Questions about Slip and Fall Accidents

Serving West Virginia and Ohio, including Parkersburg, Charleston, Morgantown, Huntington, Wheeling, Belpre, and Athens

Are slip and fall accidents different from trip and fall accidents?

Yes, they are slightly different. There are four kinds of fall accidents:

• In a slip and fall accident, the problem is in the connection between your shoes and the surface you're walking on.
• In a trip and fall accident, the problem is a foreign object in the way, which causes you to stumble and fall.
• In step and fall accidents, where a hole or depression in the walking surface causes you to fall.
• In stump and fall accidents, an impediment causes the fall, such as a tree root causing unevenness on the walking surface.

What are hazardous conditions?

Hazardous conditions exist when premises are not properly maintained, resulting in a dangerous situation which may cause an injury. They can be permanent or temporary. When they're permanent, such as a missing handrail on stairs or a missing step, the property owner should have known about it and should have repaired it promptly. At the very least, the property owner must post a warning about it until the condition could be repaired. When the hazardous conditions are temporary, such as an icy pathway, the question arises as to how much time the property owner needed in order to remove the hazard. This would be something to examine in a specific case.

Hazardous conditions are covered by the area of law known as premises liability, because the owner of the premises is legally responsible for keeping them safe.

What sort of compensation could I receive after a slip and fall accident?

Depending on the exact circumstances, you could receive compensation for:

• Wage loss
• Medical costs
• Pain and suffering

My slip and fall accident occurred at work. Can I sue my employer?

Probably not. If you become injured at work, you will be covered by your state's workers' compensation laws.

Are there occasions when property owners are not liable for slip and fall accidents on their property?

Yes, property owners will not be held liable when the injured person was trespassing. Children, however, would not be expected to see danger as an adult would and may not know they are trespassing. So in those cases, the property owner may be held responsible.

Please contact our West Virginia and Ohio slip and fall lawyers today to set up a free initial consultation if you have been hurt in a slip and fall accident. We serve residents of West Virginia and Ohio, including Parkersburg, Morgantown, Wheeling, Huntington, and Charleston, West Virginia and Belpre, Ohio.

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