Slip and Fall Incidents at Outdoor Events
Posted August 22nd, 2018 by Anthony Carbone, PC.
Categories: Slip and Falls.
Outdoor events, such as music, food, or wine festivals, have grown in popularity in recent years. These types of events are at their peak during the late summer and fall months. Sadly, the mix of large outdoor crowds and alcohol consumption tend to result in dangerous slip and fall incidents for those who attend.
While drinking copious amounts of alcohol can impair the ability of an individual to do typical everyday functions, one does not need to drink for a slip and fall incident to occur at an outdoor event. Spilled drinks and slick surfaces can cause slip and fall accidents, along with different types of inclement weather. Heavy rain right before or during an event can cause severe injuries to multiple people roaming the event venue.
Weather and drinks aren’t the only causes of slip and fall injuries. Other factors can include:
- Bad lighting
- Cables and wires
- Uneven surfaces
- Out-of-place objects
- Lack of warning to hidden dangers
If someone or a group of people slip and fall, injuring themselves, they aren’t at fault. The responsibility falls on the shoulders of who’s in charge of the outdoor event or the property/venue owner. In most cases, this is considered an issue of premises liability.
In New Jersey, premises liability laws state the person who owns the property should have known about the dangerous conditions that caused someone to slip and fall and neglected to do anything about them. It is also the property owner’s responsibility to know about the conditions in the first place. If it is proven that the property owner acted negligently in any way towards the situation, he or she will be held accountable.
For negligence to be proven, it must be found that the property owner or event manager created the dangerous condition, knew of the dangerous condition and failed to act (as we stated earlier), or did not regularly check the property or venue for dangerous conditions.
Most slip and fall incidents should be preventable if the proper cautions are taken. If not, injuries are undoubtedly what follows, and they can be severe. Some of the injuries a victim may suffer include soft tissue injuries, abrasions/cuts, head injuries/concussions, broken bones, and spinal cord injuries.
Sustaining an injury from a slip and fall accident at an outdoor event can affect your life short-term and long-term. Injuries like broken bones may cause you to miss work for a few weeks, but spinal cord injuries and severe head injuries could have lifelong effects such as paralysis or falling into a coma.
Remember, if you are attending an outdoor event, be aware of your surroundings. One misstep through an unknown danger might be costly.
If you are the victim of a slip and fall incident at an outdoor event in New Jersey, you have a right to compensation for your injuries. Contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone today to schedule your free consultation.
