Slip and Fall Dangers at Local Stores in the San Antonio Area

Monday, January 24, 2022

In the San Antonio area there are thousands of walk-in stores – This includes retail stores, grocery stores, convenience stores as well as more generalized walk-in places such as lobbys and shopping malls. At any given time there could be a slip and fall danger in these places. These dangerous areas may be from employees mopping without the proper warning signs or accidental spills by other customers. In any case, it is the responsibility of every store to identify and clean up any slick areas that may cause people to fall and hurt themselves.

San Antonio Slip and Fall Lawyer In most cases we can’t expect a store owner or their employees to immediately. One example is if a customer spills a drink on a tile floor. Then another slips on that spill shortly after. It’s likely the owner nor employees is even aware of the danger, let alone had time to get supplies to clean up the spill. The requirements to seek compensation for slippery or dangerous conditions in a store is that the owner or employees knew about the hazard a reasonable time before the slip / fall happened. This is where there is room for interpretation and the details of your particular case need to be reviewed. For example, many stores in San Antonio such as Wal Mart, Target, Costco, etc often have greeters at the front door. These people should be able to identify a spill or dangerous area fairly quickly in that area. However, in other parts of the store such as in side isles that aren’t necessarily monitored it could take some time for anyone to know there is a spill. This is why it’s important to have an experienced slip and fall lawyer for your case.

What Should You Do If You Slip at a Store and Hurt Yourself?

As with all injures irrelevant of the nature, please get necessary medical treatment. Particularly with falls, you might twist your ankle or wrist (for example) with minimal discomfort initially, but deeper injuries to bone or tissue might present days to weeks later. The store you fell at will likely be responsible to reimburse you for any costs due to getting your injury checked out and treatment you receive. However, they may not be forthcoming about this and hope you or your insurance pays for your medical care. This is why it’s important to have a San Antonio slip and fall attorney review your case. Nearly all personal injury attorneys in San Antonio and Texas will review your case for free and not charge anything unless you are reimbursed for medical expenses, time away from work and long-term pain.

Why Contact The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, PC?

Many slip and fall lawyers in the San Antonio area will negotiate with the store’s attorneys and come to a settlement agreement. While this is easier for the attorney it’s not necessarily the best option for someone who was injured in a slip and fall accident. Aaron H. Herbert and hit team of lawyers, paralegals and other legal professions are trial lawyers. This means if we believe we can get you a better outcome by going to trial, we will. In addition, Aaron is a board certified trial lawyer in Texas so you can start your case with us knowing you will receive the best legal representation possible. Only about 2% of all Texas lawyers are board certified, and we have two on our staff.

Call, Email or chat with us 24/7 to start your case review

Posted by Aaron Herbert at 8:50 am

What Are Some Tips to Prevent Workplace Slips & Falls?

Friday, January 14, 2022

Workplace accidents are one of the most common causes of injury. This type of incident causes 15% of all accidental deaths—second only to motor vehicle accidents. The greatest number of fatal falls occurs in the construction industry, but virtually every industry has this risk. The health services and retail industries have the highest number of nonfatal slip and fall accidents. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has rules employers must follow to prevent slips and falls, and the best way to protect yourself is to be proactive.

Pay Attention While You Walk

A second of inattention can lead to a catastrophic slip and fall accident, especially if you work from great heights or with dangerous equipment. Texting and walking, for example, can result in falling down a flight of stairs, slipping on an obvious spill, or tripping over an obstacle. Your employer has a duty to take measures to ensure employee safety and reasonably prevent hazardous situations in the workplace. However, you also have a duty to pay attention to where you are going. In Texas, the jurisdiction of modified comparative negligence means if the court finds you more than 50% at fault for a slip and fall accident, you will not receive any compensation. If you’ve been injured after falling on unsafe conditions contact a slip and fall attorney in San Antonio

Wear the Proper Equipment

Ignoring your employer’s dress code or workplace regulations will only result in your own personal injury. Rules are in place to protect you from accidents such as slips and falls. Often, a slip and fall accident results from loss of traction between the shoe and the walking surface. Wear appropriate shoes for your job, with non-slip bottoms and the right type of heel to prevent this kind of accident. If you work in the construction industry, wear the proper harness or other equipment to protect yourself in the event of a fall. The right equipment can mean the difference between life and death in a dangerous industry.

Keep Your Facility Clean

It is up to an employer to create and enforce good housekeeping practices, but as an employee, you must always strive to keep your workplace facility clean and clear of hazardous obstacles. A cluttered workplace is a trip and fall risk, where an immobile or moveable object on the ground comes in contact with a person’s foot, ankle, or shin. Keep the workplace clear of dangerous obstacles, and follow protocol when there is a spill. Mark the area clearly with a warning sign until you can clean the spill. A sloppy workplace is a recipe for disaster, especially in high-risk industries.

Report Hazardous Circumstances

If you notice anything in your workplace that stands out to you as a slip and fall hazard, report it to your employer immediately. It is your employer’s duty to remedy dangerous environmental circumstances, such as an uneven sidewalk or an icy parking lot. [RELATED: Can You Sue for Falling in a Parking Lot?] If your employer knew of the dangerous situation and did nothing to prevent a slip and fall accident, the courts would find him or her at fault. If your employer reasonably could not have known about the hazard, the case will settle differently. Notify your employer about a dangerous spill, poor lighting, obstacles in aisles or walkways, or other hazardous situations so he or she can take the proper steps to remedy the problem.

Stay Vigilant

Many slip and fall accidents are entirely preventable with the proper foresight and attention to the job activity. Do not assume your workplace is safe. Instead, be proactive about your safety and take steps to ensure you will not be the next victim of a serious slip and fall accident. If you do suffer a slip and fall injury, get in touch with a personal injury attorney right away to discuss your case and investigate your workplace.

Posted by Aaron Herbert at 12:10 pm

What Are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents?

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Trucking can be a fun career, but it can also be a dangerous one. Large trucks will do more damage if their drivers make a mistake, and the industry often makes headlines for teamsters who drive sleepy or otherwise impaired. While some common causes of these incidents involve smaller vehicle recklessness, the actions of truck drivers often play a role, too. Here are some of the most common causes of truck accidents to understand and watch for:

Driver error. Humans make mistakes, and when your job involves driving on the roads for hours at a time, the likelihood of making a mistake increases. However, professional companies train drivers to understand and avoid the common causes of driver error accidents. Companies often eliminate some of them, for example, by restricting cell phone use on the road and taking other measures to lower the risk of distracted driving accidents.
Equipment failure. Drivers need to carefully and regularly maintain trucks that spend day in and day out on the roadways. Professional drivers are responsible for running through checklists before and after they get on the road each day. Faulty parts and improperly maintained equipment are common causes of many accidents. Tire blowouts and other debris flying out from a truck can have deadly consequences for vehicles following behind.
Lack of sleep. Like airline pilots, truckers are expected to maintain strict schedules to move their cargo. While federal and state regulations have reduced the amount of time a driver can travel on the roads continuously, some still experience a lack of sleep from tight schedules. Driving while tired is a form of impairment that can cause accidents just as easily as driving while intoxicated. Some research has even suggested that driving while tired is more dangerous than driving under the influence.
Bad weather. Once again, those tight deadlines can present problems for truck drivers. If they continue to drive in dangerous conditions, they may face reduced visibility and traction and truck instability – all of which can contribute to a dangerous accident. Since large trucks take significantly longer to come to a stop than regular vehicles, truckers must drive carefully in inclement weather to avoid causing a multi-vehicle accident or sliding off a bridge/road.
Poor loading. Semi trucks need balance to navigate the roadways properly. If a load is improperly distributed in the trailer, it can cause fishtailing and turnover accidents on the roadways. Every truck needs to follow a certain loading standard developed specifically to minimize imbalances in the trailer.
Drugs and alcohol. You’ll notice that drugs and alcohol are pretty far down on the list. Professional truckers who work for large companies have to follow strict guidelines regarding drugs and alcohol. Some are regularly tested, and many companies have a zero tolerance policy. A trucker who gets caught drinking once may find him or herself out of a job and without a good referral or recommendation to go to a different company.

The size of trucks can make small errors turn into deadly accidents. Technology is helping trucking companies overcome some of the common causes of accidents with advanced systems and enforcement requirements, but we’re still a long way from foolproof safety measures. In the meantime, give trucks plenty of extra space on the roadways to avoid the consequences of their mistakes.

Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys

If you’re involved in a trucking accident in or around San Antonio, The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert can help you hold negligent drivers responsible for their actions. When teamsters fail to operate their large equipment in a reasonably safe manner, you can hold them and their companies liable for the damage caused. Contact our truck accident lawyers today for a free case evaluation.

Posted by Aaron Herbert at 12:01 am