Slip and fall accidents occur unexpectedly and can happen just about anywhere, potentially leaving the victims with a variety of injuries, medical bills, and even long-term disabilities impacting their ability to work. The location of the accident is a crucial factor in determining if a slip and fall could be due to negligence. If the injury occurs and the property’s owner or management were aware of the hazard but neglected to correct it, they may be liable for damages.

The first step in getting compensated in any slip and fall case is proving legal liability and negligence on the part of those involved with caring for the property where the accident occurs. Victims should seek an experienced slip and fall attorney to guide them through the process and fight for fair compensation for their injuries. Call lowercase at 833-LOW-FEE5 (833-569-3335) to speak with an experienced slip and fall lawyer and begin your journey towards recovery.

Most slip and fall accidents are caused by neglect of property or lack of awareness and could have been easily prevented by simple maintenance or proper notification of hazards. Some examples of the slip and fall accidents we often see are:

• The classic slip due to “slippery when wet” surfaces. Spills, leaks, or even maintenance related work like mopping or pressure washing.
• Trip and fall due to uneven surfaces such as floor tiles, sidewalks, or pavement.
• Fall due to stairs or steps without appropriate handrail support.
• Unforeseen obstacles such as carpet, cords, wiring, curbs, or steps that are not properly marked.

These are just a few of the more common slip and fall occurrences we often see, but accidents can happen in many different ways. If you are injured due to any slip, trip, or fall, we recommend contacting a lowercase lawyer for a free consultation to explore the possibility of compensation for your injuries and associated expenses.

Generally speaking, the liability of a slip and fall accident will fall onto the party who is in charge of a property. Many times that will simply be the owner of the property, but can also mean that a management company is liable if they were contracted by the property owner to oversee the property.

The key word here is reasonable. If the property owner or management has acted within reason with regard to maintenance of their property or marking hazards, they may not be liable for any injuries that occur on their property. Florida has premises liability laws stating that a property owner must keep their property reasonably safe and free from hazards for visitors. So if they knew about or should have known about a hazard to visitors, but did not take action to rectify the situation, that may prove their liability for an injury on their grounds.

If the property owner or management are not able to make a repair within a reasonable time period, the next course of action they are required to take is marking off the hazard or drawing attention to it so that anyone on property is aware of potential injury. This could mean anything from a “slippery when wet” sign next to a pipe leaking water on tile floor to orange cones or hazard fencing surrounding a pothole in the parking lot. If the property owner or management knowingly fail to protect visitors from harm, they are liable for injuries that occur on premises.

A crucial consideration in these cases is the status of the injured person on the property. By status, we simply mean did they have a right to be on premises or were they trespassing. If the injured person was a customer of a business, a guest at a hotel, a worker on a site, or otherwise legal visitor of a property, there may be a legitimate liability claim. If the injured person was trespassing, that would generally disqualify them from being able to claim damages against a property’s owner or management.

Proving negligence is a crucial component in many personal injury cases, but it can be difficult to fully establish in slip and fall accidents. The associated laws require you show negligence on the part of the property owner or management in each of the following four areas.

1. Duty of Care – The owner of the property or their management had the duty to visitors to maintain the property without potentially dangerous hazards.

2. Breach of Duty – The owner of the property or their management failed to meet the aforementioned duty of care conditions.

3. Causation – The reason for your injuries was the dangerous hazard on property that was not maintained correctly, repaired in a timely manner, or marked correctly to warn of the risk.

4. Damages – Measuring the toll this injury has taken on you via medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, or otherwise.

In most cases it is most difficult to establish that the property owner or management should have known about the risk and taken the appropriate steps to reduce or eliminate it. Generally the reasonability of this is based on whether other property owners or management would have known about the risk and made the appropriate fixes.

If you or a loved one are injured in a slip and fall accident, you should take the following steps:

• Seek immediate medical attention, whether the injury is major or minor should be determined by medical professionals. Either way, it will help to document the injuries should damages need to be shown later.
• Identify the property owner and/or management and obtain any contact information you can.
• If possible, identify any witnesses that saw the accident occur and exchange contact information.
• See if there are any photos or videos of the accident from people or businesses around you.
• Contact lowercase to speak with a slip and fall lawyer about your case.

An experienced lowercase attorney can make all the difference in making sure you get full compensation for your injuries and damages in a slip and fall accident. They will guide you through the process and make sure you aren’t bullied or rushed into settling for less than you deserve. Call us today at 833-LOW-FEE5 (833-569-3335).