Business owners in West Virginia who are concerned about the safety of consumers in their stores might be interested in the results of CNA’s Slip and Fall Study Report. CNA, a company that provides risk management and insurance services to professionals and businesses around the world, found that half of the evaluated sites did not have a dynamic coefficient level that exceeded the 0.42 minimum threshold as determined by the American National Standards Institute. The results seem to indicate that the fall prevention policies enacted by many businesses may not take into account how flooring material and continued upkeep affect slip resistance.
The study involved a review of liability claims that were filed from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016. The findings included low-impact trends that occurred frequently, which are on par with such claims.
The frequency data indicated that the type of businesses that were most likely to be the sites of slip and fall accidents were real estate and retail trade establishments. The most frequently occurring harmful events were on walking or working surfaces (40 percent), followed by parking lot surfaces (33 percent) and sidewalks heading toward business entrances (27 percent). Harmful events that occurred on inside office floors accounted for less than 1 percent.
A traumatic brain injury is a possible outcome of a serious slip and fall injury. CNA determined that the frequency and severity of TBI claims were increased for businesses insured for general liability than businesses insured for workers’ compensation.
A negligent business owner might be held liable for the conditions on a property that contributed to a slip and fall accident. A personal injury attorney could pursue financial damages under premises liability law for any resulting disabling injuries.