Is a property owner responsible for your slip and fall accident?

A slip and fall accident may result from a negligent property owner or manager who was aware a problem existed on their property but did nothing to correct it.  Slip and fall accidents can have life-altering consequences, leaving you with expensive medical bills, long-term injuries, and you may even experience a loss of income as a result of the injuries you sustained as a direct result of the fall.  

When is a property owner responsible for your slip and fall accident?

You can speak to an attorney to see your options for building a premises liability case against the property owner to seek compensation for your pain and suffering.  Slip and fall cases are built upon facts where the property owner knew about the hazard leading to you becoming injured on their property, but did not adequately inform or warn you of the dangers.   In addition, they needed to have the opportunity to take corrective action to repair or replace any damaged or dangerous conditions and chose not to do so.  These are just a few of the variables attorneys look at when building a slip and fall case.

To determine if the property owner is responsible for your accident and to be able to build a legal case against them, you must be aware of the following:

• What was the owner’s awareness of the danger prior to you sustaining your injuries.
• Is the area you fell well lit, or does it have poor lighting conditions?
• Are the property owner(s) aware of a history of accidents occurring on the property?
• How are the walkways configured?
• What are the property owner’s maintenance procedures?
• Were there witnesses to your accident?
• Does the flooring contain inadequate slip resistance?
• Were there any warnings or barriers placed near the hazard area?

Where do slip and fall accidents occur?

Slip and fall accidents frequently take place on private, commercial, and even government property. Any property owned or managed with negligence leading to an accident is grounds for a slip and fall lawsuit.  These locations include but are not limited to the following:

• Nursing homes
• Dormitories
• Assisted living facilities
• Office buildings
• Private residences
• Restaurants
• Movie theaters
• Retail locations
• Government offices
• Shopping malls
• Shopping centers
• Parking structures
• Schools and universities
• Hotels

When is a slip and fall lawsuit out of the question?

If your injury was a direct result of the negligence of another party, then you may have a valid slip and fall case, but if your slip and fall injury was an accident, then you may not have a case.  For example, if you are walking on a well-maintained sidewalk free of obstructions and you step incorrectly, leading to you falling and severely injuring yourself, you may not have a strong case to build a lawsuit.  Slip and fall lawsuits are built around the negligence of a property owner or manager.  Without negligence, then there is no case.  

The aftermath of a slip and fall accident. What should you do next?

Slip and fall cases can become complicated, and a statute of limitations may apply, which is why speaking to an experienced slip and fall attorney as soon as possible after the accident is absolutely crucial to building a case against the property owner.  

When is it a good idea to file a slip and fall lawsuit?

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury and it has impacted your life negatively, and a negligent property owner or manager is to blame for the accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your pain and suffering.  At Long, Jean & Wechsler, P.A., we handle a wide range of personal injury cases, including premises liability cases involving a slip and fall accident.  Many of our slip and fall clients who have sustained an injury due to a negligent property owner or manager were left with medical bills they could not afford or with a loss of income after the accident.  The only way for them to financially recover was to file a lawsuit to regain stability in their life.  

If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, contact the attorneys at Long, Jean & Wechsler, P.A. by calling us at 954-597-6770.  Our legal team is ready to give you a free case evaluation to help you understand what your options are.

We are here to help guide and navigate you through each step of the case, from gathering evidence and reporting the accident to filing your claim and seeing the case through to the end.