Month: November 2016

The many causes of indoor slip-and-fall accidents

As one of our New York City readers, there’s a good chance that your own two feet are your primary mode of transportation. Unfortunately, there are times when pedestrians are involved in a serious accident that leads to injury or even death.

In addition to pedestrian-car accidents, you should never overlook the fact that an indoor slip and fall can be extremely dangerous. You might think cars pose the biggest threat to pedestrians, but you shouldn’t overlook the dangers of indoor slip-and-falls.

When you visit an office building, retail location or any other indoor environment, you hope that you never face a safety concern. But there’s no way of knowing for sure, which is why accidents happen.

2 top causes

There are many reasons for indoor slip-and-fall accidents. Furthermore, these often occur in one of two places:

1. Floors

It goes without saying that property owners are expected to clean, mop and polish their floors. They do this to keep them clean, to keep them looking good and to hopefully avoid an accident.

The problem with this is simple: Wet floors can be extremely dangerous, especially when people expect them to be dry.

A property owner may be held responsible for an accident if it results from:

• Failure to provide warning, such as through the use of a sign, that the floor is wet
• Failure to block off areas that could be considered dangerous
• Applying wax or polish unevenly or using too much of the product
• Neglecting to use a non-skid product when necessary
• Carpet that is worn or bulging
• Mats or rugs with curled edges, thus acting as a trip hazard

2. Stairs

Stairs can be extremely dangerous, especially when they aren’t cared for in the appropriate manner. Stairway accidents can result from:

• Missing stairs
• Inadequate lighting
• A step that is worn
• Debris on the stairs, including paper
• A broken or missing handrail
• Stairs that have been polished or waxed, thus making them slippery
• Stairs that do not have the appropriate non-skid surface

As a pedestrian, you don’t spend much time watching the ground in front of you. Instead, your eyes are straight ahead and you assume that the floor and stairs are in good condition.

Unfortunately, there are times when this isn’t the case, which ultimately leads to a slip-and-fall accident.

If you’re involved in such an accident, don’t rush to move. Instead, call for help to ensure that you receive immediate medical attention. You can then learn more about your legal rights, such as the opportunity to receive compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, lost wages and more.

Etiquette courses for bouncers?

One common sight at bars are bouncers. How such bar workers act can have major repercussions for patrons. Certain types of bouncer conduct could put the safety of patrons at risk.

One is a bouncer not responding properly when violence or the potential for violence breaks out at a bar. Bouncers play an important security role at bars, and when they negligently fail to play this role properly when fights or other instances of violence arise, patrons could end up getting seriously hurt.

Another thing that could pose dangers for patrons is a bouncer losing control of their temper. A bouncer can face a lot of aggravating things when at their post. When they lose their cool in the face of such annoyances, it could result in unnecessary uses of force that could significantly injure people.

One thing that has arisen lately aimed at helping bouncers steer clear of this second dangerous behavior are bouncer etiquette courses. Such courses provide bouncers with tips on a variety of things, such as staying in control when dealing with aggravating situations, using persuasion to diffuse potentially problematic situations and keeping themselves and patrons safe. What do you think of the idea of bouncer etiquette courses?

These types of courses are one of many types of bouncer training out there. Some such training is in-person, while others are online. Some states have rules requiring that bouncers undergo training. Do you think these types of courses will come to play a bigger role in the bouncer profession in upcoming years? If so, do you think it will lead to big increases in bar patron safety?

When a person is hurt in an incident at a bar involving a bouncer, there may be certain things they are unclear on. For one, they may be unsure of whether they could bring a legal clam in connection to the incident, like a negligent security or negligent hiring claim. So, following a bar-related injury, a person may want to promptly seek clarification on their legal rights and situation from a skilled lawyer.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, “Coming to a Bar Near You: The Domesticated Bouncer,” Jim Carlton, May 25, 2016