Imagine you’re walking through a department store when you slip and fall on a piece of clothing that was blocking your path. As it turns out, the clothing had been there all day, but the store employees and management never did anything to move it out of the pathway of customers.
If you seriously hurt yourself as a result of the fall, you probably have the ability to pursue a claim against the store owner. In fact, there are many dangerous circumstances that can present themselves on a piece of property like this, and if a visitor gets hurt by these conditions, he or she will probably have a viable cause of action to pursue a claim.
Here are some of the most common dangers that result in slip-and-fall accidents:
1) Dangers during the winter months
In Philadelphia, winter time can present some unique dangers to property visitors. These dangers might include the build-up of ice and snow that could present slipping hazards. Property owners need to remove this ice and snow quickly from inside and around their properties to prevent injuries, or they could be liable for damages in court if someone gets hurt.
2) Poor lighting conditions
Imagine, for a moment, a world without light. For one, we would all freeze to death. Secondly, if we could manage to stay warm, we wouldn’t be able to see where we’re going. We would bump into things, fall off ledges and get seriously hurt. The same is true for any property, which is why property owners who fail to adequately light their premises could be held liable for the injuries this negligence causes.
3) Uneven, problematic or slippery walking surfaces
When visitors enter a property, they should encounter even walking surfaces that don’t pose slipping and tripping risks. This applies to carpeted areas, sidewalks, stairways and anywhere else visitors might walk. Rugs should be free of torn areas that could trip people. Stairs should not have broken pieces that could catch someone’s foot. Sidewalks shouldn’t have cracks, and so forth.
Every slip and fall accident and premises liability claim is different. If you were hurt on someone else’s property, consider looking deeper into the facts surrounding your accident and injuries to determine if you can hold the property owner liable for financial damages.