Category Archives: Slip and Fall Accident

Injured by a Forklift… Now What?

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Forklift Accidents-More Common than you Think

Thousands of people are injured in forklift accidents each year. Although forklift accidents are typically occur in warehouses, they can also happen at home improvement centers, nurseries or wholesale grocery distribution centers that are open to the public. This means that workers who move and handle these goods and members of the general public can be injured in forklift accidents.

A number of environmental factors can contribute to forklift accidents. An area that is too dark or noisy, may be distracting for operators. Whenever possible, aisles should be blocked off to pedestrian traffic with the use of safety cones or warning tape. It can also be helpful if the forklift is equipped with flashing lights to alert shoppers to its presence, as well as a backup alarm that warns people that the truck is moving backwards.

In some cases, drivers are simply operating their equipment too fast for conditions. This is often because employees face pressure from management to unload trucks quickly or deliver goods from one area to another within a certain timeframe. Working under such rigid time constraints is stressful, and can cause forklift drivers to lose their focus, thereby resulting in an accident.

Forklift accidents can result in severe injuries or even death. If you or someone you know has been injured by a forklift, a personal injury attorney can analyze the facts in order to see if there might be a remedy available under the law.

Las Vegas Hotel Injuries

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What to Know if you are Injured at a Hotel or Casino

Las Vegas casinos see hundreds of visitors each day. Amid all the bustle of activity that takes place in a hotel or casino, management can sometimes fail to make sure the premises are safe. This can result in the potential for accidents, especially when there is dim lighting combined with high energy and excitement.

Those in the hospitality industry have an obligation to keep patrons safe. The relationship between an innkeeper and guest has long been recognized by the courts as being one in which a hotel owner has a duty of care to his or her guest. This means that the owner of the establishment must take every reasonable precaution possible to ensure guest safety during their stay.

Should an accident occur, a number of factors can be used to determine whether a hotel or casino owner was negligent. One of the determining factors is usually whether the owner knew or should have known about dangerous conditions. It can also depend on the measures they tried to take to rectify the situation.

If you’re injured in a casino or hotel accident, you should seek care as soon as possible. After obtaining medical treatment, your next course of action should be to contact a Las Vegas personal injury attorney for an assessment of your potential claim.

Horseback Riding Accidents in Las Vegas

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What to Expect after a Horseback Riding Injury

Horseback riding is an enjoyable activity for people of all ages; however, there is an inherent amount of risk involved. Many times, those who participate in this activity have little or no equine experience, and therefore rely on the stable master or trail guide to keep them safe. When horseback riding injuries occur, they often raise the question of who is at fault in this situation.

The answer to this question is never clear and simple. There are a number of things that determine how liable a stable owner is for injuries sustained by patrons. These can include the temperament of the horse, experience of the animal’s handlers, and the type of safety precautions that were taken. It may often come down to whether the stable owner knew or should have known that an injury was likely to happen.

At the same time, there are several factors that can mitigate the stable owner’s liability. For example, if an individual was negligent or cruel to a horse, this could be deemed to have caused the injuries. If customers ignore safety warnings or fail to report unsafe conditions, this could be used to mitigate charges of negligence against the stable, thereby reducing or eliminating their liability altogether.

If you’ve been injured during a horse-ride, it’s important to speak to a personal injury attorney. That way, you can obtain an analysis of your case to determine if there is a possibility employees of the stable were negligent.

NFL Named in Negligence Lawsuit Against Former Las Vegas Doorman

Mediator assigned for former doorman:

A former doorman in Las Vegas has been assigned a mediator in his suit against the National Football League. The Nevada Supreme Court assigned a mediator to hear Tommy Urbanski’s appeal against the NFL on charges the league negligently caused him to receive a paralyzing gunshot wound in 2007.

This wound occurred after NFL player Adam “Pacman” Jones began throwing cash at dancers inside Minxx, a strip club where Urbanski was then employed. The cash-throwing incident led to a great deal of confusion in the club, eventually resulting in Arvin Edwards firing shots that injured Urbanski and two others.

In his lawsuit, Urbanski claims that the NFL was negligent in its efforts to control Pacman Jones because the player had previously had several run-ins with the law. A circuit court judge had dismissed the NFL as a defendant in civil proceedings, which prompted the appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. Urbanski has already been awarded $13 million in damages from Jones. This judgment is also being appealed in the Nevada Supreme Court.

Should Urbanski be successful in his endeavors to collect damages from the NFL, it could open the door for other employers to be sued for the behavior of their employees as well.

How to Handle a Slip and Fall in Las Vegas!

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What to Do if Your Slip or Fall

Make Sure to Get Your Insurance Benefits!

Slips and falls can lead to a variety of injuries, making it important to take any instance of slipping and falling seriously. Whether you are the actual person who falls or whether you witness such an incident, it’s important to place first priority on the well being of the person who is hurt. It’s also important to take note of the setting in which the incident has occurred.

Make sure that the injured person receives appropriate medical attention right away. If you are injured in a fall, you may feel embarrassed over the incident. It’s not uncommon for such victims to shake off the incident and retreat quickly. Many will attribute a slip or fall to their own clumsiness. The reality is that many falls result from external circumstances and conditions that are difficult to see. An uneven walkway or a slippery substance on a floor can lead to disaster. It’s wise to stay in place until you can assess the conditions of the surrounding area.

With the availability of smartphones, it’s not uncommon for someone on the scene to have a camera easily accessible. Taking photos of the scene can provide documentation of the dangerous conditions.
This is especially important if an obvious obstacle is observed. If there are witnesses on hand, it’s wise to record names and phone numbers so that future contact can be made for the purpose of verifying details.

While a victim may not notice pain at the scene, a medical visit may be warranted to provide an assessment of any unseen injuries. If more serious injuries are sustained, immediate medical care may be necessary.  More info on slip and falls can be found on our slip and fall page!

If you have suffered a fall as a result of another’s negligence, call our office for a free consultation to determine if you have legal recourse for financial consultation.

Shopping carts dirtier than bathrooms!

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Looks like you have to be extra cautious at the grocery market! Not only do you have to watch for wet floors that can lead to a slip and fall… but you should probably use those disinfectant wipes! A new study says 72% of the carts tested had a positive marker for fecal bacteria and 50% had e-coli on them.

Researchers also say they actually found more fecal bacteria on grocery cart handles than you would typically find in a bathroom, mainly because bathrooms are disinfected more often than shopping carts. Also, researchers say you should pay attention to what you put in reusable shopping bags! Bags that are not washed on a regular basis can become what the study called a “bacterial swamp.”

Gross!

-Edward M Bernstein and Associates

Carts one of dirtiest places in grocery store, study says

Updated Mar 02, 2011 4:26 PM

A University of Arizona researcher says you may want to grab one of those disinfectant wipes right before you grab a grocery cart.

Find this article at: http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011/03/Carts-one-of-dirtiest-places-in-grocery-store-study-says/44417802/1

Study: Head Injuries Increases Risks of Death

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Every day my office receives calls from people who suffered a head injury after a slip-and-fall, car crash, or work-related accident. So I found it very interesting when I read a new study that says head injuries may raise the risk of death for years after the initial injury.

Researchers found people who suffered a head injury were nearly three times more likely to die from any cause within 13 years after the injury than other healthy adults, regardless of the severity of the initial injury. The study found more than 40% of people admitted to hospital after a head injury were dead 13 years later.

Why?

“In the long-term, the study showed people with head injuries were nearly three times as likely to die of circulatory, respiratory, digestive, psychiatric, and external causes than their peers in the community. “The reason for greater vulnerability in younger adults is unclear, but requires further consideration, especially given the particularly higher risk of head injury in younger adults,” write the researchers.”

-Edward M Bernstein and Associates

Head Injury Risks Linger
Increased Risk of Death After Head Injury May Persist for Years
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Jan. 31, 2011 — Head injuries may raise the risk of death for years after the initial injury, according to a new study.
Find this article at: http://www.webmd.com/news/20110131/head-injury-risks-linger

Many Slip-and-Fall Claims are Legitimate

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Last week I was quoted in an RJ article about how more people file slip-and-fall claims in Las Vegas… and now there is an article on AOL News and I’m quoted in this one too!

The articles are about a new study that says Las Vegas is a hot spot to slip, fall, & sue. The study found questionable slip-and-fall claims doubled nationwide in the last 2 years, and Vegas ranked #4 in the U.S. for cities with the most iffy slip-and-falls.

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