Insurance Consultants Of Maine Newsletter

Insurance Consultants of Maine Newsletter
Scott Simmonds, CPCU
March, 2005

Unbiased Insurance Info & Advice For You
www.endwimpyinsurance.com

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Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your colleagues. Comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome. Email: scott@icofmaine.com.

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Slip And Fall Accidents - I've received a rash of calls lately on slip and fall accidents. These claims are amazingly frustrating for everyone.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than one million people go to emergency rooms for slip-and-fall accidents each year, accounting for 14% of all accidental deaths. One estimate places the cost of slip and fall accidents in the food service industry at $2 billion a year.

There is also the issue of fraudulent claims. Almost every store, bank, restaurant and hotel has a story about a customer who was “allegedly” hurt slipping and falling.

Here are some of the recent reports I've heard from clients:

--Woman slipped on floor of a hotel lobby wet from tracking during a snow storm.

--Tenant slips on walkway during snow storm.

--Child falls and gashes his head at a motel pool.

--Man falls in bank parking lot after hours during a snow storm.

--Inn customer falls when rotted stair tread collapses.

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Slip and Fall Loss Prevention – Here are some ideas about preventing losses.

--Nationwide, wet floors are the overwhelming cause of slip and fall accidents. Post signs when mopping floors. Mop after hours when possible.

--Safety is everyone’s job. All employees should be empowered to take action when an unsafe condition exists. Shovel the walkway during a storm. Clean up spills. Mark wet areas.

--Your process should include safety – if you have a floor that is slippery when it’s wet, change the surface. Talk with flooring experts. There are ways to eliminate slippery walkways. Don’t clean floors at a time of day of heavy traffic. I worked with a nursing home once who’s janitor insisted on washing a corridor floor in the middle of the busiest part of the morning. The whole hallway was wet when foot traffic was at its highest! Don’t create an unnecessary hazard.

--In northern areas snow removal from walkways and parking lots must be a part of company policy. Documenting your snow and ice removal will help you defend a claim. Have shovels available for employees to do quick cleanups. Have and use ice removal chemicals on walkways. Spread sand on driveways and parking areas. Log the activities for future reference. It may sound goofy, but being able to say in a deposition that it is your policy to clear walkways repeatedly during storms will help you defend yourself. Obviously, you must then live by your policy.

--Replace worn or frayed carpeting. Fix damaged flooring immediately.

--Place warning cones when a hazard exists. A wet entryway on a rainy day cannot be prevented. Use a yellow warning cone with an appropriate notice (available at many different suppliers).

--Place walkway mats on surfaces known to be slippery when wet.

--Consider video cameras – documenting activities will help prevent fraudulent claims.

--Lease agreements – use legal contracts to limit your exposure to loss. An apartment lease that states that tenants will indemnify and hold you harmless may prevent a lawsuit from going too far.

--Document and report all incidents – even if the person wasn’t hurt. Take pictures of the area of the accident.

--Train everyone on fall prevention.

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Post Loss Slip And Fall Procedures – Here are some ideas of what to do after you’ve been told of an accident on your property involving a fall by a visitor:

-- Call your insurance company. Any time anyone is hurt (or claims to be hurt) you need to involve your insurance company. Let them help you work the claim.

-- Document and investigate. If you’re told of an accident soon after it happened get names of witnesses. Take statements if possible. Take pictures of the site of the accident and the area around it. Note the temperature and general weather conditions if the accident happened outside. If you’re not told of the injury until some time later poll your staff to see if anyone remembers the incident. Get as much info as you can as soon as you can.

--Documentation of all accidents should include:

1. Name, address and phone number of injured person

2. Date of birth

3. Date of accident

4. Specific location of accident

5. Time of accident

6. Weather conditions

7. Nature of injury (body part)

8. Complete description of accident

9. Witness names, addresses, and phone numbers

10. Description of how accident happened

Supervisors should investigate all incidents and follow up on what happens. What can be done to prevent a similar accident? What corrective actions should be taken?

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Biggest Business Insurance Mistakes White Paper - Get my "20 Biggest Business Insurance Mistakes" ebook in printer friendly form. Send a blank email to bizmistakes@icofmaine.com to receive your no obligation copy. What was on 40 pages of e-text is now available on 10 printer-friendly pages.

"The 20 Biggest Personal Insurance Mistakes" White Paper Now Available! - Readers have been asking for my personal insurance hints. It's here, hot off the ether! Just send a blank email to personal@icofmaine.com. Your copy will be sent to you immediately, at no cost of course.

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Your Privacy - I will never sell or distribute your email address to any other person or organization.

Do You Have The Right Insurance? Contact me to discuss an unbiased review of your insurance program. Do you have the right coverage? Can your policies be fine-tuned to improve the protection? Can changes be made to ease the administrative burden insurance causes? Are you getting the service you should from your broker? I can help. Call 207.284.0085 or email me at scott@icofmaine.com. Remember, I don't sell insurance so I'm unbiased.

Need A Speaker? I'm pleased to speak to trade, business or service associations about insurance topics. Call 207.284.0085 or email me at scott@icofmaine.com. Also check out my speaker's page at www.icofmaine.com/ispeaker.html. Associated Builders and Contractors members, come see my presentation at the April 21st meeting.

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Scott Simmonds, CPCU
Insurance Consultants of Maine, Inc.
20 Sofia Road
Saco, ME 04072-9017
Phone 207 284-0085
Fax 801 991-4027
scott@icofmaine.com
http://www.endwimpyinsurance.com

Unbiased Insurance Solutions

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Insurance Consultants of Maine, Inc. is an unbiased, fee-only insurance and risk management advisory firm. We don't sell insurance and never accept fees or commissions from insurance companies or agents.

Comments regarding insurance policies or products in this newsletter are for information purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement. I accept no fees or payments of any kind from any insurance organization or any company mentioned in this newsletter.