Long Island Slippery Floors Lawyer

Slip and fall accidents are a serious public health issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly $50 billion is spent on non-fatal fall injuries in the United States every year. This figure is only for older adults—those aged 65 and above. The costs of slip and fall accidents for all ages and falls of all types—including from slippery floors—are considerably higher. From lost income and medical costs to litigation and insurance costs, falls from slippery floors impose serious losses to society.

If you or a loved one slipped and fell on a slippery floor, you may be entitled to some form of compensation depending on the circumstances surrounding your case. A lawyer on Long Island experienced in handling slippery floor cases may be able to assist you. You can speak with the team at Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. to learn more. Please call us today at (631) 451-7900 to discuss your case.

Accidents and Slippery Floors

The issue of slips and falls on slippery floors is so prevalent that the CDC—as well as organizations such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI)—work together to reduce their occurrence. These organizations publish guidelines, questionnaires, tips, and facts and figures designed to help professionals in a wide range of settings such as healthcare, retail, and other workplaces avoid falling on slippery surfaces.

Beyond such efforts, business owners, business operators, and property owners are obligated to take precautionary measures to prevent slip and fall accidents from occurring on their property and business. Slippery floors are a safety hazard, and the parties responsible for maintaining the safety of patrons, workers, or guests on a given property can be held liable for accidents that occur on those premises.

Causes of Slippery Floor Accidents

Many other factors can come into play when it comes to slippery floor accidents. Many of these factors do not directly affect how slippery a surface may be, but they can increase the risk of slipping and falling on a surface. These factors include:

• Spills or liquids, such as rain, ice, oil, or snow
• Loose flooring, carpeting, or mats
• Objects on the floor
• Inadequate lighting
• Loose gravel
• Missing or inadequate signage
• Improper footwear
• Walking hastily or running
• A lack of safety features, such as handrails

The excessive use of cleaners—or incomplete removal of cleaners and liquids from walkways—can also lead to a slip on an otherwise non-slippery surface. This fact highlights the importance of proper signage on slippery floors, the removal of slippery substances from surfaces, and worker training when it comes to the cleaning and maintenance of floors.

Slippery Floor Injuries and Damages

The kinds of injuries that falls can lead to varies based on how the person fell and whether other factors were involved in the fall. For example, serious forward falls can lead to injuries of the arms and legs, particularly the knees and hips. The head may also be affected. Backward falls can also affect the head, but they frequently involve injuries to the back. Falling on an object can cause serious injuries as well, including death.

Common injuries seen in falls on slippery surfaces include:

• Spinal cord injuries (SCIs)
• Head injuries
• Neck and back injuries
• Knee and ankle injuries
• Wrist and elbow injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Nerve or organ damage
• Fractures
• Sprained or strained muscles

If a fall on a slippery surface leads to a fatality, certain relatives may be entitled to wrongful death damages and compensation for funeral and burial costs. Other costs that you may be able to seek compensation include:

• Medical care costs
• Lost income
• Diagnostic and testing fees
• Doctor and therapist fees

A lawyer on Long Island experienced in handling slippery floor cases can help you determine which of these or other losses you may be able to claim and the extent of your losses. Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P., can assist you in gathering the evidence needed to prove a claim when you call (631) 451-7900. We can also assist in gathering the documentation needed to quantify how much you have lost because of specific injuries.

Property and Business Owner Responsibilities

The operators of businesses and the owners of property owe a duty of care to anyone who is legally entitled to be on that property. Business guests, customers, employees, and others who suffer a fall on a slippery floor can sue for damages if he or she can prove the following:

• That the property or business owner owed the victim a duty of care and was expected to take reasonable measures to prevent the victim from suffering an injury on said premises.
• That the property or business owner did not take such measures and, therefore, breached the duty of care.
• That the breach in the duty of care directly caused injury to the victim.
• That the injuries sustained by the victim led to losses or damages.

Picture, video, or written proof that indicates any of the following can potentially be used to back up a slippery floor fall case and hold a business owner or operator or a property owner liable for damages caused by a slip and fall accident on a slippery floor.

• Missing signage or a failure to warn about slipping hazards
• Missing handrails or other safety equipment, such as non-slip floor strips
• The presence of a hazard that the business or property owner had the time to address but did not do so—maintenance logs can be used to prove this
• Poor lighting or dangerous changes in surface traction
• Missing warning signs in areas where water or snow may be tracked into a property

The rights and responsibilities of the various parties involved in accidents on slippery floors—from business owners and business operators to property owners, service teams, and the victim—vary from case to case. A lawyer experienced in slippery floor cases on Long Island with Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. can assist you with your case. We offer assistance in Spanish as well. Please call us today at (631) 451-7900 to speak to a member of our team.