Common Causes of Bathroom Fall Down Accidents
Slip and fall accidents in bathrooms are very common types of fall accidents which result in lawsuits. Bathrooms often have hard floors, such as tile or marble. Falls on these types of floors often result in very serious injuries, including:
- head/brain injuries,
- knee and hand injuries,
- broken or fractured bones, and
- spinal injuries.
Invasive medical treatment such as surgery may be necessary. The injured party may incur thousands of dollars in medical bills and also suffer significant loss of wages.
Here are three common causes of fall down accidents which occur in the bathroom:
1. Water leaking from a pipe or toilet
A property owner such as a store, mall, restaurant, etc. can be held liable for a fall accident which occurs due to accumulation of water leaking from a toilet or sink pipe. Proving liability requires at least some evidence that the owner either knew about the problem or should have known about the problem. For example, proving that employees knew about the problem for days, weeks and months prior to the accident is probably sufficient to prove notice.
2. Water leaking from a roof
Similarly, when water is leaking from a roof and onto the floor of a bathroom, the owner may be liable if an employee knew about the problem before the accident. In addition, under Pennsylvania law, the owner may be liable if it created the danger by engaging in repairs negligently. A contractor may also be liable for shoddy repair. For example, if a roofing contractor made repairs to the roof prior to the accident and those repairs caused water to leak into the bathroom, the roofing contractor could be held liable in addition to the owner.
3. Lack of reasonable maintenance
Property owners who fail to conduct reasonable maintenance of bathroom facilities may be held liable when a customer slips and falls as a result of accumulated water on the floor. Of course, it is natural for water to accumulate on the floor near the sink area. As people wash their hands, excess water naturally shakes off onto the floor, and near the trash bin. Property owners are unlikely to be held liable when someone slips in this type of scenario. However, if the property owner never conducted maintenance of the bathroom to clean up and the water accumulated into puddles, then liability may attach.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident in a bathroom and would like to speak to one of our lawyers, please call 215.925.4451 for a FREE, no hassle consultation.
Related content:
- Pennsylvania Slip, Trip & Fall Accident Law
- The Timeline of a Slip & Fall Lawsuit in Philadelphia
- Water on the Floor – Pennsylvania Slip & Fall Accident Law
Philadelphia Slip & Fall Accident Lawyers
Schwartz & Blackman has been representing the injured and their families for over thirty years in slip and fall accident cases. Our firm offers a free consultation for all Pennsylvania and New Jersey injury and accident victims. Call now and ask for your free consultation. 215.925.4451
Schwartz & Blackman handles fall down accident cases in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area:
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- NJ: Atlantic County, Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Camden, Cherry Hill, New Jersey shore cities
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