One of the best times that your child can have is also the simplest: Take them to a playground. That is where they can spend hours on the swings, the slides, and climbing around the structures. In fact, having a playground in a neighborhood helps boost the property values of surrounding homes.

That means everyone wins with a playground…unless there is an unfortunate accident.

Kids taking a tumble and getting hurt at the playground is not uncommon, but what if the injury is caused by defective playground equipment? Should you be obliged to pay the medical expenses for an accident caused by someone else’s negligence?

The short answer is “no.” If it can be established that the playground equipment was defective, it can be grounds for a premises liability claim.

Elevators have been around since the Ancient Egyptians used them in their massive construction projects. Elisah Otis developed the braking system that made elevators safe for passengers in 1852. Four decades later, the escalator was patented and called the “inclined elevator,” which was more of a conveyor belt than a set of steps.

Since then, elevators and escalators have been a vital form of conveyance in many types of public spaces.

Because these are essentially mechanical devices, they require regular maintenance. Without that, the risk of failure increases, which can lead to accidents. If you’ve been injured on an escalator or elevator, you could be entitled to seek compensation for any financial losses.

To make that happen, you might need to retain the services of a skilled Jackson premises liability lawyer to help navigate the insurance claim process. If necessary, you might need to file a civil lawsuit against a property owner.

That is definitely a situation where you need an attorney acting as your advocate.

Walking down a Jackson sidewalk shouldn’t be a gamble, but sometimes it is. A cracked slab, an uneven patch of pavement, or a hidden tree root can turn a casual stroll into a painful accident. When that happens, figuring out who is liable for a sidewalk accident in Jackson can feel like an uphill battle.

Property owners, the city, or utility companies may share responsibility in premises liability cases. Mississippi premises liability laws set strict rules about how claims can proceed.

When you know your rights, that can make all the difference in recovering compensation for medical bills and lost wages due to the inconvenience of a sidewalk injury.

If someone takes a fall while playing a sport and gets right back up, chances are they’re fine and will continue playing. It’s when the players can’t get up that is a good indication of a more serious injury.

What happens if you slip on a wet floor at a grocery store or the lobby of an office building?

You might try to get back up because you’re embarrassed by what happened. Actually, you need to report what happened, even if you can walk away. You’ll also want to preserve evidence after a slip and fall accident to support any potential claim.

Not all injuries sustained in a slip and fall accident on public property are due to negligence.

Many animals have built-in defense systems. The armadillo can curl up in a ball and use its “armor” to deflect an attack. A porcupine will use its needles, and a skunk will use its pungent spray to ward off assaults. These are the kinds of defenses that happen automatically. Humans have a type of defense system, but it’s not as protective.

When a person feels threatened, their body goes into “flight or fight” mode. It is a genetic code that releases a rush of adrenaline designed to provide you with an energy boost to take on an attacker or run from danger. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, “Adrenaline (epinephrine) is a hormone your adrenal glands make to help you prepare for stressful or dangerous situations.” What happens to your body when you slip and fall?

Any dog attack has the potential to cause serious injuries. Whether it is a quick nip or a deep bite, bacteria can enter the body and develop an infection. When the dog has a strong bite force, it can even lead to tissue damage, tear ligaments, or even break bones.

In other words, these attacks can cause long-term injuries that can require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.

About 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States, which means you have a 1 in 50 chance of getting attacked.

Falls might be the butt of the joke in movies and TV shows, but they are much more serious in real life. An unexpected fall can cause severe and long-lasting injuries, leaving victims with medical bills and steep financial losses. Not all falls are the same, though. Let’s get into the difference between slip & fall and trip & fall accidents.

If you were hurt on someone else’s property in Jackson, MS, you may find that you need to file a premises liability claim. This legal action can help you recover the losses you suffered through a property owner’s negligence. But as with any type of personal injury claim, you must be able to provide ample evidence to prove your claim.

The law office of Pittman Roberts & Welsh, PLLC devotes an area of practice to handling complex Mississippi premises liability cases. If you have further questions about potential evidence in a premises liability claim, contact our office for a free consultation to discuss your case.

Accidental injury is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the National Safety Council, accidental injuries can be blamed for an injury every second of the day and one preventable death every three minutes. Accidental injuries may be caused by any number of events, including slip and fall accidents. 

A slip and fall accident may cause severe or even fatal injuries. These types of incidents were responsible for 41,300 (26%) of all preventable deaths in homes and communities in 2020. While you can fall and suffer an injury anywhere, here are some of the more common locations where slip and fall accidents happen: 

Stop and think for a minute about how many times you’ve been in a situation where you’ve found yourself walking in a dark parking lot. While inclement weather, equipment failure, or a timer set to prematurely turn off might be to blame for the lack of lighting, none of these are valid excuses for situations where lighting exists but is ineffective.