It can happen anywhere – you are walking along at a reasonable pace, minding your own business, when you suddenly slip and fall. You may not injure yourself at all – or you could wind up with a significant injury that will require medical care, therapy, and more. You may even be disabled by your injury.
If you are injured, it is important to keep in mind that there is a statute of limitations – or a legal time limit – on filing a claim for your injuries. If you miss it, you may miss out on recovering the financial compensation you need for medical costs and pain and suffering.
Under Pennsylvania law, a lawsuit must typically be filed within two years of the date of the underlying incident. The same is true for nearly every personal injury case in Pennsylvania. The most important questions to consider if you have endured a slip and fall accident are: Was the property owner negligent? And, did the property owner’s negligence cause your accident and resulting injuries?
There are many possible causes of a slip and fall accident, including:
- Footwear: You do not have to go out on the town wearing stilettos to slip and fall because of your footwear. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, 24 percent of slip and fall accidents are caused by poor footwear. All kinds of shoes, including sneakers and work boots, can cause you to fall if they do not provide proper traction.
- Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, ice, and other hazardous weather conditions to contribute to a large number of slip and fall accidents. However, property owners and municipalities have a responsibility to shovel sidewalks, plow streets, and salt walkable surfaces. If they fail to take reasonable steps to keep walkways safe, they may be liable for your injury.
- Wet or Uneven Surfaces: According to the National Floor Safety Institute, wet or uneven surfaces are the largest cause of slip and fall accidents – at a whopping 55 percent. A walking surface can become a hazard due to cluttered floors, cracked or defective sidewalks, parking lot potholes, cluttered floors, loose floorboards, poorly constructed staircases, recently mopped or waxed floors, torn carpeting, and more.
- Nursing Home Neglect: When a person gets older and their sense of balance becomes compromised, they are more prone to falls; and when they fall they are more likely to sustain a serious injury. When nursing home administrators or healthcare aids fail to take proper precautions by monitoring and assisting the clients in their care, a fall can happen easily.
Philadelphia Slip and Fall Lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates Help Those Injured Because of Negligent Property Owners
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a slip and fall accident, contact a Philadelphia slip and fall lawyer at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates. We can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at 215-567-6600 to schedule a free consultation, or contact us online. We represent injured accident victims throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, including South Jersey.