Vineland, NJ property owners have a legal responsibility to keep their properties free of reasonably foreseeable hazards that could hurt visitors, residents, customers, and/or members of the general public. If a property owner knows that a hazard exists on their property yet does nothing to fix the problem, he or she could be held financially liable for compensating any resulting deaths or injuries which occur. This general concept is known as “premises liability.”
If you were injured after slipping and falling on someone else’s property due to safety hazards or improper care of the premises, we can help. Call Vineland slip and fall lawyer Joseph Lombardo of Lombardo Law Group, LLC at (609) 445-4300 for a free consultation about your injury claim.
Proving Fault in a Vineland Slip and Fall Accident
In order to establish liability, it must be proven that the property owner was somehow reckless or negligent in their actions (or failure to act). In general terms, recklessness means acting with willful disregard for safety, while negligence means failing to exercise the normal precautions that any reasonable person would expect and exercise if they were in that situation. Establishing negligence involves proving that:
- The defendant had a duty to the plaintiff. In this context, property owners have a duty to comply with safety codes and remove or correct known hazards.
- The defendant breached (broke) that duty, resulting in wrongful death or serious harm to the plaintiff.
- The plaintiff’s injuries were caused by the defendant’s conduct.
Slip and fall accidents are the most common type of premises liability claim because they can occur anywhere, at any time, and affect people of all ages and occupations. Almost anything can cause someone to have a slip and fall accident in Vineland, New Jersey, with some of the more common causes including loose or broken flooring or carpeting, loose cables or debris on the floor, slippery patches from spills or leaks, broken railings, and lack of lighting in dark areas.
Common Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents have the power to cause devastating injuries, and in some cases, even wrongful death. Certain segments of the population, such as senior citizens and young children, are at an elevated risk for sustaining severe or even fatal injuries. For example, the CDC attributes more than 95% of all hip fractures among people aged 65 or older to accidental falls — virtually every single instance.
The CDC also identified accidental falls as the number one cause of TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) from 2006 through 2010 across age groups, accounting for approximately 40% of all TBI cases resulting in hospitalization or death. Falls accounted for more than 80% of all TBI cases among the elderly, and more than 50% among children up to 14 years old.
While many other organs can be repaired or replaced, blunt force damage to the brain can change a victim for life. Depending on the force of the impact and which area of the brain was struck, TBI can result in medical issues such as chronic pain, loss of balance, paralysis, impaired memory, intellectual disability, reduced motor control, emotional problems, frequent headaches, and difficulty speaking. The victim may have to see a physical therapist, undergo surgeries, purchase medical devices like wheelchairs, and even hire a full-time caregiver to assist with basic daily tasks.
In addition to the prevalence of hip and brain injuries, slips and falls also frequently cause:
- Broken noses and facial disfigurement from victims landing face-down
- Broken wrists and hand injuries from victims trying to break their fall
Call Our Vineland, NJ Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation.
If you were seriously hurt on someone else’s property, Vineland slip and fall lawyer Joseph Lombardo can help you explore your legal options and pursue compensation. To set up a free and completely confidential case evaluation, call Lombardo Law Group, LLC at (609) 445-4300.
