Many people misunderstand the terminology of “slip and fall” cases and, as a result, often mistakenly believe that these accidents are relatively minor and not worthy of legal action. The fact is that many slip and fall cases cause serious, significant, and life-changing injuries and should be dealt with as seriously as a vehicle or workplace accident.
What Is A Slip-and-Fall?
The term “slip and fall” is used collectively to describe any type of accident that involves falling from one height to another or a fall along the same plane of motion. Technically, there is a difference between a “slip and fall” and a “trip and fall.” Slip and fall accidents refer to accidents in which the foot slips along a surface, such as a floor, that is excessively slippery, while trip and fall refer to an accident precipitated by tripping over another object that is in the path of motion.
Slip and fall accidents can be generally divided into several types based on the cause of the fall.
- Slip and fall from lack of friction. When we walk, our feet make contact with the ground surface and create frictional force. This is what keeps up upright and makes forward motion possible. However, if friction is reduced, we are in great danger of losing our balance and falling. Examples of this type of accident occur when someone is walking on an icy pathway or a freshly waxed floor.
- Trip and fall. A trip and fall often occur when something is blocking the pathway on which we are walking. Examples of this type of accident occur when the debris is not cleaned up from a sidewalk or when someone drops an item and leaves it in a used walking area, precipitating a fall.
- Fall from height. Another type of accident that is classified under the general idea of slip and fall is a fall from one height to another. This often occurs when someone falls down a flight of stairs due to a slip or trip, or when someone slips on a ladder rung and falls from a height. These types of accidents can be very serious and lead to injury or death, depending on the height of the fall.
How Serious Are Slip-and-Fall Accidents?
We all slip or trip at times, and most of us recover quickly. Therefore, not as much attention is paid to slip and fall accidents like car crashes and other types of injuries.
However, this is not realistic. Slip and fall accidents precipitate over 9 million emergency room visits each year, with many of these falls lead to long-term injury or disability. About 15,000 people die each year in the United States from fall-related injuries, and millions more suffer permanent injuries.
If you have been the victim of a fall, it is important to protect your rights. Barber & Associates can help you ensure that you have money to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and other costs associated with your fall. Give us a call today to learn more.