Know About the Liability in Slip and Fall Accidents on Stairs

Staircase accidents are the most common type of injury liability claims. They’re dangerous, and they can cause serious injury or death. In fact, stairs are often a major contributor to injury lawsuits—and rightfully so: stairs can be a very dangerous place for people to be if they aren’t careful!

Slip and Fall Lawyer Hamilton

If you’ve been injured by a staircase accident in your home or business (or on public property), it’s important that you understand how this type of claim works so that you can make sure everything goes smoothly when dealing with the insurance companies involved in your case.

The vast majority of staircase injuries are preventable

The vast majority of staircase injuries are preventable. As a rule, stairs are dangerous for the elderly and disabled, children, pets and people with disabilities (including mobility issues).

Staircases are dangerous because they have no handrails or other safety features to help keep you on your feet if you trip. If you fall down a flight of stairs then it can be hard to get back up again without assistance. But even if someone helps you get up again after tripping over your own feet in their haste to help you out there is still one more chance that they’ll fall down themselves.

Staircases are dangerous for the elderly and disabled.

As the elderly population grows, so does their likelihood of falling. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults are more than twice as likely to be injured in staircases than younger adults. When people do fall on stairs, they’re more likely to suffer serious injuries. In fact, one study found that 76% of all fatal falls result from a slip or trip at home.

Building code violations

Existing conditions: If a stairwell is found to be in violation of the building code, you must take action immediately. This can include removing any hazards and repairing the building.

New construction: If a new stairwell is being constructed and it fails to meet requirements set forth by the city or state, then you are required to install proper safety features (such as handrails) before opening up your doors for business operations.

Handrails

Handrails should be at least 1.5 meters above the floor. They should be placed so that they are within reach of the user, with a clear path to walk along them from any point on the stairway to any point on either side of it.

A handrail should also provide support for both hands when holding onto it; this prevents users from falling over or slipping off poorly maintained rails—a common occurrence in older homes where wooden stairs were installed before rubberized ones were invented (which can become slippery when wet). If there’s no railing around each step, you could end up falling down those dark steps.

Improper Stair Height or Depth

Stair height and depth are important.You should measure your stair’s height, depth and step count as part of your safety assessment.Consistent stair designs and layouts are required for all stairs in a building, including those shared by different users (e.g., children).

The maximum allowable slope of the treads must not exceed 1:12 at any point along its length; no more than one-third (0.33) of the total rise may be less than 2 inches; no part shall have an incline less than 1/8 inch per foot [1 millimeter per meter].

Uneven Stair Height or Depth

You may be surprised to learn that uneven stair heights or depths can cause injury. A staircase that’s too steep, shallow, long, narrow and/or wide has the potential to lead to serious injury. In addition to being dangerous in itself (and potentially causing you or another person falling over), this type of unevenness may be responsible for an accident because it makes it harder for someone walking up the stairs to see where they’re going.

If your home has any kind of uneven flooring such as carpeting on stairs or risers then this should be fixed immediately so as not put anyone at risk for injury. Otherwise, it could lead up into a lawsuit against both yourself and others involved if something happened – even just one slip!

Your rights if you fall from the stairs

You should be informed of their rights and risks of injury.You should be informed about the benefits of safety measures, including stairway guards and warning signs.You should be informed about reporting injuries to their health care providers.

Next Steps

So, what’s the best way to avoid these types of accidents? If you have stairs in your house and they are not properly maintained or maintained at all, then it’s time to make some changes. You can also install handrails on both sides of each step, along with a warning sign that reads “Caution: Wet or Ice Fixation.” Finally, stairway heights should be uniform throughout so that there isn’t any extra strain on one leg while moving up or down slowly.

Make sure that you take care when constructing and maintaining a staircase as it can cause serious injury or death.

To ensure that the stairway is safe by making sure that all stairs are properly constructed, maintained, and free of hazards. This includes cracks in the foundation, loose boards at the top of your stairs, holes in the wall or ceiling above them (especially if there’s a basement below). Make sure that all areas around where your stairway will be built are clean and clear so no one falls through any openings within those areas.

To sum it up, staircases are dangerous and if you injure someone while using one, you might be held liable. The best way to avoid liability is by taking care of your staircase properly so that it doesn’t cause any injuries in the first place.

If you have any questions about staircase accidents or other types of liability claims, it’s time for you to reach out to APC Law. We are here for your assistance in Hamilton. Call us at 1-800-931-7036.