Falls from Slippery Steps

When you take a fall on slippery steps, it hurts, and, in some cases, you may suffer serious injuries. You may be concerned about how to pay for medical expenses when that happens. In addition, an injury from a fall down stairs can mean you miss work as you recover from this unexpected accident, so you may then also be concerned about lost wages.

Stairs are standard in office buildings, apartment complexes, and homes. People often hurriedly climb stairs without looking where they are placing their feet—sometimes with a cumbersome load.

Why Choose Us

Severe injuries from slip and fall incidents frequently occur when others are actually at fault.

An experienced slip and fall accident lawyer will know the ins and outs of personal injury law and how to maximize your financial recovery. They will also be well-versed in the Texas statutes that apply to slip-and-fall incidents and will work tirelessly to secure the most favorable resolution for your case.

Should you have suffered a fall from slippery steps, our legal team is prepared to fight for you. Every case we embark on receives our undivided attention. To achieve the greatest potential outcomes for our clients, we spare no effort in allocating the time, labor, or resources required.

If you need assistance, you can count on us to do the following:

• Hear your side of the story to gain a complete understanding of what occurred and to provide the groundwork for our future inquiry
• Start gathering information to help your slip and fall claim by thoroughly investigating the incident
• Examine the supporting documentation, such as photos, videos, and accident reports
• Look for potential witnesses and conduct interviews with them
• Maintain communication with the owner of the property and their insurance company
• Determine the value of your slip and fall case by working with our team of specialists.

Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law has many success stories to share with you. By providing considerate and insightful service, we want to put our clients at ease and address any concerns they may have before, during, and after the process.

What Is a Slip and Fall Incident?

An aspect of law known as “premises liability” governs situations when people slip and fall down. As stated by the Texas legislature, premises liability is “the legal responsibility of the landowner or occupier to prevent an unsafe condition or dangerous situation on their premise or property.” This means that whoever controls a property must take all necessary precautions to protect the safety of anyone who enters the premises.

Several potential causes of slip and fall accidents include wet stairs, holes or faults in the flooring and inadequate lighting in stairwells. If you were hurt in a fall, you might be eligible for financial compensation to cover medical care, time off work, and emotional distress.

Premises Liability

Most claims under the umbrella of “premises liability” involve injuries sustained due to a slip and fall. Although they can happen anywhere, high foot traffic areas like supermarkets and restaurants are particularly vulnerable. In addition to private property, public areas like sidewalks and park benches might be a location for slip and fall incidents.

For a landowner to be held legally liable for a slip and fall injury suffered by visitors, the owner must have had actual or constructive knowledge of the hazardous condition and failed to take appropriate action to remove it. For instance, if the proprietor was aware of a wet floor but did not mop it up or post a warning sign, they may be accountable for any harm done by customers as a result of slipping and falling in the wet area.

According to Texas law, property owners must make reasonable efforts to ensure the safety of anybody who visits their land. The visitor’s status on the property dictates the necessary level of care. Invitees, licensees, and trespassers are the three types of guests.

Invitee

Owners of property in Texas are responsible for the safety of their invited guests. One who has been granted either formal or informal permission to enter a property is considered an invitee. When an owner of land knows about a hazardous condition on their property but does nothing to rectify the situation or issue a warning, they may be held liable for any accidents.

Licensees

For their purposes, the owner lets licensees onto private property, either explicitly or tacitly. Suppose a landowner learns about a dangerous circumstance that puts a licensee at undue risk of injury, but the licensee is highly unlikely to find out about it. In that case, the landowner has a weaker duty to issue a warning.

Trespassers

Anyone who enters someone else’s property without consent is considered a trespasser. Property owners often have no responsibility for trespassers beyond protecting them from intentional harm.

Who Is Responsible for Your Fall on Slippery Steps?

What happens when someone is injured after falling down stairs due to no fault of their own? Maybe the no-slip paint had worn off and rain caused the stairs to become slippery. Or perhaps the handrail was unstable, providing little to no support for the person climbing the stairs. This is where the aforementioned premises liability claim comes into action.

If you or someone you know has sustained an injury from falling on slippery stairs, we can help. Contact a board-certified personal injury attorney at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law to evaluate your potential claim. Our consultations are free, and you won’t pay us unless we win.

How to File a Claim After a Slip and Fall

Inform The Owner

Anyone, at any time, can be the victim of a slip-and-fall mishap. You are responsible for informing the person in authority if you sustain an injury while on commercial property. Any accident on public property should be reported as soon as possible, even if no emergency services are required.

Even if there were no witnesses, you should still report the incident as soon as possible. Claims that aren’t promptly reported can raise suspicions from insurance companies and jurors.

Identify Any Potential Witnesses

You should try to get the names and contact information of witnesses to your slip-and-fall accident. To prove fault in a slip-and-fall lawsuit, you’ll need the testimony of eyewitnesses.

To prove liability for a slip-and-fall injury in Texas, for instance, the landowner must have known or should have known about the potentially dangerous situation that led to the accident.

It may be possible to prove that the landowner knew or should have known about a dangerous condition by providing testimony from a witness who spotted the potential hazard and reported it to the landowner before an accident occurred.

Therefore, if you have been in a slip-and-fall accident, it is essential to collect witness information so that your injury attorney can contact them to determine whether or not their testimony can sway the outcome of your case.

Take Pictures as Soon as Possible

Gather as many images as possible from the area before you leave if you can move around and have a camera. Have a close friend or colleague take pictures of the scene as quickly as possible if you don’t have a camera or cannot do so due to your injury.

When dealing with slip and fall accidents, time is vital, and immediate action must be taken to prevent evidence from being lost or changed.

Seek Medical Attention

Slip and fall accidents can happen in an instant, whether you’re wandering through a supermarket or in the office. Even minor mishaps can escalate into life-threatening situations if you’re not attentive. Because of this, getting checked out after a fall on the floor is crucial.

If you don’t go to the hospital after a slip and fall, your insurance company can decide you weren’t wounded. Therefore, you may have to pay for your medical care out of pocket. In other words, if you’ve been harmed in a fall, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Inform Your Doctors of How the Incident Occurred

It’s crucial to explain to your doctor what happened after a fall on slippery surfaces, as these incidents can have lasting effects. Consistent medical records which describe how you were hurt is significant evidence in slip and fall claims.

Fill Out Accident Reports Precisely

Even though property owners in Texas are not mandated to do so, many file reports for liability insurance and documentation. The details and any injuries you incurred must be reported accurately.

Never Give a Statement To An Insurer

The best thing you can do if you’ve been hurt in a slip-and-fall accident is to consult a lawyer before talking to the insurance company.

After you report the incident to the insurance company, an adjuster may contact you by phone or in person to obtain a recorded statement detailing the incident and any injuries you sustained. Only give an insurer a recorded statement after first consulting with an attorney.

If Your Doctor Has Scheduled an Appointment for You, Please Keep It

Slip-and-fall injuries can range from minor to severe and may sometimes have lasting effects on a person’s health. If you fail to show up for treatment after a slip-and-fall incident, the insurance company (and maybe the jury) may believe that your injuries were minor or that you have already recovered.

Accidents caused by slipping and falling frequently occur but aren’t recognized until it’s too late. If you want the treatment and compensation, you need to see a doctor immediately.

If You Have Been Hurt in a Slip and Fall Accident, Contact a Lawyer Right Away

Victims often sustain life-changing injuries that need costly medical care and months or even years of rehabilitation.

If you suffer an injury because of another person’s negligence, you should get the money you need to make things right. You may need the assistance of a Houston slip-and-fall attorney to pursue your claim for damages successfully.

In our office, you won’t be treated like a number. Let our legal team show you what they can do. For a no-cost assessment of your situation, please contact us online or call us now at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000.