Tripping Injuries Caused by Debris, Poor Visibility

Tripping injuries can happen to anyone, anywhere and at any time. All it takes to cause a tripping injury is an obstacle of some sort and taking your attention off where you are walking for one single second. In certain cases, however, a tripping incident may not be your fault at all. Perhaps you tripped over debris that was negligently left in a walking path, or tripped due to poor lighting conditions. No matter the reason, an expert personal injury attorney from the Cambridge firm of Altman & Altman can help you.

Property owners and those who are responsible for the upkeep of public spaces have a responsibility to ensure their premises are reasonably free of potential hazards that might injure people – and this includes a responsibility to ensure that potential tripping hazards are properly accounted for. If this responsibility is not taken seriously, and somebody trips and gets hurt, these parties may be held liable, and you may be eligible to receive financial compensation for your injuries.

There are many different potential causes for a tripping injury, including:

Poor lighting – Being able to see where you’re going is crucial to avoiding trips. Premises that have inadequate lighting in common areas, stairwells or other spaces may be liable if a patron, resident or other visitor trips due to tripping while unable to see because of the poor lighting.

Incomplete cleanup – Tasks such as construction or simpler revitalization projects often require lots of equipment and materials. When work concludes for the day or over a weekend, it is vital that the people responsible for these types of projects keep their equipment and materials out of the way of foot traffic. If you trip and fall over a pile of debris from ongoing construction or a piece of equipment that shouldn’t have been left in the way, you may have a claim for financial compensation.

Loose cables – Similar to the scenario above, work often requires the use of cables, whether those are electrical extension cords or other types of cabling. These often present a serious tripping hazard when in use, and those who utilize the cords must ensure that they have taped down cables to prevent a tripping hazard or have otherwise warned of the dangers.

Uneven walking surfaces – Nothing can cause a tripping accident as easily as an unexpected change in the elevation of the walking surface you are currently traversing. In the case of Cambridge and the Greater Boston Area, construction on sidewalks – especially brick sidewalks – is common, and can result in drastically uneven walking surfaces that may take pedestrians off guard and cause a tripping injury. Construction companies have a responsibility to make walkers aware of such risks.

Obstructed views – Not being able to adequately see a walking surface can also cause tripping injuries. Perhaps this is caused by an overflow of leaves during the autumn season, or by an overgrowth of weeds during the spring and summer. Either way, property owners have a responsibility to ensure people can see potential tripping hazards year-round.

Tripping injuries can be extremely serious, especially for senior citizens. They can cause broken bones, deep bruises and severe head injuries – and sometimes these injuries can cause permanent complications that the sufferer has to endure the rest of their life. Such injuries can result in serious medical expenses and significant time missed from work.

The professional personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP have over 50 years of experiencing advocating on behalf of clients who are injured due to the negligence of others, including those who have tripped and become injured. We know what it takes to build a winning case, and we can also assist if you need help collecting workers’ compensation.

Contact us online or call for a free consultation to go over the details of your case today at 617.492.3000 or toll-free at 800.481.6199. We are available 24/7.