WHEELING SLIP AND FALL ATTORNEY

When you think of slip and fall accidents in Wheeling, you probably imagine slipping on icy sidewalks or in icy parking lots during the cold months of the year. It is true that a lot of slip and fall injuries are caused by icy weather conditions, but slips, trips, and falls can be caused by a number of other dangerous conditions all year round. Injuries from falls can range from a couple of bumps and bruises on the minor end of the spectrum to the much more serious end when broken bones and traumatic brain injuries are sustained.

Children and the elderly are extremely vulnerable when it comes to falling as a result of dangerous conditions. Falls are one of the most common causes of injuries to children and the elderly because children do not have the experience and maturity to recognize and appreciate dangerous conditions and elderly people may not recognize or have the ability to avoid dangerous conditions because of declining faculties. Falls can happen to anyone, however, and when they occur as a result of someone’s negligence, injured parties deserve to be compensated for their injuries.

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS RELATED TO SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS

Our Wheeling slip and fall attorneys at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman have compiled a list of slip and fall scenarios that we frequently see in our offices:

• Slips on icy sidewalks, walkways, and parking lots
• Swimming pool injuries including drowning and spinal cord injuries due to shallow dives
• Poor lighting does not allow guests to see where they are walking
• Slips on wet floors due to snow and ice that has been tracked in spills, or recently mopped floors
• Broken or uneven stairs
• No handrail or broken handrail
• Cracked and crumbling sidewalks, walking trails, and parking lots
• Unexpected obstructions or protrusions in aisles and walkways
• Cracked, uneven, or otherwise broken and poorly maintained floors

LIABILITY

Homeowners, places of business, and other entities owe a duty of care to guests on their property.  That duty generally requires them to properly maintain their property and remediate dangerous conditions and when remediation is not feasible, at least warn their guests about dangerous conditions. When slips, trips, and falls occur on someone’s property due to dangerous conditions and poor maintenance, guests may be entitled to compensation for injuries and damages sustained as a result of the fall.

INSURANCE COMPANIES

Insurance companies are often involved in slip and fall claims and they can be difficult to deal with. You do not have to speak with a home or property owner’s insurance company if they call to interview you about what happened and the injuries that you sustained. And if you do speak with them, you should be extremely cautious as they may use anything that you say to place blame on you or argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim.

If you have sustained injuries due to a fall on someone else’s property, contact a Wheeling slip and fall attorney at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman to schedule a consultation. We will help you value your claim, negotiate with insurance companies, and try your case before a jury, if necessary.