A faulty set of stairs, a concealed hole along a grassy pathway, an unseen water stain on a dark-colored rug, or even a pedestrian walkway under construction with no detour or warning might cause someone to slip and fall and suffer damages. These injuries can range from minor to seriously debilitating and possibly even fatal depending on the circumstances and the age of the victim. The elderly may be more prone to sustaining injuries from a slip and fall, but even someone young, hearty and hale can do some serious physical damage in a fall.
As an example,The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported a Watsonville woman who received a jury award of $843,567 when she slipped down stairs at a medical clinic in town sustaining injuries to her back, leg, hip and arm as well as permanent nerve damage. Such injuries are not at all uncommon, and defective stairs make the property owners liable for injuries sustained when someone is hurt on them.
If you have been the victim of a slip and fall on property owned by someone other than yourself, you may be entitled to recover your damages. Do not necessarily assume you were hurt because of your own carelessness or negligence.