Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are some of the most common causes of personal injury in the United States. A slip and fall accident can happen anywhere, at any time — from the grocery store in West Jordan, Utah to the workplace, public property or private homes and apartments.

As your lawyer will inform you, the specifics of your particular case can differ widely from location to location. For instance, if you experience a slip and fall accident at a large grocery store chain, you may have to file an official notice, either by writing a slip and fall accident report or by calling a company phone service to report the incident. On the flip side, a slip and fall accident at a local small business most likely will not require an official accident report.

The location of a slip and fall accident affects a number of factors; from the preventative measures the defendant was reasonably expected to have taken to the particular individuals involved in the claim. For instance, a large hotel chain would be expected to respond to potentially unsafe conditions within a short period of time, whereas an individual homeowner in West Jordan would not be subject to such expectations.

The location of a slip and fall accident even has an effect on who you file a lawsuit against. If an accident occurs in the vicinity of a rental apartment building, either the tenant or the landlord could be held liable. If you are injured while walking through public property in West Jordan, the local government could be held liable; claims against government entities are notoriously difficult to prosecute; however, and one should not proceed without the assistance of a lawyer.

With so many differences based on location, slip and fall accident cases can be confusing to pursue on your own. If you or a family member has been injured in a slip and fall situation, look to your local personal injury lawyer for valuable legal counsel.

SAFETY AND LIABILITY AT SUMMER CAMP

Summer is finally here, and kids throughout the state are excited to go to summer camp in Draper, Utah. Unfortunately, while at summer camp, kids will occasionally slip and fall and injure themselves — and questions about safety and liability will undoubtedly arise.

LIABILITY

Knowing who is liable for what is important when choosing a summer camp. Let’s say a participant at a football camp tears his ACL while getting tackled. While camp counselors will do their best to prevent injuries, they are not liable for this type of injury because getting hurt while getting tackled is an assumed risk one takes when signing up for a football camp. Now if the knee injury happens because of a kid stepping in a hole while running in the open field, the camp could be held liable — and it’s probably time to hire a lawyer. Getting hurt stepping in a hole is not a reasonable risk associated with playing football, which changes the liability from the individual athlete to the camp itself.

SAFETY

A slip and fall accident at a summer camp in St. George due to the failure of camp counselors to clean up or properly mark a mess is another scenario where the camp could be held liable — and hiring a lawyer is advised. If a slip and fall injury occurs due a missed football kick, the camp is not liable.

WAIVERS

In most cases, waivers that people sign when headed to St. George for a summer camp do not wave all liability like the camp thinks they will. After a slip and fall, it is important to ask a lawyer if the liability waiver actually waves the camp’s liability. For example, while many waivers say they are not liable for the death of a camper, death is something for which liability cannot easily be waived.

When it comes to safety and who is liable, ask yourself, “Does this seem like something that could reasonably happen at a summer camp?” If the answer is yes, the camp will most likely not be held liable for an accident.

Free Initial Consultation with a Slip and Fall Lawyer

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.