Leaving the home, whether to run errands, buy food or bond and have fun with our families should be innocuous and safe. It should not put us in danger. We shouldn’t expect an injury to take place. Unfortunately, injuries outside of the home, in public places do happen and they are actually quite common and widespread. As parents we have control over the safety conditions of our homes, but when we leave our homes, we have to trust that the owners of those properties and spaces maintain them so that our families are safe. In most cases property owners, including the state and the government uphold this responsibility well, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes things can go wrong and people can get hurt. One of the best things we can do is learn some of the causes of these accidents and the types of conditions that create them. That way we can take the necessary preventive measures to protect ourselves.

According to California legal experts and lawyers, The Barnes Firm, slip and fall injuries are some of the most common causes of hospitalization in the US and in some cases, they can be fatal. Most people don’t know how to go about navigating this injury when it happens. The best thing you can do is find a great legal firm that can assist with the entire process. One of the steps in this process is identifying the types of environments these injuries happen in so that you know how to file your claim. Here are a few causes of slip and fall injuries.

Neglected Premises

When you’re in public areas, keep an eye on the environment and know what to look for and stay away from to avoid injury. Not all injuries are preventable, because by their nature, accidents aren’t something we plan for. There are however, certain places that are more dangerous and can lead to slip and falls. For example, places that have irregular floor surfaces can cause injuries, along with damaged carpets, poor lighting, wet floors and poorly maintained surfaces. Slip and fall injuries can also take place in locations where there are renovations and construction happening, potholes in the road, and cracks in the pavement or due to rain and snow making the ground slippery. In this  case, it can be proven that the owners of the property where negligent and didn’t do the required maintenance to uphold public safety.

Distracted Parties

One of the most common causes of accidents and injuries these days is being distracted by gadgets. People who are on their phones while their driving, won’t be able to sufficiently pay attention to everything happening, making it more likely that they will hit someone or something. This is why mobile phone use is considered a road safety risk. Pedestrians are no different. If you’re walking in public areas on your phone you might be so distracted that you can’t pay attention to your surroundings, and in situations where you have to react quickly, you might not be able to react fast enough. Also listening to music in earphones or headphones is something we have to do carefully. If the volume is too loud and we can’t hear what’s happening in the environment that can also be a hazard.

Temporary Negligence

Some injuries are caused by temporary obstructions and obstacles in a specific environment. For example in a supermarket or retail space, poorly packed racks and shelves can lead to a slip and fall injury. This is why it’s important the store management prioritize a well-kept and orderly shop floor. If you go into a store that has things lying around, it might be better to choose a more orderly location in order to prevent any mishaps. Another example of temporary negligence is being in a restaurant space where a beverage has been spilled on the floor. If the spill isn’t cleaned up in time, that could lead to a customer getting hurt.

Slip and fall injuries are considered quite common. The unfortunate thing is that many of them are preventable if property owners were more responsible and took care of the environments that the public use and move around in. In order to make our communities and local areas safe, everyone has a part to play including business owners and managers. When that responsibility falls short, people can get hurt. We won’t always be able to control the occurrence of these injuries, but we can learn what to look for and make sure we steer clear of it. That way we can make the time spent outside of our homes as safe and as well-maintained as the places we’re responsible for.