Winter Safety Tips: 10 Ways to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls
There are steps you can take to increase your own safety. Your own actions could become an issue in a lawsuit. Not only must you take care in order to stay safe, but you must also exercise extra vigilance to preserve your rights to financial compensation. If you have been injured in a slip and fall, Schauermann Thayer Injury Law will doggedly pursue full financial compensation on your behalf.
It is not always easy to get full compensation for a slip and fall accident. If the insurance company does not outright deny your claim, they will try to underpay you for your damages. One of their favorite tactics is to point the finger at you for your slip and fall accident, either partially or entirely. Then, the insurance company can either deny your claim or pay you less.
Call Schauermann Thayer if you have been injured in a fall accident. We will discuss your case during your free initial consultation, where we will explain the legal steps you may take.
Best Practices to Avoid Winter Falls
You must be as careful as possible, both to stay safe and to give others less opportunity to blame you for an accident. There are best practices that you can use to avoid winter accidents. However, you may still be able to obtain financial compensation in a slip and fall claim, even if you were not extra vigilant. First, you need to hire an experienced Vancouver personal injury lawyer to fight for your right to full and fair compensation.
In the meantime, here are some safety tips to help you avoid winter slip and fall accidents that can cause serious injuries.
Take Your Time
You focus the least when you are in a hurry. Taking a few extra minutes to get where you need to go allows you to look where you are going and concentrate more. You should go especially more slowly when you are walking outside. Still, if the weather outside is inclement, you should also allow extra time indoors because your shoes may be slippery
Wear Appropriate Shoes
You should anticipate that surfaces will be slippery from rain, snow, and ice. Wear shoes that provide traction on snow or ice. You should wear rubber soles that have a grip. You should wear these shoes often during the winter, especially when snow and ice are in the forecast.
Clean Off Your Shoes
You should track as little water and snow as possible on your shoes. When you enter an indoor space, you should either clean your shoes off or remove them entirely. Businesses should have appropriate floor mat systems to reduce the chance of injury, and you can use those mats to clean and dry your shoes.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
You should pre-check where you are walking to spot potentially dangerous conditions. If you notice a spot on the ground, such as a crack or a depression, make sure to take extra care when passing through.
Do Not Go Outside When You Do Not Have To
If the weather outside is bad, you should consider staying indoors. Only venture outside when you have a reason. If it is raining heavily or snowing outside, you should not leave your home if you can avoid it. If you do have to go outside, it should only be after you have taken extensive precautions.
Hold Onto Handrails
When handrails are provided, make sure to hold onto them. This is especially important when you are on a staircase or going up a ramp. A handrail can help steady you, especially when you may slip or lose your balance.
Keep Your Hands Free
When you have hands in your pockets, or you are using them, it can take away from your balance. You would be more likely to fall. You would also not be able to steady yourself if you began to lose your balance. Keep your hands out of your pockets, while they are covered with gloves.
Do Not Walk When Distracted
If you are looking down at your phone, or listening to music, you are not fully paying attention to where you are going. You may be looking away, or you are distracted. Not only does distracted walking make things more dangerous for you, but it may also give the insurance company a reason to point the finger at you for your accident.
Do Not Try to Break Your Fall
You may try to use your arms and hands to break your fall. While breaking your fall with your hands may slow the momentum of your fall, it can also lead to broken arms, shoulders, and wrists. Try to use a forward or backward roll to break your fall. However, it is not always possible to use the proper fall technique at a second’s notice when you panic.
In the unfortunate event of a slip and fall accident, seeking immediate medical attention is crucial. Afterward, it’s essential to consult with a skilled personal injury attorney who can assess your case and help you understand your legal rights and options for seeking compensation.
Keep Floors Dry Indoors
You, or others, may track water and ice inside a building when you come in from the outside. There should be mats on the floors to keep them from becoming slippery with tracked inside water. Property owners should regularly inspect the floors to make sure that they are dry.
Report Dangerous Conditions
If you notice anything that poses a hazard, make sure to report the dangerous condition to the property owner. They should take action to fix the dangerous condition, especially if they want to avoid liability in a lawsuit.
The insurance company may claim that you were contributorily negligent. They may use that as a reason to deny your claim entirely or write you a lesser check than they otherwise would have. Your personal injury attorney may need to defend your actions as part of your insurance claim.
Contact a Washington Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Reach out to Schauermann Thayer Injury Law to help you take on the insurance company since that is exactly what you need to do after a slip and fall accident. The first step in the legal process is to contact us to schedule a free initial consultation. Call us today at (360) 818-2725 to talk to a Washington personal injury lawyer.
