South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
Stairs present a number of unique dangers; some are obvious and some can be hidden. If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip or trip and fall accident on another’s property, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. Our highly skilled Miami premises liability attorneys will analyze the facts of your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.
Slip and falls are one of the most common accidents that result in injuries and deaths in the United States. Unfortunately, some of these falls happen in stairways. According to the National Safety Council, over 1 million injuries take place every year as the result of stairway falls. In fact, staircase and stairway accidents comprise the second leading cause of accidental injury, behind only automobile accidents.
Property owners have a duty to keep staircases that are under their control safe and free from hazards. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Staircases can often pose dangers when they fall into disrepair. In some cases, stairs are dangerous from the moment they get built due to a defective design. Staircase fall accidents can have a variety of causes including, but not limited to:
- Improper or inferior lighting;
- Damaged or faulty steps (i.e., uneven heights);
- Defective or faulty handrails (i.e., loose, unsteady or missing handrail);
- Slippery surfaces (i.e., due to spills, grease, rain or oil);
- Broken or chipped steps;
- The bunching of carpet on stairs;
- Trip hazards such as items on the stairs (i.e., tools, wires, etc.).
Injuries from stairway accidents and staircase accidents fall under an area of law known as Florida Premises Liability. Property owners owe individuals on property a certain duty of care. The specific duty is based on the status of the visitor on the land. Individuals invited to a property for a business purpose (i.e., a customer) are considered invitees. These visitors are owed the highest duty of care. Property owners have a duty to inspect their property on a regular basis for dangers and to correct dangers, as well as a duty to warn visitors of any potentially hazards or defects. Florida law also protects guests in people’s homes. These visitors are known as licensees. Property owners are obligated to remedy any property hazards of which they know, or to warn guests about such dangers.
If a visitor is injured because a property owner failed to adhere to the appropriate duty of care, the visitor will be able to obtain compensation for his or her injury. Typically, an injured party can recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and any other losses stemming from the fall.
If you were injured or lost a loved one in a staircase accident, you should reach out to a reputable and experienced Miami premises liability attorney as soon as possible. We will meticulously analyze the facts of your case and help you recover the compensation you need to move on with your life. With extensive experience, we understand how to effectively advocate for our clients in complex Florida personal injury cases. For a free no-obligation consultation, call us at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or reach out to us online.
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Summer Means Increased Risk of Teen Deaths in Florida Due to Car Crashes, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg, June 15, 2017