When someone has the misfortune of slipping and falling in public, they must determine the cause of their accident and seek the legal advice of a personal injury attorney. If your fall results from unsafe conditions like a wet floor that has no sign around it, you may be able to pursue a legitimate slip and fall case against the property owner. In this situation, enlist the services and legal representation of the best slip and fall lawyer in your area. An experienced lawyer will know how to prove the owner’s negligence and get you the compensation you deserve for various kinds of injuries and costly medical bills. Initiating a personal injury lawsuit is the best move to make when you slip and fall on someone else’s property, but what if your injuries occur at home?
Most slips and falls happen at home, where many people spend most of their time and typically move around without giving much thought to their safety. If you lose your balance often, you aren’t as stable as you used to be, or you’re experiencing health conditions and physical changes related to aging, you’re at an increased likelihood of falling. Still, fear of slipping and falling doesn’t have to rule one’s life. There are various changes homeowners can make to their homes to help them avoid falls and ensure their safety as much as possible. Listed below are practical fall-prevention tips.
Install handrails and grab bars.
Recent data show that one in four older adults report falling each year, with over 34,000 fatal, preventable falls occurring in 2019. One surefire way to keep older adults, younger individuals, and yourself from slipping and falling is by installing safety devices. If your home has stairs, handrails on each side of your staircases can ensure residents can move up and down from each floor safely. Likewise, consider having grab bars installed in your showers, bathtubs, and on both sides of your toilets. These bars can keep people from injuring themselves when stepping in and out of the tub or shower.
Fix up your basement.
The presence of water and the type of flooring in your home can make the bathroom, followed by the kitchen, the rooms with the most significant risk for slipping and falling. Still, it’s crucial to pay attention to other spaces where trips, slips, and falls can occur. For instance, basements can contain various slip-and-fall hazards like mechanical equipment, hard surface flooring, water, and moisture. Leaks, water damage, cracks, and foundational problems can make your basement dangerous and increase the likelihood of someone falling. Consider calling on local contractors to quickly and accurately handle wet basement problems and foundational issues that threaten your home’s structural integrity and raise your chances of slipping. For homeowners in Ohio, this means hiring the company that provides the best basement repair in Stow, OH. The best basement repair company employs technicians and contractors that can expertly provide the waterproofing and wall anchoring services you need to keep your basement safe and your property’s foundation strong.
Keep your home as well-lit and clutter-free as possible.
A significant hazard that often leads to slips and falls is inadequate lighting. Make your home more suitable for older adults and safer for everyone by making sure the light switches are easy to reach and installing brighter lightbulbs in stairways, hallways, and other spaces. Additionally, try using nightlights in the bedrooms and bathrooms to improve visibility and guidance at night.
Furthermore, keep your home neat, tidy, and free of tripping hazards. Perhaps the easiest way to prevent falls is to remove clutter like piles of old magazines and newspapers from the floor. Regarding the flooring, do away with slippery rugs, loose carpet, or floorboards that jut out by replacing or removing them altogether. Ultimately, a person’s home is like their safe, stress-free haven, so it’s in homeowners’ best interest to make changes to their property that make it easier to move around without the stress or fear of getting hurt.