Falling in a public place is not only embarrassing, but it could also result in serious injuries. Even when injuries do not lead to permanent disability, they could cause temporary pain, inconvenience, and changes to your routine. In addition, you might have unexpected medical costs you cannot afford.
The most common causes of slips and falls in Olive Branch result from negligence. If a property or business owner’s carelessness led to your fall, consult a trusted slip and fall attorney as soon as possible. The negligent parties could be liable to pay you for your out-of-pocket losses plus money for your pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Reach out to the Law Office of David E. Gordon to learn more.
Slips and Falls Happen Frequently
Injuries resulting from falls are often the basis of personal injury claims. Although a fall could happen anywhere and under any circumstances, certain situations arise more frequently than others.
Many of the causes of slip and fall accidents are related to poor maintenance or poor management of the premises. Examples include:
- Loose or missing handrails on stairs
- Uneven flooring
- Liquids or debris on the floor
- Electric cords across a walkway
- Poor lighting
- Highly waxed or polished floors
- Unsecured or worn carpet
- Poorly marked or unmarked level transitions
Other common causes of slips and falls in Olive Branch include broken sidewalks, uneven stairs, damaged asphalt, and loose mats or area rugs.
Determining Whether Negligence Led to a Fall
Property owners and lessees must make reasonable efforts to keep their premises safe. Whether an effort is reasonable depends on why the injured person entered the property.
The owner or operator has the highest duty of care if the premises is a business, apartment complex, mall or shopping plaza, office building, recreational facility, or other property open to the public. The party that controls access to the premises must inspect for hazards regularly, repair them promptly, and warn visitors of dangers they cannot fix immediately.
When a trip and fall incident could have been prevented if the owner or manager of the premises had taken reasonable precautions, the injured person could likely bring a claim alleging negligence. An experienced Olive Branch attorney can evaluate the details of an event to determine the cause of the slip and fall and who should be held responsible for the damages.
An Injured Person’s Conduct Affects Their Damages
Slips and falls in Olive Branch often result from a combination of factors, including the injured person’s conduct. Even if an injured party bears partial responsibility for an accident, Mississippi Code § 11-7-15 allows them to collect compensation. However, the amount they collect will reflect only the damages caused by other parties’ negligence.
For example, if someone was running in a hotel lobby when they tripped and fell over a loose area rug, the hotel is likely liable because a loose rug is a tripping hazard, and it was foreseeable that patrons would walk through the lobby. However, because the injured person was hurrying, they might not have been paying adequate attention to the ground in front of them, resulting in a preventable fall.
In a case like this, the hotel’s insurer and the attorney for the injured person would negotiate how much fault the injured person had for the accident. If they cannot agree and the case goes to trial, a jury would decide the injured person’s degree of fault. The injured person could collect the damages they can prove minus an amount that equals their percentage of fault.
Contact an Olive Branch Attorney After a Slip and Fall Accident
If you were hurt after a fall in a public place, you deserve compensation for your injuries. Property owners must keep their premises safe for people they invite in; if they fail to do so, they can be held legally liable for the resulting damages
If one of the common causes of slips and falls in Olive Branch resulted in you suffering an injury, call the Law Office of David E. Gordon. Our attorneys have decades of experience and will fight aggressively to get you the best possible result. There is no fee unless we succeed for you.
