As you age, you likely get a little wobblier on your feet. It is natural for you to lose some of your physical prowess as you age, but some falls are preventable. You should take the utmost care to prevent a fall, but what if someone else is responsible?
An injury that happens on the site of another person’s property is a type of injury known as a premises injury. Business owners are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for residents or customers. If a business is aware of a danger to a person of the property, but does not take steps to correct it, one can hold the business responsible due to premises liability. You, or your vulnerable relative, should certainly expect to be safe while under the care of nursing home staff.
What exactly is a slip-and-fall injury?
If you want to prove your slip-and-fall case, you will need to show that the business owner was negligent. Proving negligence is a multi-step process. First, you must show that the premises owner owed a duty to you. You will then need to show that the owner neglected that duty, and because of the neglect, you were injured. Finally, you will need to prove damages as a result of the injury.
When is the nursing home responsible?
A nursing home may have a special responsibility to keep individuals safe, since most residents are there because of a medical need. If an accident occurs that the nursing home did not know was likely to happen, or was not preventable, then the nursing home may not be liable. But if you can show that the home owed you a duty of supervision, or if there was a lack of training, or some sort of misconduct, the home may be accountable. Likewise, if the care facility failed to maintain the premises, equipment or furniture, it could possibly share in the responsibility.
Options for help
If you have been hurt in a nursing home slip-and-fall or other premises injury, or if you are advocating on behalf of a loved one in Ohio, there are options for help. It can be intimidating to go up against a large corporation, but it is possible. Some people choose to go it alone, while other folks like the knowledge and experience of an attorney for support in filing the case.