Poor Lighting Accidents

Lighting is one of the most important parts of ensuring that a place is safe. Having poor lighting can take a defect that should be easy to avoid to one that injured an unsuspecting person. At the same time, many towns and cities have ordinances that control the type of lights that a property owner can use, as well as timing requirements for when they can be in use. Even so, property owners are required to ensure that there is enough lighting so that people can see what’s around them.

• Navigating Exterior Hazards: It’s rare for any floor, road, or sidewalk to be perfectly level without any defects. Especially when a surface is exposed to the elements, imperfections are going to happen. In good lighting, these small defects can be easily navigated. But if you can’t see the hazard, it’s much more likely that someone will trip and fall.
• Stairwells: Whether they’re inside or outside, stairs can be very hazardous, especially for the elderly and infirm. Even a fall down a handful of steps can cause serious injury. Without proper lighting, it’s easy for someone to misjudge how many stairs there are. It also makes it more difficult to traverse narrow or otherwise flawed staircases.
• Assaults/Crime Prevention: As the saying goes, a poorly lit parking lot or other area that is open to the public can be very dangerous. It allows criminals to blend into the darkness and prey on unsuspecting passers by. Unfortunately, it’s usually not until someone is assaulted that changes are made to improve lighting.

Because an injury caused by poor lighting can happen in multiple ways, there are many types of injuries that can happen as a result. However, there are certain injuries that we see more often:

• Broken Bones: Whether it’s a defective set of stairs or a pothole in a parking lot, when people fall because of defective lighting, broken bones are a common type of injury. While all fractures are serious, some are worse than others. For example, a broken hip can be much more devastating than a broken wrist, especially for the elderly.
• Concussions / Traumatic Brain Injuries: People often get concussions when they fall, even if they don’t strike their heads. While some concussions have symptoms that go away after a few days, other people with these brain injuries can have permanent symptoms. These include migraines, long and short term memory loss, and even changes in mood.
• Sexual Assaults: Poorly lit areas are a magnet for perpetrators who are looking to prey on unsuspecting people. While these can occur anywhere, they often happen in parking lots that are dimly lit and without large amounts of foot traffic.

At Marcotte Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience representing those who are injured due to poor lighting. We understand the nuances of these cases, and we understand the severe, life changing injuries that can happen as a result.

If you or a loved one were injured on someone else’s property due to a lack of lighting, call our experienced lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation. As with any personal injury case, there is no fee unless you win.