Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
For most people, a slip and fall bruises the ego and thankfully nothing else. But slip and fall incidents in Homestead are far from minor issues. Each year, they kill Americans and cause serious suffering and life-altering, permanent injuries. The elderly are most vulnerable in slip and fall injuries, because they are at risk of hip fractures and may also have conditions such as osteoporosis, which make falls more dangerous. However, anyone is at risk of slip and fall accidents.
How Do Slip and Fall Accidents Happen in Homestead?
Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere there is a spill or slippery surface. Often these incidents are preventable, because they are caused by:
- Leaking pipes or roofs
- Uncleaned floors
- Poor flooring choices and maintenance
- Lack of anti-slip treads
- Freshly-washed floors that don’t have a sign on them to warn people of the slippery surface
- Spills that are not promptly cleaned up
- Lack of proper oversight on rainy days, when slippery surfaces are more common
What Injuries Do They Cause?
Slip and fall incidents can cause a range of injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Bruising and contusions
- Soft tissue injuries
- Fractures
- Facial and dental injuries
- Back injuries
- Injuries to the hands and arms, as people try to instinctively break a fall
If you have suffered an injury, it is important to get evaluated by a qualified medical professional. Even if you think your injuries are minor, you may find you have suffered a serious injury. If you have hit your head, for example, you may have suffered a life-threatening TBI, even if you have no symptoms at first. Prompt medical attention can save your life or can ensure you start medical treatment to give you the best chance of a full recovery.
How Can I Prevent Injury?
There are fortunately many ways you can reduce your risk of a slip and fall injury. One of the best ways is to wear footwear which offers good treads and support. In rainy and wet weather, especially, good rubber soles can provide more traction and reduce slipping.
Another thing you can do is to report any unsafe conditions you see. If you’re in a store and notice a spill, for example, or are in a hotel and notice a leak, report the problem to management. This will help create a safer environment for you and for others in the same property, potentially preventing a fall.
Do I Have a Claim?
In Florida, you may have a slip and fall claim if you fall on private and public property due to someone’s negligence. For example, if a restaurant fails to wipe up a spill and you slip and fall because of this negligence and suffer an injury because of it, you may have a claim.
Of course, it is often difficult to tell why you have fallen. Negligence is not always so obvious. If you have been injured and are wondering whether you may have a claim, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free, no obligation consultation. Our legal team has more than 60 years of combined experience and we have already recovered over $100 million for plaintiffs in South Florida, so we have the experience to investigate your accident and to pursue compensation if you qualify.