When you are spending so much of your time on the job, you expect that your employer will maintain a safe work environment. Yet more than a million and a half work accidents happen every year, leaving thousands of employees out of work at any given moment as they recover from on-the-job injuries.

Under Federal law, you are entitled to a safe workplace, and you should not have to fear falling victim to an injury while at work. One of the most common injuries that can happen to employees whether they work in an office building or they work at a construction site is slipping and falling. You may be rushing to a meeting and slip on a wet floor or you may trip over poorly mounted scaffolding—but in either case, falling on the job can result in painful, long-lasting injuries. Here are the main causes of these all too common slip and fall accidents.

Improper Training

If you work in an environment that requires the use of machinery, being on your feet, or using your hands, it’s imperative that you receive the proper training before you begin work. If you are not shown how to do your job correctly, it can lead to an increase in injuries, especially slip and falls.

Uneven Surfaces

Everywhere from construction sites to office buildings are at risk for uneven flooring. It is your company’s responsibility to create a safe workplace, and that includes correcting uneven surfaces. If your company fails to do this, you are at risk for slip and falls that can cause serious injury.

Improper Cleaning

In addition to correcting uneven surfaces, your company must also ensure they clean your work space with the utmost care. If there is a spill in the break room that is not cleaned up in a timely manner, and you slip on it and hurt yourself, your company could be liable for your injuries.

Inappropriate Footwear

Many jobs require a certain type of footwear in order to ensure slip and falls don’t occur. If your employer does not provide the shoes for you, it is up to you to purchase, and wear, the shoes that are needed to keep you safe.

Weather

While weather is no one’s fault, per say, it is one of the leading causes of slip and falls in the workplace. And although your employer can not stop the rain or the snow, if you do fall on their property, they can be liable as they are obligated to keep the area safe for employees.

If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, contact the attorneys at Stewart & Stewart. Give us a call at 1-800-33-33-LAW or visit our website for more information.

When we go out to eat, we expect to have an enjoyable meal without any concern for injury. Unfortunately, injuries in restaurants are more common that one may think. With constant spills from drinks and food, slip and falls are something we should all be wary of when we frequent a restaurant. If you are in a slip and fall accident at a small, local restaurant and sustain injuries, it’s important to know what you can do to help pay for any damage or lost wages you incur due to prolonged injury.

The first thing you will need to do is prove negligence. An experienced slip and fall attorney will know the right questions to ask to ensure that the restaurant is to blame for your slip and fall. To prove negligence, you must be able to confirm that the restaurant did not do what they could to make sure their customers were safe. In restaurants, proving negligence can be a bit tricky. A slippery floor may have caused your injury, but that doesn’t automatically mean that the restaurant was negligent by allowing their floor to be slippery. In this case, you must prove that the floor was slippery for a long period of time, and that the restaurant knew this but failed to clean up the mess or warn customers of the dangerous area. You must also know exactly what caused you to slip—so never tell a manager or waiter that you are unsure why you fell, it could come back to hurt you later on should you pursue a case.

To help establish negligence before an attorney or insurance company is involved, try to inspect the area where you fell. Take pictures of a slippery or wet floor and the surrounding area to prove that there was no signage to warn you of potential danger. You may also want to try to get witnesses to back up your claim. Write down any names and addresses of fellow diners who can corroborate your story. It’s also extremely important to ask for a manager and make sure the restaurant is aware that you feel and sustained injuries. If you leave without speaking with a manager, it will be harder to prove negligence and make a case.

If your injuries are not life-threatening, you can wait to seek medical attention until after the above is complete. Once you get to the hospital, keep a record of any injuries you sustained and any treatments you are prescribed.

After these steps are completed, an experienced slip and fall attorney will take the lead. They will use all the information you gathered from the scene and work with the restaurants insurance company, or attorney should they have one, to make sure you get compensation for any of the injuries you suffered as a result of your slip and fall. If you were involved in a slip in fall accident at a local Indianapolis restaurant, get the best attorneys on your side. The staff at Stewart & Stewart have handled many slip and fall cases and know the best way to get full compensation for their clients. Contact them today by calling 1-800-33-33-LAW or visiting their website.

Premises liability is a legal term that refers to injuries caused by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. Most often these types of injuries are the result of negligence on the part of the property owner. For instance, if you are walking across a footbridge at a business and the bridge collapses, injuring you in the process, you might have a premises liability claim. One of the most common type of premises liability in Indiana are slip and fall accidents.

There are a number of situations where a premises liability accident can occur:

• Defective construction—Faulty wiring, broken stairs, and uneven floors create dangerous conditions and can lead to serious injuries or even death.
• Inadequate maintenance—It is the responsibility of property owners to ensure their properties are safe by removing potential safety hazards.
• Negligent security—Parking garages, swimming pools, and businesses in areas prone to crime should have adequate security to protect their guests and customers.

If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. Your wellbeing is most important, and it’s always a good idea to get checked out by a medical professional.

Secondly, make sure the accident is documented. Most businesses have a procedure in place for documenting accidents that occur on their property, but don’t assume that is the case. Write down your account of the events, take pictures, and secure the names and phone numbers of any witnesses to the event as soon as you are able.

Finally, call a lawyer before you sign anything from the property owner or their insurance company. A premises liability lawyer will work on your behalf to make sure the insurance company fairly compensates you for your injuries.