Frankly, I do not care for the term "slip and fall." To some, it means a frivolous claim. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Before answering what causes these accidents, let's look at what you must do to prove a claim. The first step is your status on the responsible party's property. This is because the landowner's responsibility depends on your status on the property. For example, a business owner has a higher level of responsibility to make the property safe for your use if you are a customer or client. This is because the landowner benefits by having you on the property.
Building code violations or other safety rule violations are the most common cause of injuries. Stairs, decks, railings, and other structures are not built to code. Another common cause of injuries is the property manager's failure to maintain the property. Things wear out, rot, get slippery, and that makes things dangerous, especially for a first time visitor. We commonly retain an engineer or other safety expert to investigate the accident scene to determine whether the stairs, steps, ramps, or other structures were built "to code."
Insurance company adjusters or property owners almost always argue that our client was somehow at fault in failing to keep a proper lookout for hazards. Sometimes, this defense is valid, but many times, it is an effort to avoid responsibility for not doing the right thing.
If you have a question about a "slip and fall" case, call us at 503 325 8600. We answer questions about these cases every day.
