When you think about someone falling and getting hurt, you might think of them losing their footing or falling on ice. Lots of times, those accidents do happen, especially on stairs.
Slip-and-fall accidents can take place anywhere, though, not just on inclines or staircases. You might be walking on a pathway and suddenly hit a patch of ice, for example, which causes you to fall and hit your head. You could trip on equipment left in a snowbank or slip on a pathway without enough grit.
When you fall and get hurt, it's important that you are heard and have the opportunity to seek medical care. The owner of the premises may be liable for your injuries and for covering the cost of your injuries if they should have known that there was a risk to you.
Here's an example. If Jim runs a business and knows it was sleeting last night, he should salt the walkway and stairs leading up to his business. If he fails to take this step and opens his shop while knowing that there are icy patches, he could be liable for any injuries that take place.
Many people avoid filing claims in slip-and-fall cases because it can be embarrassing to get hurt that way. If you slip and fall because someone else neglected to do their due diligence in making an area safe, you should hold them accountable for their actions (or lack thereof). That way, there will be a lower chance of this kind of incident happening again in the future.
