Slip and Fall Lawyer
Every year, thousands of victims experience injuries due to stairs. In the winter, slip and fall accidents become more common. While some people can walk away from a slip and fall down a set of steps with minimal injuries, the results can also be more severe.
Spinal cord injuries can uproot your life. They can result in serious disabilities, mounting medical costs and much more. If your fall from icy steps resulted in a spinal cord injury, you may be able to hold the property owner accountable.
Owner or Employee Negligence
At a store or other business, the employer or business owner is responsible for the safety of his or her guests, as a slip and fall lawyer in Towson, MD from a law firm like Seigel & Rouhana, LLC, can explain. In the winter, there is no excuse for an business owner not considering that the outside steps are icy.
In some businesses, employees and employers may be held accountable for icy steps. If the business owner delegates the duty of deicing the stairs to one of his or her staff members and the employee does not follow through, then that employee may be responsible for your injuries. Property owners have to put forth an effort to create a safe entryway.
Construction Negligence
If you slipped on ice, you might automatically think that it was the fault of the ice. While this can be a contributing factor, sometimes stairs are built negligently and a defect may make it easier to fall. When the ground is slick, it just makes it easier for you to wind up a victim to a fall. For instance, outdoor steps should be built in a way that doesn’t allow for an excessive buildup of water or ice. Builders cannot use surfaces that become extra-slippery in winter conditions.
If there were no anti-slip measures taken to prevent falls on steps, then you likely have a case against the building owner. Other defects with steps include:
- Uneven stair height
- Improper stair depth
- Lack of handrails
While winter weather can be a contributing factor, if the stairs were built improperly, then they may have been unsafe to begin with.
While you might think that the slip and fall was a misstep on your part, it is up to the property owner to ensure that the steps are free from obvious hazards. Property owners have to use some form of deicer in the winter to prevent slip and fall injuries. If you suffered serious injuries after a fall, consult with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.