Philadelphia Slip and Fall Lawyer

While slips and falls may not seem like major accidents, they can lead to serious injuries. Often, these victims will face substantial medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages from work.

These accidents can also occur in numerous environments, such as the workplace or another person’s property. In all these cases, you may be able to hold other parties liable for their negligent actions.

Contact a Philadelphia slip and fall lawyer if you suffered preventable injuries on someone else’s premises. Meeting with an attorney for a consultation doesn’t cost you a thing at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan, so reach out to us to discuss your case and explore your rights to potential compensation.

Did You Experience a Fall in the Workplace?

Falls can happen at any workplace, affecting employees across various industries. While slips and falls are not the primary cause of fatal occupational injuries, they represent the primary cause of lost days from work. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 805 workers died from falls, and 211,640 suffered severe injuries in 2020.

The construction industry experiences the highest frequency of fall-related deaths, often due to accidents that occur from heights. Other sectors at high risk of fall injuries include:

  • Nursing & residential care
  • Building & cleaning maintenance
  • Transportation
  • Material moving

There are many reasons why these accidents happen in the workplace, and the number one issue is a lack of safety protocols. Falls should never happen. Yet, thousands of workers suffer injuries because of them on the job.

Some of these cases of falls in the workplace include:

Unprotected Edges

Sometimes, elevated platforms, walkways, and staircases lack appropriate safety measures. They may have:

  • Missing guardrails
  • Unmarked drop-offs
  • Open edges
  • No handrails

In these cases, people can fall because there are no measures to prevent more serious falls. In turn, that can lead to serious injuries and even death.

Slip and fall on stairs in Philadelphia
Ladder fall injuries in Philadelphia

Unsafely Positioned Ladders

Ladder-related accidents often occur due to improper ladder placement or usage. For example, placing ladders on uneven surfaces can cause them to shift or slip.

Using damaged or unstable ladders also increases the risk of collapse or breakage.

Don’t forget about overreaching while on a ladder. Doing that can lead to loss of balance and falls from a height.

Misused Fall Protection

Even with the best safety measures in place, that doesn’t always mean that it can protect a worker from a fall.

These individuals need to be trained to use lifelines, harnesses, and anchors. If they are not used correctly, it can lead to a tragedy. For example, safety harnesses need to be properly secured, while lifeline attachments should be attached at a specific point.

Otherwise, these safety measures will not protect the worker from injuries.

Expertise for construction accidents
Fall on wet floor in Philadelphia

Slippery Surfaces

Slippery floors can pose serious safety hazards in the workplace. In industrial settings, grease or oil leaks can lead to slick floors, increasing the risk of slips and falls. Additionally, outdoor areas are not exempt from these hazards.

Many workers need to be outside in the winter. Ice or snow accumulation can make surfaces extremely slippery. These factors can lead to serious slip and fall accidents on the job.

Tripping Hazards

Uneven surfaces, gaps, or holes in floors and walls can lead to unexpected falls and injuries. Some typical irregularities to watch out for include:

  • Uneven steps or thresholds
  • Cracks in sidewalks or pavement
  • Missing floor tiles
  • Loose grout
  • Unmarked openings, such as floor-level openings for utilities

These obstacles could lead to accidents and injuries without the proper signage and barriers.

Tripping hazard
Clutter fall injuries in Philadelphia

Clutter

All walkways should be free from debris and clutter. In many construction sites, tools, equipment, and other items tend to accumulate in the walkways and hallways. Cables, cords, or hoses placed across walkways, tools, equipment, or debris left in pathways, as well as uneven flooring caused by loose tiles or damaged carpets, are some of the biggest tripping hazards. Not addressing them can lead to a serious accident.

All workplaces should adhere to the latest safety protocols to prevent slips and falls. However, when someone fails to abide by these rules or acts recklessly, this can lead to serious injuries.

Aside from the workplace, slips and falls can also occur in other places.

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Were You Injured at a Philly Store, Restaurant, or Private Residence?

Slips and falls can happen when you are not at work. Slips and falls account for over 8 million hospital emergency room visits. In fact, that is the leading cause of visits (21.3%) in the United States, according to the National Floor Safety Institute.

Non-workplace slips and falls can happen in a wide range of settings, such as:

  • Public sidewalks
  • Parking lots
  • Shopping centers
  • Restaurants
  • Residential settings
  • Homes
  • Apartment complexes
  • Private properties
  • Public sidewalks
  • Parks
  • Trails
  • Playgrounds

The Lasting Effects of Slips and Falls

No matter where you fall, these accidents can lead to serious injuries. While many people do recover from these inquiries, sometimes, they may be left with life-long disabilities. Some of these injuries can include:

  • Soft tissue injuries include bruises, sprains, strains, and contusions.
  • Head injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries and concussions
  • Cuts and abrasions to the hands, legs, arms, head, and other parts of the body.
  • Broken bones, including wrist, ankle, arm, and hip fractures.

Remember that falls are not only physically painful but can also have lasting effects on overall health. These accidents can leave behind devastating injuries, especially if the victim is older. In fact, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults, according to the National Council on Aging.

Results To Be Proud Of

Every result represents a client’s life that we’ve helped change for the better. If you’ve been hurt in a slip, trip, and fall injury, you deserve help. And we believe that our results speak for themselves.

What Are Your Legal Options?

If you have been injured on the job or experienced an accident on someone else’s property, you have different options. For those workplace accidents, under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, you have the right to pursue workers’ compensation benefits.

With that, you can receive wage loss benefits, which provide financial support while you are unable to work due to the injury. You can also get medical benefits that cover necessary medical treatment.

While those benefits often cover your immediate needs, you could be entitled to additional constipation for pain and suffering. You might be eligible to file both a workers’ compensation claim and a separate injury claim. In these cases, other parties (excluding employers) may be liable for negligence in causing the accident. These parties could include:

  • Property owners
  • Contractors
  • Equipment manufacturers & distributors
  • Equipment rental companies
  • Service & maintenance companies
  • Project owners

You will want to consult a Philadelphia slip and fall attorney to learn more about your options.

For those who were injured on another person’s property, you could file a personal injury lawsuit.

These accidents would be considered premises liability claims, which hold property owners or occupiers responsible for maintaining safe conditions. In these cases, you need to show that the property owner or occupier failed in their duty of care to keep the area safe. That negligence leads to a slip and fall, with you receiving injuries.

In all of these cases, you need an experienced lawyer to help on your behalf. Otherwise, you could miss out on the available compensation in your case. If you would like to learn more about your options, contact us at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan.

How a Slip and Fall Lawyer Can Assist You

Those who have been inquired about a workplace accident or on another person’s premises will want to seek assistance from an experienced attorney. After a thorough evaluation of your case, they can help identify all potential sources of compensation, including workers’ compensation benefits, third-party liability claims, or other personal injury lawsuits.

With a lawyer, you have a valuable legal resource; they will work diligently to:

  • Build a strong case on your behalf.
  • Consult with accident reconstruction and medical professional experts to support your claim.
  • Negotiating with insurance companies to secure fair compensation
  • Represent your interests in court

After any accident, whether on the job or in another location, you will want to seek legal advice immediately after an accident. When you need to talk to an experienced law firm about construction accidents or personal injury, reach out to Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan.

Choose Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan If a Slip and Fall Injured You

At Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan, our work injury and accident lawyers have over 40 years of combined legal experience helping individuals injured in various types of accidents.

We understand the emotional and physical toll of any type of slip and fall accident. For that reason, our firm offers a free consultation to discuss your situation. If you want to seek compensation for your accident, contact an experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyer.

Contact the legal team at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan to schedule a consultant and advocate for you.

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1100 Ludlow Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
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