At some point in our lives, we have either tripped, slid, fell or managed to do them all. It is inarguably natural and common to lose balance sometimes.
Tripping can happen to anyone, young or old, rich or poor, regardless of age or financial status. It can happen to our employees, staff, or even to our customers.
But did you know that slipping, when accompanied by certain circumstances, is actually compensable in civil courts?
A quite unfamiliar concept to many businessmen, these slip-and-fall injuries can actually be the subject of litigation. This usually occurs when amicable or out-of-court settlements do not occur due to conflicting claims. This can cause us stress, financial strain and even affect our reputation.
That is why knowing what to do after a slip-and-fall accident or even knowing how to prevent them from taking place is imperative and essential, especially to businessmen like us who may not be as familiar regarding our legal duties and rights.
The most common slip-and-fall injuries include hip fractures, broken necks, broken bones and back injuries. In the most serious cases, spinal damage and grave head traumas may also result from trips and falls.
As a matter of fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of five falls results in broken bones and/or fractured bones which are serious, and can develop complications that are potentially life-threatening.
Moreover, a 2015 research study showed that, in that year alone, there was an estimated $50 billion spent on medical costs attributable to fatal and nonfatal falls in the United States. This can cause not just huge financial strains to us when it happens within our business premises, but it can also affect the public’s opinion of how safe our premises really are in 2023.
So what measures do we need to take after a slip-and-fall accident has occurred on our premises? First and most importantly, provide immediate medical attention.
One common mistake made by many businessmen after incidents like this is neglecting the importance of medical attention for employee health. This may be due to the employee’s or customer’s insistence that they are fine. They do so because they think they are fine.
It is important to note that some injuries take time to show up; sometimes they aren't obvious and they can only be rooted out by means of a thorough medical check-up conducted by a specialist in a hospital facility.
Providing the injured person with immediate medical attention not only makes them feel our genuine concern for them but also saves them from potentially life-threatening complications or infections that may occur if their injuries or wounds are left untreated.
After that, if warranted by the surrounding circumstances, seeking legal help is the next wise move. An experienced lawyer is what we need to be able for us to assert our legal defense in the most effective and efficient way possible.
However, it is important to take note that different lawyers specialize in different fields of law. So be sure that in cases like this, we should hire a lawyer who is not only experienced in the subject at hand but also an expert in the field of defending their clients against slip-and-fall accident claims.
(If you are the employee or customer who got injured, you can find excellent legal counsel for your slip and fall injuries by visiting blumenshinelawgroup.com.)
The potential legal claims of your customers or employees are rooted in a legal concept known as Premises Liability. According to Justia, “a premises liability lawsuit holds a property owner responsible for any damages arising out of an injury on that person or entity’s property”.
According to the law, all property owners must exercise reasonable effort to keep and maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone who visits or lives on the property.
The property owner’s negligence and failure to observe the proper degree of care will result in a premises liability claim should someone be injured on his property.
This is why proper maintenance of our business premises should be one of our utmost concerns. To avoid injuries and instances like this, we should have regular and routine check-ups and maintenance of our building.
If there are cracks, bumps and uneven floors which are potentially hazardous to anyone visiting the property, we should have them fixed and repaired at the soonest time possible.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about workplace injuries and improving work area safety.
Interested in more articles about workplace safety?
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• How To Cut Down On Worker's Compensation Costs
• All About Worker's Compensation Information
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