Torn Carpets Increase Your Risk of Slip and Fall Accidents
A tear in the carpet seems like it might be a minor problems. It might even seem like a mere cosmetic issue at a business or property rather than a safety issue. These assumptions are wrong. A torn carpet can potentially lead to a number of trips and falls, which can result in avoidable injuries to people.
When a carpet is torn, make sure to have customers and visitors steer clear for their own safety. Our Scranton premises liability lawyers would like to explore these matters in more detail below.
Torn Carpets Increase Risk for Trips and Falls
A torn carpet increases the risk of people losing their footing and falling down. While walking around a tear in the carpet, a person may get their foot caught in carpet material. This is a serious tripping hazard and needs to be taken seriously. It's also possible that a tear can lead to snags and an uneven surface to the carpet, resulting in a higher risk of falls.
Dangers With Torn Carpet on Stairs and Landings
When there's a torn carpet on the stairs or on a landing, the risk for injuries goes up considerably. A person can suffer from major harm if they fall off stairs or trip down a landing due to a torn carpet. Not even banisters and guardrails may be enough to help prevent a fall of this nature.
A Risk of Slipping Accidents
In addition to trips on torn carpet, a tear in carpets also increases the chances of slipping and losing balance. A torn bit of carpet may not be secured to the underlying floor. If someone steps on the torn portion, there's a chance that the carpet may slide along the underlying floor and cause a person to slip. What's more, the tear in the carpet may expose the floor beneath. Liquid or moisture on this exposed floor can lead to a slipping hazard.
Causes of Torn Carpet
Torn carpet at businesses and other establishments tend to be the result of poor upkeep and maintenance at a property. These tears may form slowly over time, or immediately following some rut or imperfection forming in the carpet itself. Whatever the cause, it's important for the torn carpet to be addressed as soon as possible.
What Property Owners Can Do to Improve Safety
If there is a torn carpet at a property, it's important that the matter be dealt with sooner rather than later. Before the carpet is replaced, consider ways of blocking off the the torn portion of the carpet. Even quick fixes that help keep the tears from being a tripping hazard can be helpful until the carpet can be replaced.
These are common sense approaches to a potential hazard, and property owners should keep this in mind should an issue arise. Should you or a loved one suffer from a slip, trip, or fall injury due to a tear in a property's carpet, you may be able to pursue a premises liability lawsuit. Our attorneys can help.
Contact Foley Law Firm
For more information about your legal rights and options following a serious slip, trip, or fall, be sure to contact our team of injury and accident attorneys today. Our team is here to help you in your time of legal need.