Top 5 Causes of Summertime Slips and Falls

 Posted on July 12, 2022 in Slip & Fall

Slip-and-fall accidents are to be expected during wintertime. Snow and ice can be easily tracked into a store, and parking lots can be difficult to keep clear. Liability for a fall injury caused by winter weather can be tricky to determine because property owners are not always responsible for weather-related hazards. In the summer, unless it is raining, it is much less likely that weather can be blamed for a slip. Retail managers and those who run other businesses open to the public have a duty to keep their establishments reasonably safe. If someone has slipped and fallen on their premises, there is a substantial likelihood that the business can be held responsible under a premises liability theory. If you were injured when you slipped and fell in a business, you may be entitled to recover compensation and should contact a qualified attorney for a case evaluation. 

What Causes Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Good Weather?

While some spills can happen and cause a slip far too quickly for a business manager to react to, other hazards go ignored. Common causes of slips and falls in favorable weather include: 

• Ignored spills - With the current labor crisis, many businesses - particularly restaurants and retail - are severely understaffed. This can make it difficult for staff to respond to spills or other reported hazards in a timely fashion. However, safety issues should always be prioritized and addressed without delay even if staff is busy doing something else. 

• Not enough signs - Wet floor signs should be placed throughout the entire area of the floor that is wet. Placing a single wet floor sign in one location when a much larger area is slippery is not enough to adequately protect the public. People who see just one sign tend to assume that only the area immediately around the sign is slippery. 

• No signs - Wet floor signs may not be used at all when they are needed. 

• Damaged product - Rushed stock employees may carelessly place damaged products that are going to leak on the shelves. Bottles of cooking oils, soda, or even beer may slowly leak, causing a puddle to form unnoticed. 

• Malfunctioning freezers - Retail stores that sell frozen products should use caution to ensure that their freezers are maintained at the appropriate temperature. When a freezer stops working right and becomes too warm, frozen products like popsicles or ice cream can melt and begin to leak. 

If you slipped and fell in a retail store, restaurant, or other business open to the public, there is a real chance that your injury was caused by someone’s negligence. An attorney can investigate further to determine whether you have a case. 

Call a Cook County Premises Liability Lawyer

Adler Law Offices, LTD is committed to helping those who were injured because a negligent business allowed a slip-and-fall to happen on its premises. Our skilled Chicago premises liability attorneys will investigate to determine whether your accident was caused by a company’s carelessness. Contact us at 312-236-2700 for a free consultation. 

Source: https://www.heffins.com/news-events/blog/slip-and-fall-prevention-best-practices-retailers#:~:text=Keep%20walkways%20clear%20of%20pallets,could%20cause%20someone%20to%20trip.