Personal Injury

What is ‘negligence?’

Virtually all personal injury claims and lawsuits are centered on one principle: negligence. This can be defined as “Failure to exercise the care toward others which a reasonable or prudent person would do in the circumstances, or taking action which such a reasonable person would not.” Essentially, what this means is showing no regard or a blatant disregard for the safety of others with your actions (or inactions). When you are injured through no fault of your own, odds are negligence is somehow going to be the root cause of it, and proving that the other party was negligent is what makes you entitled to compensation for your injuries. Negligence in Car Accidents Car accidents are almost entirely about negligence. If you are involved in an accident, there are dozens of ways negligence could have been involved. For example, if you are struck by a driver who runs a red light, they could be held liable for negligence for not paying attention to the changing traffic signal. If they were unable to stop their car, the negligence could mean driving too fast for the road conditions or failing to properly maintain their vehicle’s brakes. If they were intoxicated, then that also contributes to their negligence, and thus their liability for the accident. Premises Liability Law If you slip and fall on a wet floor at a store or fail to notice a rut in the ground and you break your ankle, you could be eligible to receive compensation through “premises

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Slip and Fall Accidents and an aging population

People of any age may suffer injuries when they slip, trip, or fall down. Statistics show that Americans aged 65 and older may suffer particularly severe injuries, including hip fractures/injuries. The CDC reports that 258,000 people in the U.S. over the age of 65 were admitted to hospitals for fractured hips in 2010 alone. Falling down was the number one cause for such hip fractures. Falls took place in a wide variety of locations, including the victim’s home, stores, other public places, nursing homes, or even within the hospitals themselves. Hip fractures may have surprisingly serious consequences for an elderly adult. While a young person may heal from a broken bone rather easily and quickly, the healing process may be much more complicated and lengthy for older adults. An elderly patient with a hip fracture often undergoes surgery, hospital/long term care stays and rehabilitation. Liability for Slip and Fall Accidents Businesses and property owners have a duty to ensure their premises are reasonably safe for customers and other visitors. This includes keeping the property free of potential slip and fall hazards. Such hazards may include: Slippery or wet floors Uneven floors Handrails defects Debris in walkways or stairwells Unsecured wiring on floors (phone cords) Rugs not being secure If a property or business owner knows that such a potentially dangerous condition exists and fails to fix it, they are acting negligently and should be held liable for any injuries that occur due to their negligence. Slip and fall victims are

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