Most Common Places For Slip And Falls
Posted April 18, 2024 in Personal Injury
Statistics compiled by the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) demonstrate that slip and fall incidents account for more than one million emergency room visits each year in the United States. Although car accidents and medical malpractice cases receive the most media publicity, slip and fall incidents rank as one of the most common types of personal injury cases as a slip and fall lawyer knows all too well. Because of the surprise element, slip and fall incidents frequently produce serious injuries, such as fractures, dislocated shoulders, and severe brain trauma. One of the keys to avoiding a slip and fall incident is to be aware of your surroundings. Some venues report a much higher number of slip and fall incidents than other venues.
Where do slip and fall accidents happen the most often? Let’s take a quick look.
Convenience Stores
Convenience stores feature all of the factors required to be the consummate place for slip and fall accidents to occur. First, you have a customer base that is typically in a hurry to get in and out. Second, a vast majority of convenience stores include large beverage stations where customers pour their own beverages. The high volume of traffic results in beverage spills that if not dry-mopped quickly, can cause a customer to slip and fall. Convenience stores are responsible for preventing slip and fall incidents by placing Wet Floor signs over beverage spills.
Restaurants
Restaurants pose as much of a threat for slip and fall incidents for employees as they do for customers. Commercial kitchens are notorious for grease spills that can cause employees to slip and fall, even if they are wearing slip-resistant shoes as our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC can attest. In the dining room, faulty ice bins located at beverage stations can leak water that causes a customer to slip and fall. Add to the mix defective plumbing in a bathroom. Slip and fall incidents lurk around every corner in a restaurant.
Shopping Malls
Shopping malls present four main areas where slip and fall incidents happen: Restrooms, food courts, mall interior, and inside a business. The complexity of slip and fall incidents in malls stems from where they occur. Malls are usually legally liable for restroom, food court, and interior slip and fall incidents. However, individual businesses are responsible for keeping their spaces safe for customers. One of the most common reasons for slip and fall incidents in malls is that slick surfaces often do not get reported, which can remove the legal liability off the shoulders of mall management.
Arenas/Stadiums
Imagine a venue in which thousands of customers converge at the same time. We are talking about arenas and stadiums which host sporting events and entertainment acts for several hours on end. Opportunities for slip and fall incidents unfold throughout an arena or stadium, from concession stands to the numerous restrooms on every concourse. Although the management of arenas and stadiums is legally liable to ensure fan safety, staff members cannot stay on top of every beverage spill or plumbing defect in restrooms.
Grocery Stores
Grocery stores present the same slip and fall dangers as convenience stores, with a few more possibilities thrown into the mix. Beverage stations located inside common eating areas are culprits. However, the commonly heard call of “Spill in aisle four” adds another slip and fall factor to the mix. Sometimes, customers do not report beverage spills, which makes the legal liability question for a grocery store a little murky.
If you or someone you love slips and falls, contact a lawyer near you for representation.