Have you or a loved one been the victim of an accident that took place in a bathroom in a San Diego store, office, mall, gym or restaurant? If so, you may be entitled to benefits and financial compensation if your injuries resulted in health and medical issues, lost wages, pain, and emotional suffering. It is important that you consult with a skilled and experienced San Diego bathroom accident lawyer who knows how to handle restroom accidents.
Slip, trip, and fall accidents are very common and can happen almost anywhere we go throughout the course of our day. A commonplace for these accidents to occur is bathrooms and restrooms. Slip and fall accidents can be extremely dangerous and can result in the victim suffering from severe injuries. In many cases, these injuries take years to recover from and can diminish the quality of your life. In addition to suffering the injury, or injuries, you may be unable to work for a period of time so you will face financial difficulties as well. For these reasons and others it makes sense to consult with a personal injury lawyer handling cases throughout San Diego County including El Cajon, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista, Poway, Escondido and Carlsbad.
Contact the San Diego personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Howard Kitay. Mr. Kitay and his associates offer free consultations and charge no fee unless they recover for you and your family. Dial (619) 442-0542 today.
Causes Of Bathroom Slip And Fall Accidents
Under California, law property owners have a duty to maintain clean and safe property conditions for their patrons. Failing to provide a safe bathroom may result in a slip and fall accident. You may sustain a slip and fall accident in a restroom in a number of ways; the most common include:
- Leaks: There are many pipes and faucets in a bathroom that can become damaged. Damaged pipes or faucets can leak, causing the floor of the bathroom to become wet. As the large majority of bathroom floors are tile they become very slippery when wet. A victim may slip on the wet surface caused by the leak.
- Overflow: A toilet or sink in a bathroom may become clogged. As the water flows or the toilet is flushed, the water level may get too high and overflow onto the floor, making it slippery.
- Broken tile: Wear and tear on the tile floor that is caused by heavy use can cause the tiles on the floor to lift or break off. Broken or damaged tiles on the floor make a tripping hazard for those using the bathroom.
Injuries Seen In Bathroom & Restroom Accidents
Public restrooms are one of the most common places for a slip and fall accident to take place. Restrooms are very high traffic areas in retail establishments and due to the volume of traffic floors often become wet and slippery due to people washing their hands, changing their children on changing tables, and, unfortunately, due to urine accumulation around toilet stalls and urinals. Also, flooring can become chipped or broken, rugs and mats can be slippery and unsecured and this can cause a customer to trip and fall. The owner, manager, cleaning company, and contractors associated with the store are responsible for providing a safe place for their customers.
As most are aware, bathrooms are usually full of hard objects, many of which have sharp or pointy edges. These can include counters, sinks, urinals and bathroom stalls, and stall doors. Some restrooms also include seats, stools and benches. This makes for injuries that can be very serious during a slip and fall accident. Some of the common injuries associated with a slip and fall that occurs in the restroom are:
- Head injuries: The head falling with force on any object can be dangerous. When that floor is hard, it is very likely that head trauma will occur. It is not uncommon for victims of slip and falls in restrooms to sustain head injuries.
- Bone bones: The bones can only take so much force before they break. This force is often surpassed when the body falls onto the hard bathroom floor. Broken bones can include closed fractures, hairline fractures and open fractures.
- Sprains: As the body falls, it is instinctive to throw out the arms and hands in order to stop the fall. When the mass of the body shifts to the upper limbs, the result can be wrist, elbow, hand, or shoulder sprains.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall incident, it is important to remember that you do not have to fight for compensation on your own.
Avoiding Restroom Slip & Fall Accidents
People in the San Diego metropolitan area are constantly on the go. We often take pride in our busy lives as we brag to our friends about how much time we don’t have. The hustle and bustle of our daily lives can be due to shuttling our children to activities and events, going to school at night to further our careers or engaging in social activities and enjoying the San Diego nightlife. One of the issues with being so busy, and in many cases multi-tasking, is that we can be oblivious to safety hazards around us. The problem with using public restrooms is that they can be dangerous areas. They are actually one of the most common places that slip and fall accidents take place. They are prone to slip and fall accidents due to the large amounts of water, hand soap, and hand sanitizer droplets that can make the floor extremely slippery. To keep them safe they need regular cleanings, maintenance, and upkeep.
Retail store managers, owners, and proprietors often do not care for their restrooms in the manner they should as they may be more concerned with the appearance of the store, its aisles, and merchandise arrangement. It is important that you know how, and try to, to avoid a slip and fall when in a public bathroom. Three ways you can prevent a slip and fall accident from occurring in the restroom are:
- Look down: A slip and fall is most likely going to happen because of a wet floor or broken tile. As you walk through the restroom be keep your eyes looking in all directions—including downward—as you look for these dangers.
- Avoid: Being able to notice the dangers will do nothing if you decide to trek through a hazardous area anyway. Instead, take a long way and walk around the potentially dangerous area.
- Tell someone: If you notice that the floor is wet or damaged you should notify the management right away. They should be able to take care of the problem, which may save you or others from injury.
Unfortunately, not all managers or owners will take the steps necessary to keep their customers safe. As a result, you may become injured in a slip and fall accident.
What To Do If Injured In A Slip And Fall Accident
The most important thing you can do after being injured in a bathroom or restroom accident is to seek medical attention. Sometimes that involves you being able to take yourself to the emergency room, hospital or to see your primary care physician. You also need to document the injury and have the store manager fill out an incident report. If possible take pictures of the accident scene and be sure to get photos or take video footage of what caused the accident i.e. a wet floor or broken tiles.
Contact a San Diego Bathroom Accident Lawyer
To discuss your case please contact the San Diego bathroom accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Howard Kitay by dialing (619) 442-0542 for a free consultation. Our injury lawyers have many years of experience handling slip and fall claims and will do everything necessary to get you the maximum benefits and compensation you are entitled to for your injuries, lost wages, medical bills, pain, and suffering.
