get reduced in proportion to the percentage of your liability.
Enlisting Legal Help
If you or your loved one got injured in a slip and fall accident due to someone else’s negligence, you might be able to pursue legal action to obtain financial compensation. One of the most important steps to secure your legal rights is to contact an experienced slip and fall attorney who can best represent you in a court of law and help you get the compensation you deserve for your damages.
