There are many hazardous conditions that could increase a person’s chances of falling. This includes slippery walkways, tripping hazards, broken sidewalks, broken surfaces on a parking lot and icy and snowy walkways. One would hope that all property owners would keep their properties free of such hazards. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, a property owner’s negligence regarding walking surfaces leads to visitors suffering falls.
When a person suffers a fall on someone else’s property, can they pursue legal action over the incident? They might be able to, depending on the circumstances of the fall. Among the details that can be important in this respect is how the property owner acted when it comes to the safety of the walking areas on their premises. When a person falls at someone else’s property, speaking to a skilled attorney can help them get a picture of what the legal options are in their particular case.
When a person falls while they are out and about, is there anything they can do to try to reduce the harm the fall will cause? What a person does as they are falling can impact their injury likelihood. So, when it comes to falling, there is a “right” and a “wrong” way to do it. A recent New York Times article went over some tips on falling from martial arts instructors, paratroopers, physical therapists and stunt professionals. Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of falling that the article points to:
- Do roll with the fall.
- Do take steps to try to break up the impact.
- Do turn to your side.
- Do tuck in and protect your head.
- Do try to have the fleshy parts of your body take the brunt of the impact.
- Don’t stiffen up.
- Don’t fall straight forward or backward.
- Don’t reach your hands out.
- Don’t use your knees to try to catch yourself.
Source: The New York Times, “The Right Way to Fall,” Kate Murphy, Jan. 24, 2017