6 Common Causes of Swimming Pool Accidents
Swimming pool accidents are more common than you might think, with nearly 4,000 fatal drowning accidents yearly in the United States. Pool accidents also result in an additional 8,000 nonfatal drownings each year.
How Common are Slip and Fall Accidents?
Did you know that slip and fall accidents are the second-leading cause of injury-related deaths? Slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of many hospital emergency room visits, accounting for over 21% of visits. But why are they so common? What makes people slip and fall that easily? The truth is, it’s not very hard to slip and fall–it’s part of being human. Sometimes you just lose your balance and trip over your own two feet. But sometimes, it’s not your fault. Sometimes you slip and fall because of someone else’s negligence. In today’s blog, we’re discussing the different causes of falls and how we can prevent them. How Common Are Slip and Fall Accidents? Most slip and fall accidents are severe enough to require medical treatment and cause the individual to take time off of work. Some falls occur at work and are the leading cause of lost workdays. If you’re lucky, you’ll be uninjured and go about your day. But if you’re not so fortunate, you could end up with a nasty sprain or fracture. Fractures happen to about 5% of all fall victims and are the leading cause of health problems and death from slip and fall accidents. For individuals over 65, approximately 87% of all fractures result from falling. Simply put, slip and fall accidents happen constantly, frequently require medical care, and often result in serious injuries. To examine how common slip and fall accidents are, we need to examine where they happen. This blog is split into four sections: workplace, home, nursing homes, and public places. These are the most common locations for slip and fall accidents. Slip and Fall Accidents in the Workplace Did you know that nearly 40,000 people have died from slipping and falling in a single year? The workplace is a common place for these falls to happen. In recent years, 880 workers have died from falls, and 244,000 suffered bad enough injuries to need time off to recover. Every profession comes with a risk of slipping and falling, but construction workers are most at risk because they frequently work from high heights. Having said that, you don’t need to fall from a high place to suffer a fatal injury. Even though falls are prevalent, they are 100% preventable. Proper training and communication can help employees avoid slip and fall hazards. Some simple tips include: Check for hazards when you walk into a room. Get formal training on equipment before you use it. Set up equipment on level ground. Don’t stand on a ladder on uneven ground, even if it’s just for something quick. Avoid working in inclement weather. Don’t use tools that weren’t designed for the job you’re doing. When using a ladder, make sure it’s locked in place. Never just stand on a ladder. Make sure you have one hand on the ladder at all times. Wear proper shoes. Don’t step on a ladder in heels or open-backed shoes. Try to wear slip-resistant shoes. Slip and Fall Accidents at Home It’s entirely possible to slip and fall on a ladder while you’re doing home improvement projects. Projects like installing siding, gutters, or roofs frequently cause these accidents, which is why it’s best to hire a professional for those types of projects. But ladders aren’t the only cause for slip and fall accidents in the home. Stepping out of the bathtub is another common cause. It’s easy for water from the tub to slosh over the edge. It’s not unheard of to slip while doing yard work, either. If you have tall enough grass, it can be challenging to spot uneven ground. Simply put, slip and fall accidents can happen as easily at home as at work. Slip and Fall Accidents in Nursing Homes It’s very common for nursing home residents to slip and fall. Because age comes with brittle bones and conditions like osteoporosis, residents have to get up and sit down very carefully. They often walk slowly, sometimes with canes or walkers. Some nursing home residents have gait disorders or shuffle their feet instead of taking steps. Depending on their health, a nursing home resident might need help getting around. But nursing homes frequently face the problem of not having enough staff to cover all their residents. Because of this, many residents are left unattended and must fend for themselves. This is the cause of many slip and fall accidents. Slip and Fall Accidents in Public Places Slip and fall accidents in public places happen all the time. Whether you’re grocery shopping, trying on clothes, or shopping for electronics, you run the risk of slipping and falling. But why do slip and fall accidents happen in public places? The following are the most common causes: Wet floors Torn carpets Dimly-lit areas Escalators not working properly There are usually cautionary signs that warn customers when a floor is wet, but sometimes signs are removed prematurely, aren’t seen, or are ignored. Additionally, if it’s hard to see in a dimly-lit area, you might miss a hazard that you’d generally spot. These slip and fall accidents can cause head and body injuries, depending on what part of your body takes the brunt of the fall. Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton As you can see, slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere, at any time. It doesn’t take much to get severely injured. But not all slip and fall accidents are your fault. Some of these falls are due to other people being negligent. Take a nursing home, for example. If your loved one fell on their own when they were supposed to have assistance, they may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and their pain and suffering. Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton is here to help you. We’ve represented slip and fall injury victims for over 25 years, and we’re here to guide you through the process, too. We serve clients throughout Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.
Poor Lighting Can Lead to Slip and Fall Accidents
Accidents can happen anywhere, from the highways and city streets to your local grocery store. When injuries occur at places of business, it’s important to consider filing a premises liability lawsuit. A Provo slip and fall lawyer at our firm can help you negotiate the legal process. Slips, trips, and falls are common injuries at places of business. While these are often associated with liquids and tripping hazards, they can also be caused by poor lighting. Problems Caused by Poor Lighting Whenever part of a business is poorly lit, it presents a number of serious risks to safety, both for employees and for people who visit the premises. Low light situations, broken lights, and outright darkness in parts of a business increase the risk of trips, falls, slips, and other kids of serious accidents occurring. The bottom line is that adequate lighting needs to be in place at a business at all times. This is just a common sense way of going about things at a business. Not Seeing Hazards in Hallways and Walkways One of the major dangers of poor lighting is that hazards in hallways and walkways may not be visible. This may be objects in the way, such as products and supplies, or it may be tripping hazards, such a power cords, snags in the carpet or rug, and so forth. Difficulty Seeing Slipping Hazards Liquids and other items or objects that can lead to slips and falls are another hazard that may be obscured due to poor lighting or low-light situations. When this happens, the chances of a serious injury are likely. Even just a little bit of moisture on a slick surface can increase the dangers of a property. Major Dangers in Stairwells and Stairways When lighting is poor in stairways and stairwells, the dangers are increased immensely. Even if there are banisters in place, the inability to see steps increases the risk of a slip or fall occurring. These dangers are increased if there are possible slipping hazards or tripping hazards. Property Owners Should Address Light Problems ASAP Whenever there’s an issue with the lighting at a property, it’s of the utmost importance that these problems be addressed as soon as possible. Change light bulbs or having the light fixtures/wiring fixed will ensure the safety of a property. If the issue cannot be addressed in a timely manner, it’s important that alternate lighting be used or that people be restricted from the hazardous area. When property owners fail to maintain a safe and well-lit environment and an accident occurs as a result of this negligence, it’s important that these property owners be taken to task for their actions. How Premises Liability Lawyers Can Help You Premises liability lawsuits can be complicated given the nature of some cases the the laws in Utah regarding safety at a property or place of business. Yet filing a lawsuit may be essential in order to receive damages for injuries and to prevent future incidents like the one that led to your injury. By working with an experienced premises liability attorney, you will be able to receive expert legal counsel while you focus on recovering from injuries and moving forward with life. Contact the Lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton For more information about your legal rights and options following a slip, trip, or fall accident, be sure to contact our team of experienced injury attorneys today. The lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton are here to offer strong legal counsel.
Wet Floors Mean Watch Out: Slip and Fall Accidents
When there is a wet floor at any kind of business or establishment that accepts visitors/customers, it’s of the utmost importance that the issue be taken care of immediately. When the floor remains wet at a place of business, this can pose a serious slipping hazard to people on the premises. Major injuries can occur from slips and falls due to wet floors, particularly if the floors are near stairs or ledges. People have been known to break bones, tear muscles, and even suffer from head trauma and brain injuries because of these kinds of accidents. That’s why the legal team at Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton takes these matters seriously, helping the injured and their loved ones in the greater Provo area with premises liability lawsuits that hold negligent property owners accountable. Potential Causes of Wet Floors Some potential causes of wet floors may include the following: Broken Items – If the establishment has beverages in containers or other kinds of liquids, a broken container can lead to liquid being all over the floor. This is especially worth noting in supermarkets, convenience stores, and other kinds of shops. Accidental Spills – People may accidentally spill items at a premises, resulting in hazardous conditions. This includes fallen food and beverages at restaurants, spilled drinks at bars and lounges, and so forth. Mopping and Cleaning – Mopping floors is part of regular upkeep and keeping your business looking its cleanest. When people mop an area, the residual liquid left behind can lead to a serious slipping hazard. Moisture from Outdoors – Rain and snow don’t always stay outside. People may bring in that outdoor moisture on their shoes, their umbrellas, and their coats. This is especially important to consider during long stretches of inclement weather. Leaking Pipes – When pipes leak, water can get into places you don’t want. It can do damage in floors, ceilings, and walls, and it can also leave dangerous puddles on the ground that can harm people. How Businesses Can Protect Visitors/Customers Businesses should be attentive to any kind of moisture that’s been tracked onto the premises or any potential hazards on the premises itself. Employees should keep their eyes open with regard to any spills or liquid at the business. If they see any puddles or liquid, they should address this immediately. Placing a “Wet Floor” sign where the liquid stands can prevent a number of serious injuries. When rain or snow poses hazards, your best bet for business and property owners is to lay down absorbent mats at entrances to soak up the majority of the moisture people may bring in. Having umbrella bags available or an umbrella basket is also helpful for preventing serious harm from befalling people. It’s also a good idea for employees to periodically dry mop the premises to remove any potentially harmful liquid from shoes and that may have dripped off of coats. How Our Attorneys Can Help You When businesses fail to do the above or take other reasonable steps to prevent serious bodily harm affecting people at a premises, it’s important to speak with a skilled attorney about your case. We can help you obtain just compensation for serious harm and major injuries, holding negligent parties accountable for their poor choice of actions. Speak with the Lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton To learn more about your legal options following a serious slip or fall accident, it’s important that you contact our team of personal injury attorneys today. The legal team at Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton will help you seek justice in your time of legal need.