SLIP / TRIP AND FALL (PREMISES LIABILITY)
The owner and/or operator of any retail store, building, housing complex, gas station, or other place of business, has a legal duty to ensure that the property is free of hazards that could cause visitors harm. Unfortunately, far too often owners/operators do not take adequate precautions, and put the bottom line above basic customer safety.
If you or a loved one has been injured, disabled or killed as a result of slipping or tripping on the property of another, these losses may be due to the property owner and/or operator’s negligence. If the owner or operator was negligent in maintaining their property, they are liable to the injured party for the injuries, including medical bills, and any emotional distress caused.
LIABILITY FOR NEGLIGENT MAINTENANCE:
The owner and/or the operator of property has a duty to maintain it in a safe way when guests are invited on to the property. This applies to store owners, as they are inviting customers to come in and purchase their products, as well as owners of equipment and buildings. This also applies to owners of sidewalks (usually, the government), as these are held out for public use.
However, property owners are not automatically liable for any injuries sustained on their property. In order for the owner to be liable, they must have been negligent in maintaining the property, and the negligence must have caused the injuries.
A property owner and/or the operator of the property will generally be found negligent when:
The property owner (or anyone under their control) created an unsafe condition, and failed to fix or provide proper warning signs
An unsafe condition was caused by a third party, the property owner knew of the unsafe condition, and failed to fix it
There was an unsafe condition on the property, and although the property owner did not actually know about it, they should have known about it because a reasonable owner would have found it
EXAMPLES OF NEGLIGENT MAINTENANCE:
Wet Floors Without a Warning Sign
Broken / Uneven Sidewalks
Uneven / Deteriorating Stairs
Torn or Protruding Carpet
Dirty / Messy Floors
Displays / Pallets Kept in Areas Where they are a Trip Hazard
STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A SLIP / TRIP AND FALL:
Seek medical help. If you need emergency assistance, call 9-1-1 right away. If it’s not an emergency, visit a doctor as soon as possible after leaving
Notify the store owner
Take pictures
Take notes on what occurred / conversations that took place
If at a store, Fill out a claim form or report
Contact ANAND LAW
COMMON AREAS WHERE SLIP / TRIP AND FALLS OCCUR:
Stores (Grocery / Supermarket / Hardware / Etc.)
Staircases
Buildings (Apartments / Commercial / Etc.)
WHAT TYPE OF COMPENSATION ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?
Medical Bills
Physical and Emotional Distress / Pain and Suffering
Lost Income
ANAND LAW fights for your rights, leaving no stone uncovered.
We take accident & injury cases on a No Win/No Fee basis—we don’t get paid unless we recover for you.
We will ensure that you and your family receive the fair treatment and compensation that you are entitled to. We provide compassionate yet aggressive representation to ensure that all avenues of justice are pursued.
Whether the owner of the property is insured, self-insured, or neither, they will not have your best interest at hand. ANAND LAW will vigorously seek to provide your family with just compensation for medical bills, pain & suffering, and lost wages. If we do receive an adequate settlement offer, we will sue the responsible parties, and, if necessary, take it all the way to trial.
See also: UNSAFE PREMISES
