Slips on Wet Staircases – Is Anyone at Fault?

If you have slipped on a wet staircase, is anyone at fault? As so often happens in personal injury claims, the answer all comes down to the circumstances of the case. The best way to clarify your options is to speak to a slip and fall lawyer from our team today.

Slips on wet staircases

Wet staircases can be extremely hazardous. If you slip and fall on a wet staircase, you are at risk of suffering bruises, lacerations, soft tissue injuries, broken bones and even traumatic brain injuries. In fact, head injuries are particularly common following slips on staircases, as it is difficult to break your fall before your head hits the ground.

Such injuries can cause serious difficulties going forward. The injured person may need a period off work, which may result in a loss of earnings. There may also be a requirement for ongoing care and rehabilitation. Sometimes, the damage is permanent.

Is anyone at fault?

If you have sustained injuries after slipping on a wet staircase, you might be trying to figure what went wrong. Accidents often occur so quickly, it can be hard to know what actually happened, and why.

The first thing to consider after slipping on a wet staircase is – who is the owner or occupier of the premises? The second thing to consider is – were reasonable steps taken to make the area safe?
In the case of slips on wet staircases, it might be that you suffered your accident in an office, in a parking lot, in a shopping mall, in a grocery store or in a residential property. In each example, the owner or occupier will be someone different. It could be your employer, a municipality, a landlord, strata or store.

Reasonable steps

Whoever the owner or occupier is, that party must take reasonable steps to make the premises (including the staircase) safe. If the staircase is outside, then an owner/occupier is not expected to control the weather. But they are expected to limit the risks by clearing ice, gritting the surfaces, inserting handrails and using anti-slip materials.

Similarly, if the staircase is inside, then an owner/occupier cannot be expected to prevent every single accident. But again, steps can be taken to reduce the possibility of injury. This might include fixing water leaks, closing the staircase during cleaning, inspecting the area frequently and using entrance mats to minimize rainwater being trampled through the building.

Slip and fall lawyer

If an owner or occupier fails to take reasonable steps to make the premises safe and you slip on a wet staircase, there may be grounds for a personal injury claim.
If this has happened to you, it can be hard to know whether or not you are entitled to make a claim. To find out, simply speak to a slip and fall lawyer from John Mickelson Law Corporation. We are experts in slip and falls claims and can advise you further.

Contact us now

To speak to a slip and fall lawyer, please contact us now at John Mickelson Law Corporation. Either fill in the free online enquiry form or call us on 604 684 0040.

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