According to the National Floor Safety Institute, there are over one million visits to the hospital emergency room each year due to slip and fall injuries. Slip and falls can be particularly hazardous for older people and are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Despite widespread belief, slips and falls aren’t just embarrassing accidents; they are typically due to some kind of negligence. Slip and falls can occur due to poorly lit areas, wet or uneven surfaces, hazardous weather conditions, or faulty footwear. A business is legally obligated to do everything in its power to prevent such accidents from occurring and to protect its patrons when they are in their place of business.
If you or a loved one has slipped and fallen inside a business, what is their responsibility afterward? Do they need to pay for medical bills, or does it depend on the scenario?
Here’s everything you need to know about slips and falls.
DETERMINING LIABILITY
When an elderly person slips and falls in a business, the owner of the property may be responsible for the injuries. If the elderly person decides to sue the business, the key element in the case will be trying to prove liability.
In order for the business owner to be held liable, it must be proven that the property owner knew about the dangerous condition that led to the slip and fall and did not do anything to actively prevent it, or that the property owner should have known about the dangerous condition that led to the slip and fall and did not take steps to prevent injuries, or that the business owner intentionally created the dangerous condition that led to the slip and fall injury.
A BUSINESS MAY OWE COMPENSATION FOR THE INJURIES INCURRED
In a personal injury case, if it is proven that the business was negligent, and their negligence led to the slip and fall injury, then they will be responsible for paying for medical bills and/or pain and suffering. However, it is in the business’s best interest to prove that they were not at fault—and they will try everything they can to not be able to pay for your medical bills.
Slip and falls can lead to serious, life-altering injuries that affect the injured both physically and emotionally. If you or a loved one has been injured in a business in Georgia, you’re going to need a personal injury team that’s on your side and who knows your rights. Call the Fry Law team at 404-969-1284 for more information.
