Here in Chelsea, MA, and all over the country, slip and fall injuries are often underestimated. After all, recovering from a small slip or a little stumble is something we do every day. You catch yourself on a handrail, or with your other foot. But when a slip and fall goes bad, the injuries can be more serious than anyone is prepared for. Depending on the circumstances of the fall, the injury could be anything from a badly broken ankle to a concussion. And while the fall may have been an accident, the medical aftermath is unavoidably real.
According to Massachuset child injury statistics, falls and slips comprise almost 40% of childhood hospitalizations. The simple number of falls and slips we experience every day brings up the chance that one slip will be serious.
Whether you’re at the Chelsea Memorial Stadium or across town at the Newbridge cafe, suffering an injury in a slip and fall accident is difficult to deal with both physically and emotionally. To top it off, insurance companies traditionally try to downplay the severity of your injuries to reach a lower settlement offer. But you don’t have to accept being treated unfairly. With legal help, you can prove your case and receive the help you deserve.
If you or someone you know has been significantly injured in a slip and fall accident, let Michael Kelly of Chelsea, MA help. As experienced personal injury attorneys, we can help you build a strong case against the owner of the property on which you were injured. Liability insurance exists to take care of accidents like yours.
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Typical Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and Fall injuries can vary widely based on how you fall and your surroundings when the fall occurred. The main injury might be from the fall itself or from hitting a wall, railing, or furniture on the way down. Sprained ankles and scraped hands may be the most common injuries, but the worst cases can be quite severe. It is also common to throw out your back, hit your head, or fall badly. Some people break bones, some people get concussions. In many cases, there are lasting scars after the injuries heal.
- Sprained and Dislocated Joints
- Broken Bones
- Concussion and Head Trauma
- Permanent Scarring
- Chronic Pain
Finally, remember that serious injuries have long-lasting medical concerns after the event. This is something insurance companies will try to ignore to lowball settlement offers. You may also qualify for pain and suffering settlements.
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Who is Responsible for a Slip and Fall Injury
The way we’re raised, everyone is responsible for their own walking. It’s common to feel clumsy and responsible for your own fall, but that’s not how responsibility works legally. In the eyes of the law slip and fall risk is a matter of statistics. It has been proven that certain situations are more likely to cause a slip than others, and property owners are responsible for reducing risk.
Uneven Floors
Falls are one of the leading causes of personal injury cases because property owners and managers failed to make an area safe for walking. Cables that cross walkways, uneven flooring, and loose floor rugs are all potential liability issues. Any unpredictable factor about the floor can cause someone to take a wrong step, trip, or slip. If you fell in an area that was notably uneven and unsafe, the property owner is almost assuredly liable.
This usually only applies indoors, however. In all-outdoor facilities such as Chelsea’s Highland Park uneven pavement is less likely to be considered liable.
Slippery Tile and Ice
In the winter, the biggest slip and fall risk is ice in outdoor areas. Icy coats and boots can also track wet puddles indoors which makes tile more dangerous. Property owners are responsible for putting out melting salt on the sidewalks and reducing risk indoors on slippery tile. This is often done with area rugs and/or brightly colored warning signs.
Many property owners take their responsibility for winter and cleaning-related slips very seriously. And those that don’t will eventually see a serious injury in their unsafe areas.
Precautions, Railings, and Warnings
Buildings that do take responsibility do so to protect their residents/employees and themselves. It is their job to provide traction in slippery areas like tile ramps or icy sidewalks. Uneven floors should be repaired or covered with thick traction-mats that bridge the area carefully. Sudden drops like the edge of a staircase or loading dock are typically protected by railings to prevent falls and reduce the chance of serious injury.
A large spill inside Bunker Hill Museum, for example, would require warning signs until such time as the floor could be mopped and dried.
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Damages from a Slip and Fall Injury
The damages you can receive after a slip and fall injury may be simple medical coverage or extend to help you recover from the long-term. If you had to miss time at work, you may qualify for lost wages. If the consequences of the injury are prolonged, you may need to fight for future medical expenses as well as current medical costs. Here’s a quick list of potential slip and fall damages:
Insurance Company Tricks
The vast majority of the time, you will be fighting to have an insurance claim treated fairly. Unfortunately, insurance companies are formidable enemies. Their entire business plan is based on collecting money in case of emergency and then not paying the full amount back. That’s how they stay profitable as insurance companies. What they do best is defend the amount they have to pay out.
An insurance company most often tries to downplay the seriousness of your injuries. They may claim that you’re being dramatic about a “little scrape” for attention or that your injuries won’t require as much money to treat as your doctors have quoted. They may try to ignore the long-term effects of your injury or the impact it may have had on your career.
They may also claim that you ignored clear warning signs or acted in an unsafe manner, voiding the property owner’s liability for your injury. This may be the most offensive play, but it’s would also be their only strong form of defense against paying for your injuries.
Call Kelly Associates After a Chelsea, MA, Slip and Fall Accident
If you or someone you know has been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you’re not alone. In a dangerous area, the responsibility is on property owners to help you stay safe. For more information or a consultation with an experienced Chelsea, MA, slip and fall attorney at Michael Kelly, contact us today!
