Slip & fall accidents are categorized under personal injuries and are one of the four categories of “fall down” accidents. These four categories are: trip and fall accidents, which occur when the victim encounters the foreign object on a walkway, stump and fall accidents, caused by impediments on the walkway, step and fall accidents where the accident occurs because of an unexpected hole or dip the walking surface and slip and fall accidents which occur when the bottom surface of the shoe or foot slides and leads to a fall.

Slip and fall injuries are caused by some sort of unexpected and sudden change the sidewalk or walking surface. Because of the unexpected nature of the change, the injured individual is unable to take measures to avoid the danger and falls. If these sorts of injuries are caused by the negligence of another individual then the injured party may be able to file a slip and fall claim.

Slip-and-fall accidents are very common but may cause serious injury to the spine, the neck, the bones and the head. Most slip and fall accidents will occur at the workplace and are due to improper maintenance of health and safety standards. Slips are also quite common in places an open to the general public such as department stores or grocery stores or may be caused by ice or snow negligently untended to by property or business owners.

In a slip-and-fall accident claim both the negligent party who caused hazardous condition leading to the accident and the victim are held under scrutiny to see who is responsible and to what degree. Each individual is legally obligated to exercise a reasonable duty of care in ensuring their own safety and if it can be proven that the injured individual was somehow in negligent in that duty then the case may favor the defendant. However, property owners, employers and employees are also legally responsible under the law for exercising a reasonable duty of care, both to themselves and others, and if it can be proven that someone involved was negligent in their duties and that negligence led to the accident the case will favor the plaintiff.

In any case a victim of a slip and fall accident should file an accident report immediately. Although workers compensation laws limit the liability of employers, any victim of a slip and fall accident that may have been caused by another individual should contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss their options.