Common Causes of Slip and Falls in El Centro
As you go about your daily routine, you likely end up with your feet on the ground at some point—whether entering a workplace, walking around a store, or strolling down the street. As you walk, you might expect your way to be clear and safe.
Unfortunately, you might end up slipping, falling, and sustaining injuries instead. Among the various common causes of slip and falls in El Centro, you might get hurt after stepping on a wet floor or an uneven surface, and the owner of the location could be held liable for your injuries.
Many Different Scenarios Can Lead to a Slip and Fall
Depending on the location and the circumstances, a slip and fall can come from a few different sources. Those sources can include:
- Wet surfaces
- Flooring or carpeting issues
- Obstacles in walkways
- Undisclosed bumps or steps
With these common causes of slip and falls, an accident can happen almost anywhere in El Centro and in different contexts.
Spilled drinks in a restaurant, for example, can lead to a slip, and rainwater gathered at an entryway to a store can likewise cause a fall. Even liquids on the floor of an industrial setting or flooring in disrepair can immediately precede injuries.
In buildings with narrow walkways, boxes and debris can crowd where a person needs to move and trip them up, such as in common areas of an apartment building or in a business. A step up or down into a space without any warning can also throw a person off-balance and end with them on the ground.
Injuries resulting from a slip and fall can include:
- Muscle strains
- Back and hip injuries
- Brain and spine injuries
Treating injuries with immediate and future medical care can incur costs and detract from the ability to earn income—a successful legal claim could compensate for these and other damages.
Understanding Liability for a Slip and Fall Accident
Filing a lawsuit requires knowing and proving a few different things, such as the extent of possible damages and who should be held responsible. For slip and fall accidents, the owner of the location could be that liable party based on premises liability.
Premises liability holds property owners and business operators responsible for conditions in their space, creating a duty to keep an area free from hazards for customers and others allowed to be present (not trespassers). Unlike negligence claims, which depend on evaluating reasonableness, the duty of an El Centro owner under premises liability can be defined by their reasonable actions to secure the premises or to guard against common causes of slip and falls.
Wet floor signs and cones could be reasonable for spilled liquids, and warnings for an uneven surface or step up could be seen as a way for a business owner to satisfy their duty to their customers. Evaluating what action would have been necessary is where an attorney can provide crucial insight, as well as assistance in gathering evidence.
An attorney can also make sure that a claim is realized within the statute of limitations. As set by California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, injury claims must be filed within two years, or else a victim risks losing the opportunity for compensation.
Learn More About Causes of Slip and Falls from an El Centro Attorney
After falling, you might feel all right at first. However, you should seek medical attention and even consider making a legal claim against the person or business in charge of the area where you fell.
At Walter Clark Legal Group, our personal injury attorneys stand ready to support claims based on common causes of slip and falls in El Centro and the surrounding area. Call today for a free consultation.