Slip and fall accidents are responsible for sending millions of individuals to the emergency department each year with serious physical injuries. These accidents can occur anywhere, at any time, and to anyone without a warning, making them highly unpredictable and dangerous. The inherently dangerous nature of staircases makes them some of the most common places where such accidents and injuries occur. When coupled with safety hazards like broken stairs or loose carpeting, staircases can cause some of the deadliest accidents and injuries.
If you or your loved one suffered an injury due to a slip and fall down the stairs of a building, you can pursue legal action against the owner of the building to obtain compensation for your damages. You should contact an experienced slip and fall attorney to explore your legal options and formulate a strategy to obtain compensation for your physical, emotional, and financial losses.
Causes of Stairway Slips and Falls
One of the most common causes of these slips and falls are broken stairs. A staircase that has a broken, missing, loose, or tilted step might pose a significant threat to the safety of everyone who uses them routinely. Other causes of such accidents include common safety hazards like freshly waxed steps, liquid spills, garbage, clutter, etc., with no signs to warn visitors of possible danger. Additionally, stairways might have loose carpeting, dim lighting, broken boards, missing or broken railings, or inappropriate step height, making it more likely for individuals to get injured in a slip, trip, and fall accident and subsequent injury.
Common Staircase Slip and Fall Injuries
Slipping and falling down a flight of stairs can result in a wide range of injuries, including bruises, contusions, concussions, bleeding, bone fractures, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), neck and back injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and death. While most injuries can be treated with appropriate medical or surgical attention, some might have lasting consequences like permanent disability, paralysis, or death. Even treatable injuries can leave you with hundreds of thousands in unwanted expenses, including medical bills, costs of ongoing treatment, and other incidental expenses.
Pursuing Legal Action Against the Building Owner
If you believe that your injury resulted from the negligence of the building owner, you might be able to pursue a premises liability lawsuit against the negligent party. You are entitled to file a lawsuit against the property owner if you were an invitee or a licensee of the property, such as a social guest at the building. If your attorney uncovers evidence of the stairs being unsafe, it means that the building owner violated their duty of care and can be held liable for any damages resulting from such an accident.
By filing a premises liability claim, you can sue for compensation of your medical expenses, loss of income, pain, and suffering, emotional trauma, incapacitation, cost of physical or occupational therapy, incidental expenses, and more.
Conclusion
When defective or dangerous stairs are responsible for your slip and fall accident, it is advisable to consult a slip and fall attorney to discuss your legal options. An experienced lawyer will help you document and compile the necessary evidence and file a lawsuit to obtain fair financial compensation for your damages.
