Slipping and falling might seem like an innocent blunder that might cause minor embarrassment at most. Unfortunately, this could not be further from reality. Injuries from slipping and falling down can be incredibly serious. You could get bruises, broken bones, or even permanent nerve damage from a bad slip and fall.
Fortunately, we’re here to help. Our experienced attorneys can help work to get you back on track after a slip and fall injury. We can interview witnesses and other relevant parties, collect evidence, and fight for you in court to give you the best chance of recovering damages for your injuries.
Call our slip and fall injury lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free review of your case.
Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries in Parlin, NJ
A variety of factors could result in a dangerous slip and fall. Understanding what exactly caused you to slip and fall is important to your case because it will directly relate to who you should take to court in your lawsuit. When you meet with our slip and fall lawyers, we can talk about the facts of your case and figure out who to take to task for your injuries based on the cause.
Poor Lighting
Poor lighting makes it harder to get a sense of the surrounding area. This could hide debris or dangerous hazards in an area that you otherwise could have avoided.
Poor lighting on a stairway is particularly prone to causing slip and fall injuries. You could easily miss a step in a dark stairwell and fall down.
Debris and Environmental Hazards
Debris and other things strewn about the ground can cause people to slip and fall. Accordingly, property owners are generally required to keep their premises reasonably tidy and safe so that injuries are less likely to happen.
A common situation with extra items all over an area is construction work. Power cables, objects resting on the ground, and debris from work can all litter a work site. Places like that are supposed to be sealed off to the public, but if they are not, someone could hurt themselves falling over.
Improper Construction or Maintenance
A part of a building that has been constructed poorly is likely to contribute to a slip and fall accident. For example, floor tiles that are not properly secured in place could come loose and cause you to lose your balance. Alternatively, a poorly secured handrail – or a lack of one entirely – could make it so that you are unable to stop your fall on stairs or a raised walkway or balcony.
A lack of routine maintenance can also result in a slip and fall injury. For example, unreplaced, rotting wood on stairs could break underneath a person’s weight and cause them to fall through the stairway, resulting in serious injuries.
Wet Floors
Unmarked wet floors are a common reason people slip and fall in stores worldwide. OSHA regulations require that businesses keep their floors dry so that people do not slip and fall. However, wet floors are not always cleaned up right away. In the interim, there is usually a “caution” sign in place indicating that a particular area of the floor is wet, slippery, and a falling hazard. If such a sign is not present, or the floor is not cleaned in a timely manner, the property owner or business could be liable for your injuries.
Injuries You Could Get from a Slip and Fall in Parlin, NJ
Factors such as how you fell and what part of your body hit the ground or another object can affect what injuries you receive in a slip and fall accident. The injuries you incur from slipping and falling will directly relate to the extent of damages a court could reward you. Below are some of the injuries you could get from slipping and falling.
Bruising
Forceful impacts can cause bleeding under the skin. A bruise is the visible effect of blood pooling under the skin. Most bruises are minor and will heal on their own. However, severe bruising over a large area can be incredibly dangerous and, in some cases, fatal. You should seek medical attention right away for large bruises.
Abrasions, Cuts, and Scrapes
If you fall on a rough or coarse surface, you are likely to get some sort of abrasion. Large abrasions and scrapes could get infected if not properly treated, and you might also have scars around the area you were hurt.
If you fall on something sharp, you could get cut or stabbed by that object. Deep-cutting wounds almost always need stitches to heal properly. Cuts to the face, if particularly severe, can cause disfigurement.
A particularly severe kind of cutting or scraping injury is an avulsion, which is when skin and tissue are disconnected from the muscle underneath. Avulsions are life-threatening and need immediate medical attention.
Broken Bones
Hard hits from falls over great distances or at high speed can easily result in broken bones. You might need surgery to recover from a compound fracture, an injury where the broken bone pierces through the skin.
Even after a broken bone fully heals, you will likely still need to physically retrain that area of the body to rebuild its strength.
Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the brain is impacted by a particularly forceful blow or when the skull itself is pierced. A slip and fall can easily involve enough force to cause a TBI.
The side effects of traumatic brain injuries are varied. Headaches and initial confusion are common among people who just suffered a traumatic brain injury. Memory loss or “fog,” nausea, loss of consciousness, and blurred vision are also potential indications of a traumatic brain injury. More serious side effects of TBIs can include cognitive impairment or forgetting how to do basic tasks, like walking.
Our Parlin, NJ Slip and Fall Lawyers are Ready to Help
The Carrion Law Firm has slip and fall injury lawyers ready to offer free case analyses at (718) 841-0083.