Slips and falls are common causes of a variety of injuries. This is true regarding individuals of all ages, although elderly individuals are more susceptible to more serious injuries.
Slips and falls can occur in a variety of environments and conditions. If you feel the fall occurred due to the negligence of someone else, there are certain things you need show to prove it.
Stats and facts
According to the National Floor Safety Institute, falls contribute to around 50% of home-related accidental deaths. Fall-related fatalities occur equally among women and men, although women experience more slip and fall accidents. Fractures are common injuries, with hip fractures being the most serious.
For individuals who are 65 years of age and older, falls are more frequent and serious. Around 33% of those older than 65 fall every year. More than 85% of fractures among the elderly are due to falls, and falls are the second leading cause of brain injuries among this same age group. For those 85 years of age and older, falls are the most common cause of death related to injuries.
Proving negligence
Sometimes falls are truly an accident. At other times, certain methods may have prevented the fall. At times, however, slips and falls occur due to the negligence of someone else, such as if a spill was not cleaned up in a timely matter or if a store does not provide adequate lighting. According to FindLaw, there are required elements necessary to prove someone else is liable for the fall.
You need to show that the person caused the condition or knew about it and did not fix it. You may also be able to prove negligence if the issue was there long enough that the person should have known about it and taken prompt action to take care of it but never did. To bring about a claim, you also must have an injury that was caused by the dangerous condition.