Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Maryland

While slips and falls may be funny when they happen in movies, they can be deceptively dangerous and even life-altering accidents when they happen to you. The unfortunate truth about these accidents is many trip and fall incidents could be prevented altogether if the landowner on which they occurred took reasonable care of their property. If you can prove that by a “preponderance of evidence” (simply, it is more likely than not) that the defendant was negligent during settlement negotiations or a civil court trial, you could demand compensation for various losses you sustained due to your accident.

There are numerous common causes of slip and fall accidents in Maryland that could potentially serve as grounds for civil litigation. Below are some of the most frequent sources of slips, trips, and falls that personal injury attorneys in Maryland find themselves helping with, as well as a few details on how they could justify a lawsuit against the owner or manager of whatever property they happened on.

Uneven or Broken Walking Surfaces

The single most common cause of slipping accidents in Maryland and across the United States is due to an uneven walking surface, typically one that used to be flat and safe before it became worn down or broken due to lack of maintenance. From protruding floorboards to giant potholes in sidewalks and side streets, these kinds of faults can be very dangerous for anyone not expecting them to be there, and they are something that a responsible property owner should address immediately after discovering them.

Lack of Lighting

Even if a walking surface is in relatively good condition, if someone is unable to see that surface and the surrounding area clearly due to poor or no lighting, there is a high risk of slipping and tripping on something hidden. Especially in stairwells and narrow indoor hallways, broken or missing light fixtures can be exceptionally hazardous to any passerby.

Cluttered Walkways

Just about everyone has stubbed their toe on a laundry basket, kid’s toy, or other pieces of debris left someplace it shouldn’t be; property owners in Maryland have a legal duty to make sure that public-facing areas and workspaces they oversee are not cluttered in this way. A failure by a landowner to fulfill this basic obligation could potentially open them up to civil liability if someone trips and ends up seriously hurt as a result.

Inclement Weather

While it may be less of an obvious hazard, property owners’ failure to inspect and maintain their property after stormy weather is a widely common cause of slip and fall injuries throughout Maryland. A puddle of standing water or patch of untreated ice is a massive slipping hazard for people of any age, particularly younger children and elderly adults.

Call Our Maryland Firm After Slipping and Falling

Any dangerous property condition that a landowner knew about—or reasonably should have known about—but did not take action to correct could constitute a breach of that landowner’s “duty” to keep lawful visitors safe from harm. Accordingly, if you end up slipping, tripping, and/or falling over one of the hazards listed above or anything else a responsible property owner should have already fixed, you might have grounds to demand compensation through a civil lawsuit or settlement demand.

A capable legal professional could provide crucial help with taking proactive action over common causes of slip and fall accidents in Maryland. A Maryland trip and fall accident lawyer is ready to hold negligent property owners responsible for your losses. Contact Price Benowitz today to learn more and for a free case evaluation.