The term slip and fall simply isn’t as serious-sounding as it should be. The fact is that falls account for one of the most common causes of unexpected injuries in the United States. If someone else’s negligence causes you to be injured in a slip and fall, do yourself a favor and consult with an experienced Fargo personal injury attorney today.
Slip and Falls: The Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) share several eye-opening statistics that clarify exactly how serious slip and falls can be, including all of the following:
- A full 20 percent of falls lead to serious injuries – like head injuries or broken bones.
- Injuries sustained in falls lead to more than 800,000 hospitalizations each year, usually for hip fractures or head injuries.
- Hip fractures are caused by falls (often sideways falls) more than 95 percent of the time.
The CDC further shares that the head injuries and broken bones associated with slip and falls can be serious.
Duty of Care
When you head out into the world – whether you’re running errands, doing a little shopping, going to the doctor, or doing anything else – the last thing you expect is to be injured in the process. The property owners who host you in their businesses owe you a duty of care that extends to maintaining reasonably safe conditions that allow for you and other visitors’ safe passage. When they fail to meet this reasonable safety standard, dangerous slip and falls can be the result. Reasonable here refers to what the majority of business owners would do (in relation to safety) in similar situations.
The Elements of Your Claim
The following elements must be present in order to bring a successful slip and fall claim:
- The business owner or manager failed to maintain the property in a reasonably safe condition – and failed to adequately warn visitors like you of the inherent danger.
- The dangerous condition caused you to slip, fall, and sustain an injury.
- The business owner or manager’s negligence was the direct cause of your injury.
Consult With an Experienced Fargo Personal Injury Attorney Today
If a slip and fall caused by someone else’s negligence leave you injured, the dedicated personal injury attorneys at O’Keeffe O’Brien Lyson Attorneys in Fargo are committed to applying their considerable experience and resources to skillfully fighting for your rightful compensation. For more information, please email one of our personal injury attorneys – Tatum O’Brien, Tim O’Keeffe, or Sara Monson – or give us a call at 701-235-8000 or 877-235-8002 (toll-free) today.
