Slip and fall injuries, in most cases, can be prevented. If you were injured because proper preventive measures were not taken to prevent your fall, you can sue. To get an idea of what constitutes the criteria for a preventable slip and fall injury, here are three scenarios and how you can sue for compensation.

Ice

Slipping and falling on ice is quite a common occurrence in winter. However, slipping and falling on ice on either commercial property or private property where there are strict rules about removing the ice is grounds for a lawsuit. Because your injuries could have been prevented had someone salted and/or de-iced the areas where you were walking, the law holds them legally responsible.

Wet Store Floors

This is another preventable situation. Both rain and snow can cause store floors to become wet, but regular mopping is also a cause for this type of slip and fall. Stores have a responsibility to customer and employee safety, and the rain or melted snow should be mopped up, while freshly mopped floors should have been dry-mopped to pick up any excess water left on the floor. In addition to these mopping and drying measures, the stores should post cones or signs that warn everyone that the floor ahead is wet and everyone should tread carefully. If none of these things were done and you were injured as a result, you can sue.

Slippery Objects Underfoot

Apart from water, melted snow and ice, many objects that are left on a floor or on the ground can cause you to lose your footing. Small toys, such as marbles or bouncy balls, can cause you to slip and fall, as can bits of plastic wrap on waxed floors or linoleum. These are also preventable falls because if the objects had been picked up, you would not have accidentally stepped on them and fallen. Wherever these objects were and where you fell, that is the property owner's fault, and you may pursue compensation from that property owner.

How You Can Sue

First of all, you have to prove that your injuries could have been prevented and that there was negligence on the part of the property owner. If you can prove that, then your next step is to show that your injuries were substantial (e.g., fractured vertebra, concussion, etc.). When you can prove your injuries were substantial, then you can sue for the minimum amount of compensation for your medical care. If the injuries also affected your ability to work, you may also be entitled to lost wages, but you will have to discuss this at length with a qualified slip and fall lawyer.