Slip and Fall vs Trip and Fall Accidents

Property owners in Florida are required to use a certain amount of care in keeping their property safe for visitors, so those who fail to abide by these rules can be held liable for resulting injuries. Slip and fall accident victims may be unsure of how to classify their accident, including whether it is actually a slip and fall or a trip and fall case. To learn more about what distinguishes these two types of premises liability accidents and why those differences matter, please contact our experienced Fort Lauderdale slip and fall lawyers today.

What Qualifies as a Slip and Fall Accident?

Slip and fall accidents occur when someone loses his or her footing on a slippery surface and ultimately falls to the ground. These types of falls tend to happen most often on:

• Wet floors;
• Floors that have been recently waxed;
• Loose or worn rugs or carpets;
• Icy walkways;
• Muddy paths; and
• Round objects left on the floor.

When we walk, we often have a good idea of a floor’s slip potential and so can adjust our level of caution. For instance, most people try to tread lightly on icy surfaces and to avoid walking through spills. Similarly, when someone walks across a muddy patch of grass, he or she will typically move a bit more carefully. It is possible, however, for a slippery surface to sneak up on someone, in which case, a person’s foot loses its grip and slips forward, causing his or her weight to shift backwards. Backward falls tend to affect certain areas of the body, so many slip and fall victims suffer from:

• Sprained joints;
• Spinal cord injuries, resulting in nerve damage and other back problems;
• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Dislocated shoulders; and
• Bruised or fractured hips.

Fortunately, those who are injured in slip and fall accidents are often able to recover compensation for their medical bills if the fall was the result of a property owner’s negligence.

What Qualifies as a Trip and Fall Accident?

Unlike slip and fall accidents, tripping propels a person forward and is usually the result of stumbling not on a transitory substance, but on a grounded object. Almost anything can cause a person to trip if it is in a dangerous place, but these accidents do tend to occur on some surfaces more than others, including:

• Raised surfaces, such as street curbs and stairs;
• Cracked or uneven sidewalks;
• Door frames;
• Furniture that juts into a walkway; and
• Clutter left on the floor.

People often have more control over how they land in trip and fall accidents, so it is not uncommon for trip and fall accident victims to suffer more external injuries. This does not mean, however, that these kinds of injuries should be taken lightly, as many claimants find themselves suffering from neck and facial injuries, broken bones in the arms and fingers, foot injuries, and external wounds.

Were You Injured in a Slip/Trip and Fall Accident?

Please call Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 today to speak with a dedicated slip and fall attorney about seeking compensation after your own Florida slip/trip and fall accident.