Slip-and-fall accidents are pretty common in cities and can happen to anyone anytime. Most slip and falls at in office buildings often occur in the office space owing to the number of people coming in and out of these premises. As a result of the heavy human traffic, it’s not uncommon to see people slipping and falling in workplaces.
Yet, most of these accidents can be prevented if the property owners take the necessary precaution measures. Across the USA, property owners are required by law to provide a safe and conducive working environment for workers and visitors. Failure to do this can result in accidents and ultimately lawsuits against the negligent parties.
Common Causes Of Office Slip And Fall Accidents
Most slip and fallswhile at the office are usually due to: Littered or unkempt walkways, Dirty or worn out steps, Dimly lit hallways, Defective staircases, Lack of proper warning signs on hazardous places, and Defective handrails.
According to federal and state laws, property owners have a duty of care for everyone who uses their premises. They are supposed to ensure the office space is clear of debris and litter and that everything is in good working condition. For instance, they should ensure that the staircase and handrails function correctly and that there is adequate lighting in all hallways, etc.
When they fail in this mandate and accidents occur, they can be held accountable for any injuries sustained. If you are involved in an office slip and fall accident, you may sustain the following injuries: Broken bones, Head, neck, and back injuries, Traumatic brain injuries, and Spinal cord injuries.
Determining Premises Liability
Many principles govern premise liability laws. These principles are used to determine whether the property owner is indeed liable for your slip and fall accident. When you file a claim against a property owner for their negligence, the factors and circumstances surrounding the accident must be determined to establish if the owner indeed violated the premise liability laws. These factors mainly consider your status on the premises, for example:
An Invitee: As an invitee, you may have been invited to the office by another person, and the accident occurred while you were there. If the property owner invited you over, they are responsible for your accident since they owed you a duty of care. Therefore, they could have taken the necessary precautions to ensure you are safe throughout your stay at the office.
Licensee. As a licensee, you have the express permission and official license to be at the office. The office or property owner is supposed to warn you of any potential dangers on the premises, but they are not necessarily required to fix them. If they fail to warn you of such hazards and an accident occurs, they can be held accountable for their negligence. On the other hand, if you received a due warning but failed to mitigate the accident in time, the blame will be on you.
Trespasser. A trespasser is an unauthorized person who enters the property without any permission whatsoever. In this instance, the owner has no duty of care for such an individual and is not mandated to warn them of any hidden dangers. The only exception is where the trespasser is a child. Children should be accorded a duty of care regardless of whether they are trespassers or not. If a child had an accident and sustained injuries at the premises, legal claims should be pursued regardless of whatever reasons the child was at the property.
Talk To A Personal Injury Lawyer
Determining liability after an office slip and fall accident is one of the most complex cases you could be faced with. However, with the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer, you can file for a successful personal injury claim and obtain just compensation.