Every year in the news, we read stories about people—often children—who fall from a window, balcony, or other high location. Fall accidents cause 8.9 million Americans to visit the E.R. every year according to the National Safety Council, and approximately 25,000 of those fall victims do not survive. In many instances, these falls occur due to the negligence of another party, and an experienced Fayette County accident attorney can help you identify negligence in such situations to determine whether you can receive compensation for your losses.
Potential Causes of Falls
Many falls happen because a property owner, such as a landlord or business owner, did not adequately maintain the premises. Such owners have a duty to regularly inspect the property for dangerous hazards, including hazards that could cause falls, on a regular basis and to repair these hazards or warn visitors or tenants of them. Unfortunately, many landlords fail to do so, and premises may have broken screen latches in windows, dangerous staircases, broken balcony railings, and more that cause falls.
Sometimes, the negligence is not the fault of a property owner, but of a manufacturer. For example, if a company sells defective screens, windows, railings, or other building supplies, such defects could allow a victim to fall out of a window or from a high place. In such cases, proving negligence may require expert analysis of the defect.
If a you or your child falls and is injured because someone else was negligent, you deserve full compensation from the negligent party for all of your losses. If a falls victim dies in such a case, the family is entitled to recover through a wrongful death action.
Contact a Fayette County personal injury attorney for a free consultation
If you or your child suffers injury due to a defective product or dangerous premises conditions, the experienced and committed personal injury lawyers at Shane Smith Law are here to help. Our attorneys are skilled in all areas of personal injury law and we offer free consultations, so please do not hesitate to call us today at (980) 246-2656 for assistance.