Slip and Falls

Slip and fall injuries can have dire consequences if someone is seriously injured or worse due to negligence on the part of the property owner. When people allow others into their homes, businesses and other properties, they accept the responsibility to ensure a reasonably safe environment so that no one will be hurt or suffer property damage. Stores and casinos in Las Vegas are the most sued for slip and fall injuries, but homeowners and other property owners also can be held liable. The most common culprit is water and a tile or other surface that becomes very slick when wet.

Reasonable Care Must Be Taken for Safety

When in a store or other place and the floor is wet, a yellow warning cone or similar type of sign should warn people of the hazardous condition. The same is true of any other trouble spot that could cause others to lose their balance and fall, such as a loose wire or cable on the floor. So long as a warning sign is present and the matter is taken care of in a reasonable amount of time, the property owner is doing what a reasonable person would. But ignoring such a condition and causing someone to suffer injury as a result would indicate negligence and lead to a potential lawsuit.

Many People Look to Slip and Fall

While there are many legitimate instances of slip and fall accidents that truly warrant punitive lawsuits, there are many who look for any condition that might even remotely cause a slip and fall and then fake an accident. Many stores and casinos take such actions into account when determining their business models. Like stock loss, financial losses caused by slip and fall accidents are a reality that can’t be avoided. But taking reasonable precautions to limit their occurrences and to keep conditions as safe as possible limits the amount of fraud that can be committed.

Have you ever slipped on a spill while shopping?