PG County Slip and Fall Attorney

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4 Common Types of Slip and Fall Accidents | Slip and Fall Attorney PG County

Finding a dependable slip and fall attorney PG County can provide may not be easy, but when you need a legal team you can trust, Cohen & Cohen is here to help. Our team understands the complexities of slip and fall cases and we understand that some injured victims may find a slip and fall attorney PG County trusts to be invaluable.

Each slip and fall injury case is unique. As a slip and fall attorney PG County residents depend upon, Cohen & Cohen emphasizes that every client’s case is different and each case may have factors that influence the overall outcome. When two parties discuss a possible injury settlement or take the matter to court, many of these factors will be weighed in order to determine liability and, if necessary, in order to determine a reasonable settlement amount. These factors — as insignificant as they may seem — can have a profound effect on how a court determines liability in a slip and fall case.

That being said, there are a handful of similar incidents that our clients encounter when they inquire about a slip and fall injury case — and if you’ve sustained an injury from an event similar to these, our team is happy to talk with you about the compensation you may be entitled to receive.

1. Slippery Floors in a Private Store

The law states that privately-owned businesses are required to keep their floors reasonably safe; if a business fails to keep its floors dry or fails to inform customers that the floor could be slippery, that business might be liable for a customer’s injury.

Regardless of whether a store is a national chain business or a small “mom and pop” corner store, the responsibility of maintaining “reasonably safe” walkways still applies in a court of law.

There is no clear-cut definition of what constitutes “reasonable safety” in this type of personal injury claim, which is why so many injured plaintiffs choose to seek legal counsel from a slip and fall attorney PG County trusts.

Consider, for example, a local grocery store. It’s possible for a customer to drop or break an item containing a liquid, causing another customer slip on the wet floor. If store employees had no knowledge of the spill, and therefore had no way of preventing the accident, it is less likely that the store would be held responsible. If a store employee knew about the spill but failed to clean it up before the second customer slipped, the store may be held liable.

2. Slippery Walkways or Streets in Public Places

Other slip and fall accident claims can occur in public places, such as city sidewalks or parks, where the city or town is responsible for maintaining “reasonable safety” standards. Similar to slip and fall claims occurring in privately-owned stores, an injured plaintiff must show that the town or municipality in charge of the sidewalk or street exercised negligence.

A city’s groundskeeping and maintenance workers may not be able to respond to a report of a dangerous surface as quickly as a small store could mop up a small pool of water, making these injury claims particularly difficult. Working with a trusted slip and fall attorney PG County has to offer may be wise in situations like these. If the plaintiff is able to prove that the municipality exercised gross negligence and failed to keep its walkways and roads safe, the court may decide that the municipality is liable for any resulting  injuries.

3. Stair Accidents

Stairs can present increased safety risks, compared to flat walkways and floors, which may increase the likelihood of a slip and fall accident. Some of these risks are fairly obvious, such as an increased risk of slipping on stairs located outside after it has rained. Other risks are not so obvious, and when these risks leading to a serious injury, it may be wise to contact a slip and fall attorney in PG County.

Factors that may create unreasonable conditions on a set of stairs might include loose carpeting, loose floorboards, or sections that have become slippery after years of use or extenuating circumstances like slip liquid. When someone trips on a set of stairs for a reason that could have been easily preventable, that person may be able to claim damages in a personal injury case.

4. Icy Surfaces

Icy sidewalks are some of the most common reasons why individuals seek help from a slip and fall attorney PG County resident rely on. If an individual is seeking compensatory damages for injuries that directly resulted from slipping on an icy surface, the injured plaintiff must prove that negligence was a factor in order to receive damages from a liable party.

Many businesses and government buildings make sure to avoid any potential liability disputes by shoveling snowy sidewalks, spreading sidewalk salt on walkways to melt ice, or calling in a professional snow plowing company to handle clean-up. In an area such as Prince George’s County, where temperatures can drop quickly and where businesses aren’t always prepared for it, icy sidewalks and parking lots can still cause plenty of accidents.

When an injured individual contacts a local PG County slip and fall attorney for assistance filing an injury claim, it will be important to discuss what constitutes reasonable care for preventing an accident on an icy surface. If a property owner has done everything within reasonable expectations to prevent an accident — shoveled the sidewalk, for example, or hired a plowing company to spread salt in the parking lot — it is less likely that the property owner will be held liable by the court. If the injured plaintiff can show that the property owner was negligent and failed to take reasonable measures to prevent an accident, it is more likely that the injured person may be awarded damages.

For Slip and Fall Injuries, Cohen & Cohen Can Help

If you’ve been injured because of a slip and fall accident and you wish to seek legal counsel from a professional, the team at Cohen & Cohen urges you to reach out to our firm. While no single person can claim that they are the “best” slip and fall attorney PG County has to offer, we believe our collective experience and dedication gives our firm an invaluable advantage. Having helped many local clients receive the personal injury compensation they deserve, Cohen & Cohen is proud to provide a slip and fall attorney PG County knows they can rely on.