Losing your footing in a stairwell can lead to a devastating fall that causes severe injuries. Stairway falls often have multiple impact points and can force the body into awkward positions. Such falls cause skull fractures, back injuries, broken bones, sprains, whiplash, concussions, and more. While stairwell accidents in Spring, TX are often the result of a loss of balance, poor stairway conditions are sometimes the cause. If you were injured due to unsafe conditions caused by a property owner’s negligence, an experienced slip and fall attorney can help you get compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and other expenses. Your lawyer can gather evidence to support your claim and advocate for your rights to the compensation you deserve.
What Are the Signs of Stairwell Accidents Caused by Negligence?
When someone’s foot slides off a step as they are running down a flight of stairs, the resulting fall is not likely to be the property owner’s fault. However, a broken step or handrail signals owner negligence. Property owners are required to regularly inspect stairwells for hazards that can cause injuries. Failure to do so or to make repairs is considered negligence. The following causes of stairwell accidents are often a sign of negligence:
- Loose or broken handrails
- Slippery stairway surfaces
- Loose carpet
- Protruding screws or nails
- Debris, dirt, or liquid on stairs
- Protruding screws or nails
There are many ways stairway damage can lead to falls. An experienced stairway injury lawyer can examine the details of a case and help victims understand their rights to compensation.
Proving Liability in Stairwell Accidents
Stairs can be dangerous, making it easy to trip and fall. Insurance companies or defense lawyers may use this knowledge to suggest a stairwell fall is the victim’s fault. Anyone who is more than 50% responsible for their own accident cannot collect damages from others. This gives property owners and their insurers an incentive to shift the blame. Insurers use several reasons to suggest a victim is at fault, including wearing high heels, using a phone, carrying something heavy, and alcohol impairment.
Proving a stairwell accident was caused by negligence requires evidence of an existing hazard that the property owner was aware of or should have known about. A Spring attorney can use photographs, work orders, inspection records, and building codes to create a chain of evidence to show property owner negligence. Lawyers must also establish a connection between the damage in the stairwell and the victim’s injuries. Although stairs can be dangerous, property owners are responsible for keeping them as safe as possible. Failure to do so indicates negligence.
Contact a Spring, TX Attorney to Learn More About Compensation After a Stairwell Accident
Stairs can be dangerous, but falls can often be prevented. Individuals injured in stairwell accidents in Spring are entitled to compensation to assist with expenses like medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. However, proving liability in these cases can be complex. If you suffered injuries after falling on a defective stairway, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you establish proof of property owner negligence. The stairwell injury lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer, & Harris are accustomed to the ways defense attorneys and insurers attempt to shift blame. Our attorneys can assess your case and determine whether negligence is a factor. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to learn more about how to protect your rights.
