Jonesboro Slip & Fall Attorney

Slip and fall accidents can cause severe injuries in Arkansas and throughout the country. According to the Center for Disease Control, slip and fall accidents result in serious injuries in 20 percent of cases. Slip and fall accidents are also the most common cause of serious traumatic brain injuries. If you were injured in a slip and fall accident at someone’s home or on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Under Arkansas law, victims of another person’s negligent or reckless behavior can seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Property owners have a legal duty to keep their properties reasonably safe. When they fail to keep their property safe, victims of these types of accidents can bring a lawsuit for damages against them. At the Law Offices of Bryce Cook, we have extensive experience helping clients who’ve suffered personal injuries obtain compensation. Contact our Arkansas personal injury law firm as soon as possible to schedule your initial consultation. 

Slip and Fall Accidents Happen Every Day in Arkansas

Slip and fall accidents happen far more often than many of us realize. Every year in the United States, approximately 1 million people seek emergency treatment after a serious slip and fall accident. Some accidents only result in minor cuts and bruises, but others can be fatal. These accidents can happen nearly anywhere, from a grocery store aisle to a staircase in an office building.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

Weather conditions such as snow, ice, sleet, and hail are common causes of slip and fall accidents. Arkansas property owners have a legal duty to ensure that, when it snows, they keep their sidewalks and steps reasonably safe for their customers. Property owners should salt sidewalks and steps and keep them clear of debris that could cause a slip and fall accident.

Wet surfaces are particularly dangerous when it comes to slip and fall accidents. The most common cause of slip and fall accidents are uneven and wet surfaces. Many slip-and-fall lawsuits involve a customer who slipped on a wet surface at a store. In some cases, the staff forgets to place a yellow caution sign near recently mopped floors. In other cases, a liquid product leaks onto the floor and a customer slips on the puddle, suffering severe injuries. 

Store owners have a legal duty to clean up wet surfaces as soon as possible, place warning signs on slippery surfaces, and check for any spills that may have happened. An injured victim can bring a premises liability lawsuit against the property’s negligent owner or manager. Other common causes of these accidents include the following: 

  • Improper training as to the prevention of slip and fall accidents at work
  • Nursing home neglect 
  • Improper footwear
  • Torn carpeting
  • Loose floorboards
  • Loose mats
  • Dangerous staircases
  • Sidewalk cracks
  • Potholes in parking lots
  • Cluttered floors

Falls Are a Common Cause of Traumatic Brain Injuries

According to the Center for Disease Control, falls were the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in 2014. Falls accounted for nearly half of all traumatic brain injury-related visits to the emergency room. Elderly individuals are more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries caused by slip and fall accidents. Four out of every five emergency room visits for traumatic brain injuries involved an adult over 65. 

Traumatic brain injuries can result in the victim suffering from severe cognitive delays. Some traumatic brain injury survivors require around-the-clock assistance and help with daily activities. Recovering compensation through a personal injury lawsuit can help victims of traumatic brain injury obtain all of the medical care they require. 

Other Injuries

Fall accidents are the leading cause of death for individuals aged 65 and older. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have a legal duty to ensure that their elderly residents are safe. A slip and fall accident that could be minor for a younger person can cause hip fractures or be fatal for elderly adults. Nursing homes must ensure that they have enough staff to prevent falls among their vulnerable residents. These accidents can also cause the following types of injuries: 

  • Knee damage
  • Broken bones
  • Sprained or fractured ankles or wrists
  • Dislocation of the shoulder or muscle strain
  • Nerve damage
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Bruises and lacerations
  • Neck injuries

What damages are available?

Victims have a right to bring personal injury lawsuits against the negligent or reckless property owner. These lawsuits are called premises liability lawsuits. They allow victims who have been injured on someone else’s property to seek compensation for their injuries. 

The injured party needs to prove that the property owner failed to keep his or her property reasonably safe and that the property owner’s negligence caused injuries. Successful personal injury plaintiffs can recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical bills associated with the slip and fall, the cost of continued medical treatment, and compensation for lost income and a reduced future earning capacity. 

An injured plaintiff can also pursue compensation for their inability to perform household or child care duties. Non-economic damages include compensation for emotional anguish, the loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering caused by the accident.

Contact Our Experienced Premises Liability Lawyers Today

At the Law Offices of Bryce Cook, we understand the financial and emotional devastation caused by serious slip and fall accidents. If you or your loved one has suffered an injury in a slip and fall accident, contact the Law Offices of Bryce Cook today. We have extensive experience helping injured clients obtain the compensation they deserve. 

The Law Offices of Bryce Cook handles slip and fall cases throughout Arkansas include the Craighead County Courthouse, Greene County Courthouse, Poinsett County Courthouse, Mississippi County Courthouse, Clay County Courthouse, Crittenden County Courthouse.