You may walk up and down flights of stairs countless times per day. This may be second nature to you, to the point that you do not even think twice or concentrate too fiercely when doing so. Unfortunately, this may be until you unexpectedly trip, slip, and fall on a stairway. Immediately afterwards, your initial thought may be that you encountered a broken step or handled a faulty handrail. If so, please read on to discover how a defective step or handrail can cause you serious bodily injury and how a seasoned Panama City slip & fall attorney at Manuel & Thompson, PA can help you get the recovery you need.
How can a step or handrail cause me bodily injury?
Your slip and fall accident from a step or handrail was likely caused by one of two reasons. For one, the staircase’s construction may have been noncompliant with Florida’s building codes. Or, it may have had an inherent defect that was left unaddressed. Examples of both are as follows:
- Staircase injuries caused by building code violations:
- A step may be too great a distance apart from its subsequent step.
- A step may have too narrow a tread depth to place a foot comfortably onto.
- A handrail may be secured too close or too far from a step’s edge.
- A handrail may be too big in surface area for a palm to grasp comfortably onto.
- A handrail may jut out too far from a wall or post, minimizing the clearance.
- Staircase injuries caused by defective parts:
- A step may have a jagged, protruding edge or uneven surface.
- A step may have been missing a tile or other structural material.
- A step may be slippery due to inclement weather conditions or ceiling leaks.
- A handrail may be wobbly and unsecurely fastened onto a wall or post.
- A staircase may be located in an area that lacks adequate lighting for navigational purposes.
Who is liable for the defective stairway that caused my injury?
You can likely assume that a property owner is liable for all defective fixtures present on their premises, including their steps and handrails. Sometimes, a contractor or maintenance provider can be to blame. This is because a contractor may have been negligent in drawing up the plans, taking measurements, and constructing the stairway. Or, a maintenance provider may have carelessly left faults in a stairway after they were hired to fix it adequately.
Even still, a property owner should share part or most of the responsibility. This is because they have a duty of care to ensure their premises are clear of any potentially hazardous conditions and rectify any identified ones as soon as possible. So, it can be argued that the property owner should have reviewed the contractor’s or maintenance provider’s work before allowing visitors, like yourself, to navigate the staircase and the rest of their premises.
If you need help preparing for this upcoming personal injury case, turn to one of the competent Panama City personal injury attorneys. We at Manuel & Thompson, PA, have gone through this countless times before, and we are ready to go through it again to support you.
