A Thorough Home Safety Assessment Can Prevent Slip and Fall Accidents

You may think of slip and fall lawsuits as being something that only happens to businesses, and that you do not have to take precautions in your own home to guard against them. But take a minute to think about how many people are on your property every day, whether you invite them or not. The U.S. postal service probably walks onto your property six out of every seven days, plus you may have delivery professionals from Federal Express, UPS, Amazon and others. Your neighbors probably stroll on your sidewalks multiple times per day as they walk their dogs or go out to get some exercise, and any maintenance contractors or similar professionals count on you to provide them with a safe environment when you ask them into your home to make repairs or installations. Even your children’s friends or your own dinner guests are potential plaintiffs in a slip and fall lawsuit. That’s why you need to do a thorough home safety assessment to prevent slip and fall accidents.

By going through your home and property with a fine-toothed comb and an eye to risk, you will be able to identify sources of potential injury and take corrective action. Some of the most common areas that require attention include:

• Stairway railings, which may either be missing entirely or in poor condition
• Sidewalks, walkways and driveways that require quick attention to shoveling. As a homeowner, you are responsible for clearing snow in a reasonable amount of time, as well as for the application of ice melt or similar materials to prevent slippery surfaces.
• Area rugs which can slip out of place if non-slip pads are not placed underneath them
• Electrical cords that can cause visitors to trip if they are not secured out of the flow of traffic
• Insufficient lighting on outside sidewalks or in stairwells
• Slippery surfaces by entrances to the home
• Lack of non-slip mats in showers and bathtubs

It is easy to overlook danger areas in your own home. The potential dangers that you may be familiar with and have become accustomed to looking out for can lead to devastating injuries for unsuspecting visitors to your home. As a responsible property owner, you not only do not want your guests or visitors to suffer any kind of pain, but you also do not want to have to pay for the damages that they suffer as a result of your negligence or carelessness.

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury as a result of a private home owner – or whoever is supposed to take care of the maintenance of a private property – having been negligent in paying attention to these types of issues, then you need legal counsel from an experienced attorney. At Wallace Law, we have the knowledge and resources that you need to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how we can protect your rights.