If you slip and fall at a retail location, it could be negligence, but the type of flooring also could play a part, according to a recent report by Bloomberg.
Slips, trips and falls kill thousands of people each year and injure hundreds of thousands more, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than a quarter of the days missed from work are due to these types of injuries. They’re not only common; they’re expensive. Americans spend $50 billion annually on medical care to treat slip and fall injuries, and companies pay out millions of dollars in settlements.
Another interesting fact: slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall claims often stem from big box chain stores. Walmart had an average of three slips, trips and fall claims per day, accounting for 60% of lawsuits filed against the retail giant. Costco was named in more than 200 personal injury suits over the past year. Publix Super Markets had 69,000 falls across 925 stores over five years.
Not only are spills a potential hazard for these types of injuries, but according to the Bloomberg report, some safety advocates say the type of flooring also makes a difference. While there are no mandatory standards for testing commercial flooring in terms of slipperiness, some experts measuring friction – or the amount of resistance – to evaluate a floor’s surface have claimed that some types of flooring are more prone to accidents than others. However, others claim that the instrument used to measure friction – a tribometer – can be calibrated differently from manufacturer to manufacturer, yielding a wide range of results. The bottom line is that property owners must keep their premises safe for visitors and patrons.
If you have been injured by a slip and fall or trip and fall in Pennsylvania, it’s important to note that there is a time limit for filing a lawsuit. Please reach out to us to discuss the details and determine whether we can help.