Typically, the more seemingly frivolous activities cause us the worst injuries. For example, you may walk down the sidewalk when you slip, trip, and fall, plainly out of nowhere. Once you compose yourself and replay the sequence of events leading up to your fall, you may realize that the sidewalk you were on was inherently dangerous. In this case, please read on to discover the most common sidewalk hazards to be careful of and how a seasoned St. Mary’s County sidewalk accident lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help you in the off-chance that you get injured from one.
What are the most common sidewalk hazards that I should look out for?
Some areas throughout the state of Maryland are quite populous, leading to a lot of foot traffic on the sidewalks and eventual wear and tear. With that being said, below is a list of the most common sidewalk hazards seen throughout the state:
- There may be inadequate street lighting overhead the sidewalk.
- There may be large potholes or cracks throughout the sidewalk.
- There may be uneven or raised surfaces from tree roots that run below the sidewalk.
- There may be weather-related debris, such as snow and ice, that is left uncleared from the sidewalk.
- There may be overgrown vegetation from neighboring grass that causes large obstructions on the sidewalk.
What should I do if I encounter a hazardous sidewalk in Maryland?
You may do everything in your power to carefully make your way to your destination on foot. But most unfortunately, even with an abundance of caution, you may be unable to avoid a hazardous sidewalk; of course, without having to risk walking on the street with vehicle traffic. And so, you may accidentally slip, trip, fall, and ultimately get injured as a result.
In the moments following your fall, you should get your bearings and figure out whether you are presently on a public sidewalk or one adjacent to a private property. For the former, you may want to contact the town or city’s public works or transportation department as soon as possible. For the latter, you may want to knock on the property owner’s door and notify them about what just happened.
In either event, you may want to call local law enforcement to respond to your location. This is so you may obtain an official accident report, pivotal for your potentially upcoming personal injury claim. Also while still at the scene of your slip and fall, you may want to take photos of the hazardous sidewalk where you fell, fully capturing its visibly dangerous features. Hopefully, there are eyewitnesses present who can help you with these photos and offer individual testimonies to the responding officer.
At any rate, if you are ready to start your personal injury case or otherwise, now is a better time than ever to contact a skilled St. Mary’s County slip and fall lawyer. The Dorsey Law Firm is here to help.
