Recent Posts in Slip and Fall Category

Many people assume a pool or lake area is safe if a lifeguard is "on-duty", however, many drownings occur daily and often times in areas where lifeguards are on duty.   Ten people die a day on average from accidental drowning and more than 1 in 5 involve children ages 14 or younger.  A visual study done by CBS including the work of a safety consultant observed many lifeguards and found many paying close attention. However, they did observe some lifeguards texting and doing paperwork.  In these instances, children would be more safe if a "No Lifeguard On Duty" sign where hung for parent awareness. 

A drowning can happen in a few short seconds and there should always be qualified and observant adult supervising swimmers to avoid swimming pool accidents.  Many minor injuries and serious injuries can occur even when a lifeguard is observant; therefore, turning ones back to the pool is never acceptable when the pool is occupied.  In addition to a drowning, many slip and fall accidents can occur poolside and result in traumatic brain injuries in childrend.  Spinal cord injuries can occur easily  when swimmers dive into shallow areas or use the diving board improperly. Many needless tragedies can be avoided by constant vigilance by an adult supervisor. 

Have you been the victim of a water accident?  Have you lost a loved one due to a tragic drowning accident?  I

Contact the Cagle Law today to speak with an experienced and dedicated St. Louis personal injury lawyer about filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
To schedule a consultation to discuss your claim, please contact the firm today at (800) 716-2621

    Drowning is the second leading cause of serious injury or death for U.S. children. Nine people drown every day in the US and 75% of the drowning occurs between May and September.  Many steps can be taken to prevent your child from drowning or sustaining a serious injury. Children don't just drown in swimming pool accidents. Children can drown in bath tubs, drainage ditches, and buckets as well. The most reasonable solution to safeguarding your children is by teaching children to swim. However, parents of even the strongest swimmers should gather strategies on safeguarding their children around water as to avoid injuries such astramautic brain injury or spinal cord injuries.

Some general safety rules include:

• Children should never swim alone, even if they know how to swim. Cramps and fatigue can cause an accomplished swimmer to drown.
• Always check the depth of the water before diving in.  Observe "No diving" or "No Swimming" signs
• Swim in areas with a lifeguard, however, pools that are overcrowded can be very dangerous as the chaos can mask the danger.
• If you give your children a flotation device as toy, it should never be a substitute for a PFD (personal flotation device).  Floaties and water wings should never replace the parent.

Some theories suggest that flotation devices should never be given to children so that they can become familiar with the properties of water and learn to swim more efficiently. 

• Do not allow your children to run as decks and concrete patios are often wet and slippery. Slip and falls for children can easily occur that would often seem small, however, children can fall quickly and the fall can result in a serious brain injury.
• It is advised that NO DIVING should ever happen in an above-ground pool.
• Keep a telephone outside close to the pool area, so you will not be tempted to leave the pool area for even a few seconds to answer the phone.
• Keep chairs and tables far away from pool to keep children from accidentally falling in
• Keep toys away from pool area as children can easily fall in trying to access the toys
• Keep emergency numbers at the poolside telephone
• Keep rescue equipment beside the pool at all times
• Have children start swimming lessons early, but never think that after a few lessons that your child "can swim" or should be left alone to swim
• Completely fence off the pool by using self-closing and safety latch gates.

This week, a jury awarded $1.3 million to a Chicago man when a leaky ceiling at the Ogilvie Transportation Center caused him to fall and shatter his kneecap. 

According to Rocco Ditrani's lawyers, since no warning sign was present to indicate a wet spot, the building was liable for the plaintiff's medical bills, rehabilitation therapy, and four months of lost wages. 

Witnesses say that the ceiling had a leaking problem for over 17 years, which meant that the leasing agent responsible for the upkeep of the building bore received of the fault since it had knowledge of the leak.

Jeffery J. Knoll, one of Ditrani's lawyers, stated that the judgment benefits all Metra station passengers because, "the building's caretakers are finally being held accountable for their failure to protect the thousands of commuters that pass through the Metra station every day."

The jury also apportioned some of the liability to the janitorial service company for its failure to clean up the leak and place caution sign around the signs.

Under premises liability law, property owners are responsible for keeping their property safe and hazard-free.  If they don't and a person is injured in an avoidable accident, the property owner is liable for all damages.  Most often, premises liabilty involves slip and fall cases where warning signs were not present to indicate a wet or slippery area, or an employee failed to clean up a spill right away.  If you have been involved in an accident on either private or public property where the owner was at fault, call the Premises Liability Attorneys at Page Cagle today for a free consultation.  Our experienced legal staff can discuss the elements of your case and help you get the compensation you deserve.