Premises Liability/Slips and Falls

When an actor slips or trips on TV or in the movies, their exaggerated flailing and falling are usually designed to get a hearty laugh. But slips and falls are anything but funny for the thousands of people who suffer serious injuries or die every year in such accidents. Broken bones, skull fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal injuries are just a few of the traumas that can follow the sudden, unexpected, and violent impact of the body with the ground.

Not every slip or trip is someone else’s fault; we have all lost our footing on occasion, whether due to clumsiness, inattention, or distraction. But many slips or trips and falls are directly caused by the negligence of property owners or others who fail to maintain their property in a safe condition. When a homeowner or business owner allow unsafe conditions to remain unaddressed or fails to warn others about potential hazards, this negligence can be the basis of a personal injury lawsuit if injuries and damages occur as a result.

The experienced Louisiana personal injury lawyers at the Patrick Yancey Law Firm help clients who have suffered because of slips or trips and falls caused by property owner negligence. With determination and powerful advocacy, we can get you the compensation that can help you get back on your feet.

Falls Are the Third-Leading Cause of Injury-Related Deaths in the U.S.

If you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall or trip and fall accident, you have company. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Over 700,000 Americans are hospitalized every year because of a fall injury.
• One out of five falls results in a severe injury.
• Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
• Every year, 2.5 million American seniors receive emergency room treatment for injuries caused by a fall.

Falls can also be deadly, for seniors in particular. According to the National Safety Council, falls are the third-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in the U.S. In 2014 alone, nearly 32,000 Americans died in falls.

Common Causes of Slips and Falls

A fall can happen almost anywhere any time you’re on your feet. Here in Louisiana, we typically don’t face the ice, snow or other harsh winter conditions that lead to so many falls farther north. But plenty of other conditions unrelated to the weather can lead to falls, including:

• Cracked or uneven sidewalks or pavement.
• Uneven, defective, or damaged stairs or railings.
• Poor or inadequate lighting.
• Spills at restaurants, grocery stores or other places of business which have not been cleaned up or which were cleaned without sufficiently marking the area as being wet.
• Items, objects, or debris left on the floor or ground which obstruct areas of traffic.

Premises Liability Claims

Property owners in Louisiana owe visitors a duty of care and can be held responsible for injuries caused by their failure to maintain their property as a reasonable person would under the same circumstances. When a property owner or other responsible party breaches this duty, someone who suffers injuries, as a result, may have a claim for compensation based on the legal concept known as “premises liability.” While property owners aren’t expected to guard against every possible danger or condition that could cause an injury, they do need to take steps to remediate conditions that they know or should know are unsafe or present an unreasonable hazard to visitors.

Call Today to Arrange for a Free Case Evaluation to Discuss Your Slip and Fall Accident

Not every slip or trip and fall will result in a serious injury, and not every fall will support a claim for damages. But if you’ve been hurt as a result of a trip or slip and fall on someone else’s property, you should meet with an experienced personal injury attorney who can thoroughly evaluate the circumstances of your accident and make a thoughtful evaluation of your situation.

Please contact the Louisiana personal injury lawyers at the Patrick Yancey Law Firm in Houma to arrange for your free initial case evaluation. We welcome the opportunity to help you.