Even if you are usually sure on your feet, there is no shortage of hazards out in the world that could cause you to lose your footing and suffer a serious injury in the ensuing fall. While no one can or should be on alert for hazards like this every second of every day, it can be helpful to know in advance what kinds of things you should be looking out for if you want to minimize your risk of an accidental fall.
Listed below are some common causes of slips and falls in Phoenix, AZ that local slip and fall attorneys are accustomed to seeing as the sources of serious injuries. If you were hurt recently because a landowner failed to properly address one of these dangerous conditions, you may want to speak with legal counsel about the possibility of filing suit against that landowner and demanding fair financial restitution for your damages.
Spills, Puddles, and Ice Buildup
Arguably the archetypal cause of slipping and tripping accidents not just in Phoenix but all across the United States, unmarked liquid spills and buildup both inside buildings and outside on walking paths cause a substantial number of serious injuries in the Grand Canyon State every year. Although it is certainly a rare sight in this region, ice buildup during winter can also be a dangerous slip and fall hazard—especially for people who are not used to seeing it at all.
Broken or Worn-Down Flooring
Frayed carpeting, unsecured rugs, loose floorboards, cracked tiles—no matter what form it takes, a faulty section of flooring can easily cause anyone who does not see it in advance to slip or trip and fall. In some situations, a lack of no-slip coverings over certain walking surfaces can serve as grounds for a slip and fall claim along the same lines.
Unmarked and Uneven Steps
Sudden changes in elevation can cause someone to lose their balance when they unexpectedly descend or trip over a rise they did not previously see. Likewise, stairs that are broken, missing handrails, and/or not equidistant apart are common causes of trips and falls in Phoenix and elsewhere in Arizona.
Clutter in Walking Spaces
Anyone who has ever had their foot or ankle catch on a charger cord they forgot about likely has a pretty good idea of how easily an unsecured wire could lead to a fall resulting in serious injury under the right—or perhaps wrong—circumstances. Along the same lines, crowded and cluttered aisles in retail stores or industrial environments can be difficult to navigate under the best of circumstances and can lead to dangerous tripping accidents under less fortunate ones.
Lack of Proper Lighting
Even though shadows are not something anyone can directly slip on or trip over, someone who cannot see exactly where they are placing their feet and where obstacles they might need to navigate around are is much more likely to end up slipping or tripping than someone walking through a well-lit area. This is especially true in places that are already hazardous when they are properly lit, like stairwells.
A Phoenix, AZ Attorney Can Help Take Action Over Common Causes of Slips and Falls
The fact that a dangerous condition existed on someone else’s property does not necessarily make them liable for any accident that happens involving that hazard. However, if you can prove a landowner failed to properly warn you about a specific hazard and did not correct the hazard reasonably quickly after learning about it, you may have valid grounds to pursue a slip and fall lawsuit against them.
That, in a nutshell, is how personal injury claims built around common causes of slips and falls in Phoenix, AZ work. Contact a qualified attorney from the Phillips Law Group today to begin reviewing your options for recovery.
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