Aulsbrook Law Firm - March 2020

A Parent’s Guide to International Women’s Day 6 Empowering Books About Girls to Read With Your Kids

DON’T TRIP OVER DETERMINING LIABILITY

Property Owners and Slip-and-Fall Liability

When people are injured due to slip-and-fall accidents, they may seek damages from the owners of the property where they were injured. When there are medical bills to pay or lost wages to recoup, it seems like a natural course of action, but determining liability isn’t always easy. Slip-and-fall accidents can happen for a number of different reasons, and they are not all considered negligence on the part of property owners. However, property owners do have a responsibility to keep their properties reasonably safe.

This year, men and women around the world will celebrate International Women’s Day with lectures, panels, and marches on March 8, but have you thought about how you can bring the spirit of celebrating women’s rights into your home? If you haven’t planned a family activity around girl power yet, consider adding some inspiring tales of real-life women to your bedtime story routine. A few years ago for Women’s History Month, HuffPost rounded up 17 such books, and we’ve picked some of our favorites! If you’re on the hunt for reading material, head to the library and check one of these stories out. ‘Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History … and Our Future!’ by Kate Schatz This book explores 26 women of all stripes, one for each letter of the alphabet. Snag a copy to share the stories of Billie Jean King, Rachel Carson, Sonia Sotomayor, and more with your kids ages 8 and up! For a similar read focused on incredible girls rather than women, check out “Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World” by Susan Hood. ‘Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell’ by Tanya Lee Stone The title of this book says it all! In it, the author tells the story of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first American woman to don the white doctor’s coat at a time when most girls were expected to stay home. This book is recommended for kids ages 5 and up, as is its sequel, “Who Says Women Can’t Be Computer Programmers?: The Story of Ada Lovelace.” ‘Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World’ by Rachel Ignotofsky This beautifully illustrated book reads almost like a collection of folktales, following the careers of women in STEM “from the ancient to the modern world.” There’s no better way to share the stories of brilliant ladies like Jane Goodall, Katia Krafft, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas with your kids. Check out the companion books about women in art and sports, too! ‘Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers’ by Sarah Warren This short book for 6–8-year-olds tells the story of Dolores Huerta, an often-overlooked American activist who helped lead the charge for the rights of immigrant workers. A teacher by trade, Dolores was inspired to become “a warrior, an organizer, and a peacemaker” by her students. Don’t miss this chance to share her tale with your little ones!

In most cases, slip-and-fall accidents occur to poorly maintained conditions, such as:

Construction sites with open pits and exposed building material Sidewalks, curbs, or parking lots with uneven or deteriorating pavement

Loose or uneven flooring

Slick floors due to moisture, ice, or oil

Poor or no lighting to highlight potential hazards

Even with these conditions, property owners still might not be liable if the person who received the injury could have reasonably avoided the cause of the accident (such as walking around a puddle concealing damaged pavement).

There are a few conditions in which the property owner may be at fault and liable.

• If the property owners created the conditions that led to the injury (for example, they spilled oil on the sidewalk and left it there) • If the property owners were aware of unsafe conditions but chose not to do anything to fix them • If the property owners were not aware of unsafe conditions but should have been (any “reasonable” person would have spotted the problem and done something about it) It often comes back to what the property owner “knows,” with common sense mixed in. If you’re injured in a slip-and-fall accident that could have been easily prevented by a little maintenance from the property owner, the law may be on your side. And even if it isn’t as clear cut, with the right legal team by your side, you may still come out on top and get the compensation you deserve. If you have questions about a slip-and-fall case or you were injured in an accident, give us a call at (817) 369-5943 for a free consultation.

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