When the average person slips and falls, his or her first inclination is probably to brush it off and move along. Sometimes, however, the injury is more serious and treatment is required. Instead of thinking of oneself as unlucky, it may be worth considering whether there were other factors involved. For instance, condominium residents in Ontario expect condominium corporations to maintain a safe environment. If management staff fails to do so, injured individuals may have a basis for making a premises liability claim.
Condominium owners and corporations owe a duty of care to those using the property. As such, they are legally obligated to keep public areas free of hazards such as snow and ice, water, unsafe floors or stairs, or objects on the ground. If a person suffers an injury because of an unattended hazard, the property owner could be held responsible.
Slip-and-fall accidents are a very large problem in Canada. Between 2002 and 2004, they accounted for more than half of all injury hospitalizations. More than 10,000 people died in hospital after suffering an injury in a fall. That makes slip-and-fall injuries the second leading cause of accidental death and disability in Canada, behind only automobile accidents.
Launching an effective lawsuit after a slip-and-fall accident is not always a simple matter. Residence owners carry liability insurance, and many owners will transfer liability to a third-party by contracting outside maintenance services. Knowing where to start after an injury can be difficult. A wise first step would be to consult with a personal injury lawyer. His or her understanding of premises liability in Ontario could be an important asset to an injured party looking to pursue compensation after an injury.
