When we consider dangerous sites of falls, few of us consider sidewalks. Most of us walk along the sidewalks of Hollywood and surrounding areas every day, whether we are walking our dogs, heading to our favorite café, stepping out to our car, or going for a jog in our neighborhood. Nevertheless, sidewalks are one of the most common sites of serious falls and trip and fall accidents across Florida.
Have you fallen on a sidewalk outside of a business or private home? Make sure that one of the first phone calls you make is to Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626. Our caring and professional staff can arrange a free accident consultation for you so that you can discuss your situation with a member of our legal team. Our law firm can offer legal advice and can help you understand whether you can seek compensation through a civil claim.
Injuries Common in Sidewalk FallsSince sidewalks in Hollywood and most of Florida are made of concrete, a number of serious injuries can occur from a fall on a sidewalk, including:
One of the most common injuries that occur involves the hands and forearms. This is because many people who are falling will brace themselves, putting out their hands and forearms out in order to stop or break the fall. Unfortunately, in a severe fall, as can lead to broken bones, fractures, lacerations and other injuries across the arms and forearms. Unfortunately, right-handed people tend to push out their right hands order to stop their fall while left-handed people try to put out their left hands to stop a fall. This means that in the event of a fracture, the dominant hand is the one most likely to be fractured. In the event of a broken bone or serious injury, this can mean that someone is unable to return to work for weeks or even months.
Who is Responsible for Sidewalks?One of the issues that can arise with sidewalk falls is who is responsible. Sidewalks are often designed and maintained by municipalities. However, homeowners and businesses in front of the sidewalk are expected to do their part in order to maintain and keep the sidewalk clear. Unfortunately, after a fall, the multiple potential liable parties will generally start to point fingers. A storefront or private home may claim that the municipality failed to maintain a sidewalk correctly or failed to respond to issues such as uneven sidewalks. A municipality, on the other hand, may claim that a business or private residence failed to report sidewalk issues or failed to keep the sidewalk clear. Unfortunately, the person who has been injured may end up trapped in the middle, having trouble getting compensation from either side.
The reality is that in a slip and fall accident on a sidewalk, there may be multiple liable parties. Both the municipality and the property owner and nearby property owners may be held partly liable for the sidewalk injury. It is best to speak with a personal injury attorney in order to review what options exist and in order to discuss who may be liable.
If you have fallen on the sidewalk and have sustained an injury, you can always contact Flaxman Law Group for a free, confidential case consultation. In a thorough and honest investigation, the attorneys of Flaxman Law Group can take a look at the specifics of your case and can help you understand whether you have a legal claim. You can always reach us at our offices in Hollywood, Homestead, or Miami by calling 866-352-9626.