Trip and Fall Injuries: It’s About the Surface
Injuries resulting from someone tripping and falling are a lot more common than you may imagine. It is easy for people in some circles to laugh these types of injuries off and think that it’s nothing more than a few individuals trying to win a legal case that they don’t deserve to win, but that is far from the truth. The reality is, slip and fall cases are extremely serious, and there is no reason why they should be ignored.
Does the Surface Type Matter in My Trip and Fall Case?
For tlip and fall laws in California, the surface type that you slip and fall on does matter. There are different standards and regulations based on the type of surface you are dealing with, so it is extremely important to understand those laws and why they matter in your case. You don’t want to go off of the assumption that everything is going to play out the same no matter what type of surface you deal with, because that is just not true.
Here are some rules as they pertain to different types of surfaces:
Floor And Ground Surfaces
- Walkway surfaces must be slip-resistant.
- Changes in incline greater than 1/4th of an inch and less than 1/2 of an inch must be leveled by a slope no great than 1 to 2 inches.
Carpeting
- Carpeting must be kept up to a standard that it will not pose a risk to pedestrians who need to walk on it.
- Carpet that is put down on floor surfaces needs to be routinely inspected.
Parking Lots
- Must be designed to avoid the use of wheel stops.
- There must be enough illumination to make use of these parking lots safe.
What Type of Injuries Can Occur If Surfaces Are Not Maintained?
One can sustain many injuries when walking on a surface that does not adhere to the rules above. It can pose a serious risk to the health and well-being of people who travel on these surfaces.
A few of the types of injuries that lawyers need to be called in to help with include:
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Torn rotator cuff
These and many other injuries are all serious enough to be taken to a court of law to be awarded damages in some cases. People who suffer from these types of injuries fully deserve to be taken care of. They didn’t do anything wrong to land themselves in this position — they were just trying to go about their day, and an improper walking surface caused them to suffer these injuries. As such, the responsible parties should be the ones to pay for the damage that they caused.
Categorised in: Injury