People slip, stumble or fall all the time. Sometimes these accidents lead to serious injuries. Many times, these accidents are no one’s fault, but sometimes they are the result of someone else’s negligence. Injuries from slips and falls can be grounds for a lawsuit under certain circumstances.
Property owner negligence
A slip, trip and fall case is a type of lawsuit involving premises liability. These cases occur when a person is injured on someone else’s property because of a dangerous condition that the property owner failed to repair.
Dangerous conditions can include spilled water, ice, oil, cracks, torn carpeting or exposed wires. In some cases, these conditions are outside. In others, they are inside a building.
Property owners may be legally liable for injuries if they were negligent and did not act with the degree of care that a reasonable person would use under similar circumstances. Owners are negligent if they knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and did not repair or eliminate it or warn guests.
Examples include:
- A store owner may be liable if a customer slipped on a spill that was not cleaned up.
- Failure to place markers around a floor that was just mopped and is slippery.
- Failing to shovel snow and eliminate ice that was accumulated on a sidewalk or parking lot for a prolonged period.
- Failure to provide proper illumination in parking lots.
- Exposed wires that cause tripping hazards on a trade show floor.
What to do
If you are injured in a slip, trip or fall accident, you should notify the property owner as soon as possible. Get medical attention and document your injuries and treatment.
Obtain photographs or video of the accident scene and document its condition when the accident occurred. If possible, obtain contact information for witnesses.
There is a limited time to sue. A personal injury attorney can assist victims gather evidence and pursue their right to compensation.
