People fall all the time. According to the National Safety Council, falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries in the United States. You’ve probably fallen yourself. When you fell, did you trip on something? Did you slip on something? Do you know the difference between trip and slip? Do you care?
Probably not. But lawyers do. And good lawyers know why the difference matters. When a person falls, the cause is different and the injuries are different. The legal approach is different, too, which is why the details and circumstances surrounding a fall are so important to holding a negligent party liable.
Slip and Fall
When someone falls as a result of a slip, it’s usually caused by a wet surface or something slippery on the ground. This type of fall is the direct result of a loss of footing or a loss of contact with the ground. Usually, when someone slips and falls, they tend to fall backward instead of forward. This causes certain types of injuries:
- Neck
- Back
- Hip
- Back of head
Examples of slip and fall:
- An ice cube has melted on a hard floor
- A hard floor that has recently been waxed or cleaned
- A hard floor where hair product has fallen and spread across the floor
Trip and Fall
When someone trips, they have stepped on something or not stepped all the way over something hard or fixed. This causes people to fall forward which provides slightly different injuries:
- Face
- Hand and arm fractures
- Knee
- Elbow
Examples of trip and fall:
- Uneven sidewalk or parking lot
- Door Jambs
- An item left on a store floor
What To Do If You Fall
Whether you or a loved one has slipped or tripped and resulted in a fall, your next steps are important.
- If there are injuries, call 911
- Stay at the scene until help arrives
- Take pictures of everything with your phone or camera, especially the slippery surface or the item that caused a trip
- Get contact information from any witnesses
- Call Steinberg Injury Lawyers, experienced Los Angeles slip and fall accident attorneys
Contact Your Los Angeles Slip and Fall Accident Attorneys
Falls happen. Don’t be embarrassed. Falls caused by the negligence of another person should be reviewed by an attorney to determine your ability to recover compensation. You deserve to be compensated for your pain and suffering. The lawyer you choose will have a significant impact on the outcome of your case. At Steinberg Injury Lawyers, our seasoned attorneys have extensive experience handling slip and fall injury cases just like yours. Contact us today at 1-800-350-8888 for a free, no obligation evaluation of your case.
