3 Common Sites Of Slip, Trip, And Fall Accidents
According to the National Safety Council, falls account for nearly nine million emergency room visits every year, making this type of accident one of the most common accidents that people may experience. Falls can also be incredibly dangerous, resulting in broken bones, concussions and other head injuries, and various other serious injuries that can often have lasting consequences. One of the best ways to prevent falls is to be aware of your surroundings, especially if you're in a location where such falls are commonplace. But where are slip and fall accidents most likely to occur? You may be surprised to learn where you're in the most danger from a fall.
Construction Sites
Construction work is a particularly dangerous job, given that construction workers have a one in 200 chance of having a fatal accident on the job, and a 75% chance of sustaining a disabling injury on the job. Though there are a number of risks that are inherent in construction work, falls are one of the main risk factors for construction workers.
There are several reasons why construction workers are so at risk. Poor safety training is a factor, and small contractors and self-employed construction workers may cut corners when it comes to safety equipment or procedures in order to save money. Employers who fail to provide safety training or equipment may be liable for injuries or deaths, and property owners who are aware that construction workers on their property are not following safety procedures may also be held liable.
Nursing Homes
Both patients and workers are at risk of slip and fall accidents in nursing homes. Elderly people can lose their sense of balance as they grow older, or can become disoriented while walking, leading to falls. The consequences of a fall are often more severe for seniors than for younger people – the risk of breaking a hip or another major bone is high for seniors involved in falls, which is why nursing home staff should be carefully monitoring and assisting patients if needed. An injury from a fall is a warning flag for nursing home abuse.
Nurses and nurse aides aren't entirely safe either. Inadequate staffing, training, and availability of safe lifting equipment can put staff members and their patients at risk when they try to lift or assist patients that are combative or very heavy. Nursing facilities can be held liable for failing to protect their staff from injuries, as well as their patients.
Amusement Parks
It may surprise you to learn that most theme park lawsuits don't involve death-defying roller coasters, animal attacks, or food poisoning. Instead, the most common cause of action for lawsuits filed against major theme parks is the slip or trip and fall accident. These accidents accounted for nearly half of all of the lawsuits against three major theme park companies over a five year period.
It makes sense when you think about it. At a theme park, you're more likely to be engaged in what's going on around you and less likely to be carefully watching where you walk. In the meantime, the park is crowded with lots of other people, upping the chances that someone will spill or drop something or create some other type of hazard. It can be tough to determine liability in many of these cases, and whether it's a slip and fall or some other type of accident, theme park lawsuits rarely make it to trial. Usually, the parties end up reaching some type of settlement out of court.
It's always best to be vigilant about possible slip, trip, and fall hazards, but you should take special care if you work in, live in, or visit sites that commonly present slip and fall hazards. If you've suffered a slip and fall accident, no matter where it occurred, you should speak to an experienced slip and fall attorney from a site like http://www.putnamlieb.com in your area to find out if you have a case against the negligent party.
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