Slip and Fall Expert Witness Opines on Condition of Stairs

Case Overview

This case involves a slip and fall accident at an airport. The plaintiff exited his cab and was in a hurry to make his flight. On the day in question, it had been raining heavily, and there was a large puddle which had accumulated on the top step leading into the airport terminal. Also, because of the steps usage, the non-slip strip which had been added had been worn down to such an extent that there were large holes in it. As the plaintiff traversed the stairs, he came to the final step and slipped, hitting his head on the handrail. He sustained a concussion and laceration from the impact and broke his clavicle because of the subsequent fall. Plaintiff retained an expert of airport management/commercial flight operations for the case.

Questions to the Civil Engineering expert and their responses

When maintaining stairs with heavy foot traffic, is it common to have a non-slip strip placed on the top step?

For external stairs, maintaining the non-slip strip at the top step is critical. Its placement is important, but it should also be inspected regularly, and when it begins to lose its tread, the owner should have it replaced.

About the expert

This qualified engineer has handled slip and fall cases throughout the state of Connecticut, and holds a master's in Construction Administration from Columbia University. He is licensed in the of Connecticut, with 14+ years of experience in consulting on engineering standards, construction defects and OSHA safety standards-related matters. These strong qualifications make him highly capable of reviewing the case at hand.

E-001721

Specialties:

Civil Engineering