Slip and Fall Lawyer Minneapolis, MN
Sports are a large part of national pride around the country. From America’s basketball courts to football sidelines, spectators fill enormous stadiums and home-town schools from state to state showing their team pride and support. But what happens when tragedy strikes in the very seats you are viewing your favorite team from?
If you have fallen and been injured in a scenario like this, you may be able to file a personal injury suit. If it turns out that proper safeguards were not in place or that there was an improper design, a slip and fall lawyer from Johnston | Martineau PLLP can assist you. Soaring medical costs and pain and suffering can be alleviated by compensation. An experienced Minneapolis MN slip and fall lawyer will be able to assess the circumstances and guide you through your options.
Bleacher-Associated Hazards
Each year almost 20,000 men, women, and children fall out of bleachers and suffer injuries. Tragically, some of these accidents are fatal ones. Unfortunately, like so often is the case, those responsible for the upkeep of bleachers may not give them the attention they deserve until an accident actually occurs. In fact, research suggests that bleacher safety needs to receive increased attention from facility directors, especially those managing equipment that is over fifteen years old.
The most common scenarios for bleacher collapses or accidents are:
- Poor maintenance
- Defective design
- Faulty mechanism
- Insufficient guardrails or structural support
- Absence of non-skid surfaces
- Overcrowding/excessive weight
- Horseplay, such as jumping
- Weather-related damage such as heavy rains
Often incidents on or near bleachers occur at sporting events held at local schools and young children are often the victims. There have been incidents where young children have died in falls from bleachers after falling through gaps or openings onto the surface below.
Although you may not think of bleacher accidents as something that is serious, keep in mind that in statistics pulled from a 20-year period, more than 19,000 people were treated each year in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for bleacher-related injuries. Approximately 6,000 victims were injured as a result of falling and almost 5,000 victims were children under 15 years of age.
Fall Injuries
The most common occurrence in a bleacher incident is a fall and the resulting injuries can include:
- Fractured bones
- Head trauma
- Neck and spinal injuries
- Lacerations
- Death
A fun day out at the game can turn a young life literally be turned upside down if they are injured in a bleacher accident. Falls can be deadly and many facilities around the country do not have a good track record when it comes to maintenance of this type of equipment, despite guidelines recommended by the federal government. If you or a family member has been injured in a fall from a bleacher, contact Johnston | Martineau PLLP today to speak with a slip and fall lawyer Minneapolis, MN families turn to who will fight to win the support needed along the road to recovery.
