People tend to think that falls just happen, and that falling is their own fault.
The fact is, however, many falls result from someone else making a bad decision, or taking a dangerous action, that makes a fall more likely to happen.
For example, your chances of falling and getting hurt on someone else’s property go up when you encounter:
- Steps with no handrail;
- A wet floor from a spill or leaking roof;
- Torn or frayed carpets, broken tiles, and cracked pavement; and
- Poor lighting.
Of course, people should always watch their step. However, property owners also have a responsibility to protect the safety of anyone who comes onto their properties. Property owners, occupants, or managers who fail to take reasonable steps to keep their premises safe—such as by warning about or fixing the types of hazards above—can face legal liability to anyone who gets hurt as a result.
Owners of all types of properties—commercial, residential, and public—have at least some duty to keep them in a safe condition to help prevent falls and injuries.
So, you might have a claim for damages against the owner, occupant, or manager of a property in Atlantic City where you fell and got hurt if a dangerous condition on that property played a role in you falling. Keep in mind, however, you might not always know right away about the property hazard that led to you falling.
Speak with an Atlantic City slip and fall attorney at The Levin Firm as soon as possible after falling and suffering an injury to help you investigate whether someone’s decisions or actions put you in harm’s way.