How Can You Reduce Your Risks?

Slip and fall accidents are more likely to occur when winter is upon us. Icy steps and wet sidewalks along with water dripping on floors from snow and slush make surfaces more slippery than normal.

Seniors are particularly at risk. In fact, according to the CDC, more than 25 percent of seniors fall every year.

Precautions You Can Take to Prevent Falls

An article by Jane Brody published in The New York Times offers tips to avoid slip and fall accidents. Some suggestions include:

• Wear safe shoes and footwear. Ensure the soles of your shoes have tread and are made with slip-resistant material. Soles should offer good traction. Worn out tread or material such as plastic or leather do not grip surfaces well.
• Walk carefully. Walking slowly, taking small steps and leaning forward slightly help you maintain balance. Also when you walk flat-footed, more of your shoe is available to grip the surface. As much as possible, you should check your stairs and sidewalk to see if there is black ice where you are stepping. Look at the surface as you walk so you can step over cracks or uneven surfaces that could trip you.
• Use handrails for stairs. Whenever possible, you should use a handrail when walking down steps. If you happen to trip, your grasp on the rail can help you recover your balance or prevent tumbling down the stairs.

When Should You Consider Legal Help for a Slip and Fall Accident?

Some falls result in serious injury, and in extreme instances even death. If the fall occurred on someone else’s property and the injury was serious, you should consider consulting with an attorney. This is especially true when you believe a safety hazard caused your accident.

Experienced attorneys can investigate and determine whether the property owner was negligent and whether grounds exist to pursue legal action.