Slip & Falls – Serving Boston, Cambridge, and All of Massachusetts
How must property owners keep their property safe?
Both commercial and residential property owners have a legal duty to keep their property safe so that visitors are not injured. In commercial establishments, this may include keeping floors clean of debris, and making sure that they are well marked immediately after cleaning when they are still wet. Floors should be flat and not have sudden trip areas caused by small height changes. Lights should be installed and working properly, not only inside stores, but also in parking lots. Pool owners need to make the pool areas safe.
In “big box” stores materials should not be stacked highly on shelves where they may come loose and fall on people. When large materials are moved by forklift, the affected areas should be roped off in some fashion.
In the winter, property owners must take precaution to clear snow and ice from walkways. Railings must also be safe.
These are just a few of the ways in which property owners must keep their property safe. Other property conditions will dictate the required safety measures that should be undertaken.
How I Help Those Injured in Slips and Falls Due to Property Owner Negligence
Slips and falls are one of the leading causes of hospital visits. They often result in fractures, dislocations, and head trauma (including traumatic brain injury), and death. Seniors are particularly susceptible to slips and falls, and their injuries tend to be much more severe than similar injuries to younger adults.
In order to recover compensation in a slip and fall injury case, the property owner or lessee must be shown to have been negligent in some way. This could include not clearing ice or snow, not having secure railings, or waxing a floor and not putting safety cones to warn others of a dangerous condition. Just because someone slips and falls in a store does not automatically make the owner or lessee liable.
A large part of my practice is focused on helping those injured in slips and falls, and proving property owner negligence. If you have been injured in a slip or fall on someone else’s property, please contact me for a free consultation. There are no fees unless you recover.
