Slip and Fall Accidents: The Celebrity Angle

Almost every day, people file slip and fall lawsuits due to other people's negligence.

What might appear as a small bump in the sidewalk or a tiny patch of ice on the porch, can cause all sorts of damage, from broken legs to broken backs. The truth is that these cases usually don’t make news. But one case has recently been plastered all over the media because of its celebrity angle -- the victim is none other than Ed McMahon.

McMahon's story is not like your typical, straightforward slip and fall lawsuit. For one thing, he's suing billionaire Robert Day for his main injury, a broken neck. McMahon says that the entry stairs to Day's home were unsafe. As a result, McMahon lost his balance and reached for the handrails, which were none. As a result, he fell and broke his neck.

But the McMahon saga doesn't end there. He’s also suing the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for malpractice and elder abuse.

McMahon claims that the doctors refused to X-ray his spine, even though he kept complaining of severe pain. He says that he was released from the hospital with a broken neck, a problem that was revealed two weeks later.

Cynics will think that this is one of those celebrity slip and fall lawsuits that is aimed at drumming up publicity. But it does put the spotlight on some important issues involving slip and fall cases as well as possible hospital