Fall and winter months can lead to a significant increase in both indoor and outdoor slip, trip and fall accidents. The hazardous combination of poor weather, less-than-ideal footwear and cumbersome clothing make recognizing and avoiding hazards almost impossible. While nearly everyone has fallen at some point in their lifetime, there are countless reasons why this type of accident might occur.
The reasons for slip, trip and fall accidents can generally be categorized as environmental, flooring or objects. Environmental can mean natural hazards such as the presence of snow, ice, water or a mixture on surfaces both indoor and outdoor. Flooring hazards can include broken tiles, cracked pavement, loose carpeting or warped floors. Accidents involving objects can include workers tripping over debris or consumers falling over merchandise stacked in a store’s aisles.
Additionally, individuals should remember four shocking stats about slip-and-fall accidents:
- Gender differences: While fall fatalities are almost equally divided between men and women, more women will experience a slip-and-fall accident.
- Work differences: At work, men accounted for 11% of the job-related fall fatalities while 5% of the fatalities were attributed to women.
- Challenges in aging: The incidence of falls increases with each decade of life. In fact, 60% of fall deaths involve people over the age of 75.
- At home: Half of all accidental deaths in the home are caused by a fall accident even though most of these accidents occur at ground level rather than from an elevation.
It can be challenging to stay safe and upright when battling the elements. Fall and winter months can mean heavy rain, snow and ice-covered roads, parking lots, sidewalks and store entries. While slips, trips and falls are common accidents, that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. Individuals can suffer from broken bones, torn ligaments, head trauma and soft tissue damage. Severe accidents can lead to fatality. Do not hesitate to discuss your situation with a skilled legal professional.