Stairway Accidents

Most people encounter stairways daily during their work, home, and social lives. Stairways are a central building component in any structure of more than one story. Most of the time, we don’t think twice about taking the stairs, but it only takes a single misstep to divide a person’s life into before and after—before a serious injury, and then the aftermath, full of painful medical procedures, lengthy recovery times, and sometimes temporary or permanent disability. Depending on the severity of the injury, a stairway slip and fall accident can be just an embarrassment leaving a fall victim with a few bumps and bruises, or it can cause serious pain and hardship.

Common Causes of Stairway Accidents

We’re often told to choose the stairs over an elevator to increase fitness, but climbing or descending stairs involves the risk of a fall. Although the chances of a fall might be minimal in a healthy, fit individual, falls happen to people of all ages and sometimes end with serious injuries. Over a million injuries occur each year due to falls on stairways. Common causes of stairway accidents include the following:

• Debris or obstacles on the stairs
• Slippery stair riser surfaces
• Wet or icy stairs
• Uneven stair risers
• Broken handrails
• Broken steps
• Inadequate lighting
• Torn stair carpeting or rubber matting
• Building code violations
• Stair or railing design defects

Stairs in public or private buildings must meet building code standards for safety and require adequate maintenance and routine inspections. When a property owner fails to properly maintain a stairway and the result is a bad fall with injuries, the injury victim shouldn’t have to bear the burden of expenses.

When Is a Property Owner Liable for a Stairway Accident?

All property owners must take reasonable measures to ensure that their property is safe for visitors, customers, and those lawfully on the property. This requires routine reasonable inspections, recognition of safety hazards, and prompt action to address any risks, including problems with stairs that could result in a fall. If a property owner is aware that a safety risk exists on a stairway in a store, hotel, hospital, restaurant, cafe, or rental unit, they have a legal duty to warn visitors and make repairs. If a property owner breaches this duty of reasonable care and the result is an injury with damages, the injury victim has a right to file a compensation claim against the property owner. Compensation in a premises accident like a fall on the stairs typically comes from the property owner’s liability insurance.

What Compensation Is Available After a Stairway Accident?

Falls down stairs commonly cause serious injuries like fractures, traumatic brain injuries, back injuries, neck injuries, spinal cord damage, and soft-tissue injuries to knees, shoulders, ankles, and wrists. Expenses after a stairway accident range from a single hospital bill and missed paycheck, to total disability and any level of injury and expense in between. Compensation commonly sought in stairway accident claims includes any or all of the following:

• Reimbursement for medical expenses
• Future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Future income loss
• Diminished earning capacity
• Compensation for pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life or diminished life quality

If a fall down the stairs results in fatal injuries, surviving close family members can recover compensation through a wrongful death claim.

How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help?

After a stairway accident, a successful St. Louis injury claim recovers the compensation an injury victim needs to reimburse them for losses related to a preventable injury. Call (314) 413-2053, Miller & Hine today for experienced representation and the best strategy to obtain the maximum compensation available.