Rain and Slip and Fall Accidents
According to numbers compiled by the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), slips and falls account for roughly 1 million emergency room visits each year. As far as the severity of such incidents, the nature of the slip and fall accident will determine the injuries sustained.
The Daytona Beach and Palm Coast, FL personal injury attorneys of Chanfrau & Chanfrau have helped numerous clients seriously hurt in slip and fall accidents. Many of these slips and falls are due to liquids on slick surfaces, such as rainwater. Let’s look at the ways rain contributes to slip and fall accidents. We’ll then consider liability in such instances and if you have a case worth pursuing.
Dangers Posed by Rain
When many floors get wet, they become slippery. This is especially true of linoleum and tile floors, which don’t always have great traction to begin with. Rain can make floors and stairways in outdoor structures especially hazardous.
The hazards caused by rain don’t end outside.
People can track in rainwater indoors on their shoes and boots, or it may drip from their clothes and umbrellas. Slipping may be more likely when it rains simply given the moisture when people come in from the rain.
Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, 1 in every 5 falls account for a serious injury, such as fractured bones or head trauma. Regardless the nature of the fall, age often contributes to the severity of the injuries. Around 300,000 elderly individuals who have a major fall will suffer a hip fracture.
Numbers like these are just another reason to take poor weather and slipping hazards seriously.
What Property Owners and Employees Should Do During the Rain
If it’s raining out, property/business owners can do a lot to reduce slip and fall risks. Some common actions include:
- Putting absorbent mats down by entrances so people can wipe their feet
- Providing an umbrella basket or umbrella bags to reduce dripping
- Dry mopping high-foot-traffic areas of the establishment to remove rainwater from the ground
- Marking wet floors with signs so people on the premises are warned to be careful
Who Is Liable for a Slip and Fall Accident?
When a slip and fall accident occurs, liability can vary. If a property owner or employees of a business did not attempt to prevent slipping hazards, they can be held accountable for the harm caused by a serious fall.
How Our Attorneys Can Help
Not all slip and fall cases are straightforward, which is why it’s important to work with a skilled attorney. Our lawyers can look over the evidence of your case and determine if the property owner and/or the staff at the property were negligent. We can then help negotiate a fair settlement. If a settlement is unable to be reached, we can seek damages in a personal injury case that will cover medical bills, lost wages, and other hardships associated with your injuries.
Contact Chanfrau & Chanfrau
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a slip and fall accident, be sure to contact our team of injury accident attorneys. You can reach our law office in Daytona Beach by calling (866) 610-0653, and our location in Palm Coast by calling (386) 439-7760. Our legal team looks forward to hearing from you.