What You Need to Know About Slip and Fall Accidents on a Sidewalk

Sidewalks are everywhere. They are in small cities and big towns. These sidewalks are made to be used by pedestrians, and they have the right to safely use these sidewalks. One issue with sidewalks, however, is that their owners often neglect maintaining them to avoid accidents such as slip and fall involving pedestrians.

Whether you are having a leisure walk or taking your puppy for a walk around the block, you must check if the sidewalk you are walking on is safe and properly maintained by the owner. In general the government and the property owner adjacent to the sidewalk are responsible for the maintenance of the sidewalk. Property owners are mandated to make public sidewalks safe by removing any potential risk to pedestrians.

Federal, state, and local laws mandate that owners must repair uneven, cracked, or any impairment on the sidewalk to avoid slip and fall accidents. Dangerous situations such as slippery sidewalks, elevated pieces of sidewalk, icy or watery sidewalks, potholes, and other obstructions lead to slip, trip, and fall accidents.
When a pedestrian slipped and fell on a sidewalk, he or she might suffer ankle injuries, broken bones, neck injuries, bruises, back injuries, and head injuries. In case it happens to you, you must seek medical attention immediately. It is also important that you take pictures of the scene of the accident and the injuries caused by the accident. Take note that liable property owners often hide their neglect after a pedestrian gets injured on their premises.

A pedestrian who sustained injuries because of a fall on a sidewalk may be able to receive compensation. A victim of such incident should preserve medical records and photographs of the injuries. Such documentations are very vital when the victim negotiates a settlement with the property owner or an insurance company. In any event that the case proceeds to trial by jury, such documentations are crucial to the outcome of the case. The victim must always remember that just compensation can only be given if the defendant is found liable for the unsafe sidewalk.

Accidents such as slipping and falling on a unsafe sidewalk are quite embarrassing and painful. It is more painful, however, if the victim does not get just compensation for the injuries caused by the accident. If ever you become a victim, you must seek legal help from an experienced personal injury lawyer. Speaking to a lawyer is always the key to overcoming the pain and embarrassment caused by a negligent property owner.