If you have suffered an injury due to a Florida slip-and-fall accident because someone was negligent in maintaining their property or business, you may have the right to pursue legal action and recover damages under Florida laws. It is important to hold those that are negligent accountable so that you are not stuck with medical bills and to encourage others to make their premises safe so that others are not injured in the future. These cases are common but often involve unique challenges that require skilled legal arguments from experienced Florida slip-and-fall attorneys. Parrish & Goodman, Attorneys at Law, with offices in Fort Myers, St. Petersburg and Naples, Florida, handle slip-and-fall accident cases throughout the state of Florida.
Florida Premises Liability and Personal Injury
In Florida, property owners and possessors are required by law to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition for visitors. However, in slip and fall claims, the primary source of conflict is often the duty to inspect and correct hazardous conditions on the property. Even if the property owner acknowledges that the hazard caused the accident, they may argue that they were unaware of the hazard and could not have reasonably discovered it before the fall occurred.
Establishing the property owner or manager’s responsibility for the accident requires skilled legal argumentation from experienced Florida slip and fall attorneys.
The top five causes of trip and fall accidents in Florida are:
1. Wet surfaces
2. Uneven surfaces
3. Unmarked hazards (like those above, indoors or outdoors)
4. Debris or other objects on the ground
5. Weather conditions
While these hazards may seem obvious and easily preventable, proving negligence in slip and fall cases can be complex.
Establishing Negligence and Responsibility in a Slip-and-Fall Accident
To establish negligence under the law, your Florida slip and fall attorney must prove that the property owner knowingly breached their duty of care by allowing a potentially hazardous condition to exist. The attorney must also prove that the hazard or condition caused the slip and fall, resulting in injuries. If possible, you should take pictures of the area in which you were injured at or close to the time you were injured, to include anything that may have been defective, such as water marks on ceilings, any substances that may have caused you to slip, uneven walkways/entryways, and you should keep the clothes that you were wearing at the time, to include your footwear.
When pursuing a claim for a slip and fall accident, it is essential to determine who is liable for the accident. Even though property owners should be held responsible, it is not always the case, and it is crucial to pursue a claim against the right parties. Parrish & Goodman Slip-and-Fall Attorneys explore every possibility to pursue claims against anyone with liability for your personal injuries. This can include:
· Property Owners – Florida property owners owe a duty of care to provide visitors, guests, and employees with a safe environment. varying duties to invitees (social guests), licensees (business customers), and trespassers. If you slipped, fell, and were injured due to a breach of this duty, we can hold the property owner liable for your injuries and other related losses.
· Business Owners – The business owner may be liable for your accident instead of the property owner. This depends on whether the business owner has responsibilities in maintaining the property for employees, customers, and visitors.
· Maintenance or Cleaning Companies – Third parties contracted by the property or business owner to perform work on the premises can create unsafe situations that can make them liable for your accident. Some examples would be loose flooring, unmarked wet floors, or debris left after a job.
· Contractors or Subcontractors – Many building and property owners contract with companies to renovate, repair, or expand their premises. Negligent actions on their part can also leave a property unsafe and cause slip-and-fall accidents.
· Flooring Material Manufacturers – It isn’t unheard of for faulty flooring material to be the culprit in some slip-and-fall accidents. The manufacturer could be liable for your injuries if you slipped and fell because of defective flooring materials.
Contact Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys Today
Parrish & Goodman, Attorneys at Law, will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding your slip-and-fall accident to determine liability and all related factors. We will examine security footage, interview witnesses, obtain bystander photos, review accident reports, obtain maintenance records, and examine any other documentation or evidence that could help us uncover the facts.
Our Florida Personal Injury Attorneys are relentless in pursuing every detail so we can build the most formidable case to secure you the compensation you deserve. Florida laws support a modified comparative fault system where each responsible entity is assigned a percentage of fault. The business owner may be 50% responsible, but a cleaning company may also have 50% of the responsibility. Each entity would share the damages caused by your injury.
The possible issues are complex, so you must call Parrish & Goodman as soon as possible after suffering a slip-and-fall accident on public or private property in Florida. Your Case is Our Reputation. Contact us today for a free case review.
