Slip and Fall Accidents
Nobody expects to be seriously injured while performing routine, everyday activities like walking down a grocery store aisle, returning to their car in a parking lot, or visiting a friend at their residence. However, slip and fall accidents can happen when you least expect them. And depending on a number of factors, they can have serious outcomes.
Slips and falls caused by commonplace maintenance issues often result in severe injuries which could adversely impact unsuspecting accident victims in profound ways. This is especially true for senior citizens who are both more likely than other demographics to be involved in a slip and fall accident and more likely to be seriously injured because of them. Indeed, slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of injuries among seniors requiring hospitalization.
Regardless of age, though, anyone can be injured in a slip and fall accident. When they occur on someone else’s commercial or residential property, many injured accident victims immediately blame themselves, their own lack of attention, or their clumsiness for the injuries they have sustained. They may feel the impulse to leave the scene of the accident right away and seek no further action.
However, even if no one else was on-site to witness the accident, slips and falls on other people’s properties are often the result of someone else’s negligence. In accordance with Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act, the people who own and/or occupy commercial and residential properties are responsible for its reasonable upkeep. If they have failed to take necessary safety precautions and an unsuspecting visitor was injured as a result, the at-fault property owner/occupier might be considered negligent and, therefore, liable for damages incurred by the injured accident victim.
To learn whether you may be entitled to compensation based on the circumstances of your accident, contact Preszler Injury Lawyers to receive personalized legal advice during a cost-free, no-obligation consultation.
Common Causes of Ontario Slip and Fall Accidents
Hazardous on other people’s commercial or residential properties may sound innocent enough, but if left unaddressed by the premises’ owner and/or occupier, serious accidents can occur. In Ontario, one of the most common causes of severe, injury-causing slip and fall accidents is improperly cleared snow and ice.
When a property owner/occupier neglects to adequately clear ice and snow on and around their premises, the resulting injuries can be severe. Many injured accident victims may not fully comprehend the extent of their injuries’ severity immediately following their slip and fall accident. Indeed, it can take days or even weeks for them to realize the full impact of someone else’s negligence.
Unfortunately, by the time this happens, injured accident victims may have already missed their only opportunity to pursue financial compensation. In accordance with the Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act of 2020, Ontarians who were injured because of snow and ice on someone else’s property have only 60 days from the date of their accident to serve the negligent property owner/occupier with a notice of claim. That means, if you were injured in a slip and fall accident caused by improperly cleared ice or snow, consulting with our Ontario slip and fall accident lawyers immediately could be crucial. Failing to take action within this narrow window of opportunity could mean forfeiting your only opportunity to pursue fair compensation.
Other common examples of often-neglected maintenance hazards that result in injurious slips and falls include:
- Spilled liquids
- Broken or missing handrails
- Poor lighting
- Wet floors
- Uneven surfaces
- Loose carpeting
- Cracked sidewalks
- Potholes
- Cluttered walkways
- Broken tiles
- And more
Who is Responsible for Slip and Fall Accidents in Ontario?
The people who own and/or occupy properties in the province are required by law to routinely inspect and regularly maintain their premises in order to reduce the risk of injurious accidents on-site. The people who control access to commercial or residential properties and are responsible for their upkeep have a duty of care to the people who interact with the space. This may include guests, tenants, customers, employees, delivery personnel, and passersby.
Since property owners and/or occupiers are required to inspect the premises regularly, they should be aware of potentially dangerous issues on-site. If the responsible parties fail to address hazards in a timely fashion by repairing them, removing them, or providing guests with sufficient warning about them, serious accidents can occur. When they do, the property owner/occupier who failed to take appropriate preventative measures may be considered negligent.
Therefore, if you were involved in an accident on someone else’s commercial or residential property and sustained compensable injuries as a result, the negligent property owner/occupier whose failure to consider your safety caused your accident to occur may be responsible for providing you with financial compensation. If so, our slip and fall accident lawyers serving Ontario may be able to help you pursue the compensation to which you are entitled.
Pursuing Compensation for Injuries Sustained in a Slip and Fall Accident
It can be difficult to know exactly which steps to take following a slip and fall accident. No one anticipates that a normal activity will end in serious injuries, and no one plans to pursue legal action for unexpected accidents that occur on other people’s properties.
But no one should be forced to pay the price of someone else’s negligence. If you sustained compensable injuries because a negligent property owner/occupier failed to take their visitors’ safety into consideration, you may be eligible to pursue a claim against them. By doing so, our Ontario slip and fall accident lawyers may be able to help you recover damages you have incurred as a result of your injuries. These damages often include:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- Ongoing medical care/in-home care
- Lost wages due to missed work
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Adjusted living expenses
- Pain and suffering
- And possibly more
To learn more about how our slip and fall accident lawyers serving Ontario may be able to assist you, book a free initial consultation by calling Preszler Injury Lawyers today.
Call Our Ontario Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers for a Free Initial Consultation
If you were injured because of a property owner/occupier’s failure to adequately address potentially dangerous maintenance issues on their premises, our Ontario slip and fall accident lawyers may be able to provide you with crucial legal advice and assistance.
By consulting with our slip and fall accident lawyers serving Ontario, you may be able to review the details of your accident, ask important questions, receive the benefit of case-specific legal advice, and learn about options for financial recovery that may be available to you, all at no cost. To book your free initial consultation with our Ontario slip and fall accident lawyers, call Preszler Injury Lawyers today at 1-800-JUSTICE.
