Staircase injuries often follow patterns we see across the community—especially in mixed-use areas and older properties.
- Older buildings and remodeling transitions: Uneven step heights, worn treads, or stair edges that were never brought up to modern safety standards after updates.
- Rental properties with shared access: Tenants and visitors using stairways in multi-unit buildings where maintenance responsibility isn’t always clear.
- Work and customer access areas: Falls in facilities where employees, contractors, or customers share stairways—such as break areas, storage access, or back-of-house entrances.
- Seasonal conditions and clutter: Salt tracked in during Wisconsin winters, debris near landings, or temporary storage that blocks safe footing.
If your fall occurred in a place where people regularly commute, visit, or conduct business, it’s crucial to identify who controlled the stairs and what they knew (or should have known) about the condition.


