Slip & Fall
SLIP AND FALL DEFINED:
A Slip & Fall is an injury which occurs when someone slips, trips or falls as a result of a dangerous or hazardous condition through the negligence of a property owner.
- When an individual slips & falls on someone else's property and is injured as a result of a dangerous condition on the property, the land owner or business proprietor may find himself legally responsible and may be liable for the injuries.
- Property owners are responsible for injuries that occur as a result of a dangerous or hazardous condition on their property, which the owner knew about, or should have known about.
DANGEROUS OR HAZARDOUS CONDITION DEFINED
Dangerous & hazardous conditions may cause slips and falls due to accumulation of water, ice or snow, liquids, as well as abrupt changes in flooring, raised or cracked sidewalks, poor lighting, or a hidden hazard, such as a hidden ground hole.
- A dangerous or hazardous condition may be apparent such as a broken step or railing in a staircase, or it may be hidden such as ground hole that is overgrown with grass.
- A dangerous and hazardous condition may be permanent such as a 2 inch raised area of a sidewalk creating a change in elevation, or it may be a temporary spill of liquid in the aisle of a grocery store.
- A dangerous and hazardous condition may even appear to be something normal but be in reality is a slippery situation.
SLIP & FALL EXAMPLE
The owner or manager of property can be liable to somebody injured on their property, but not under all circumstances. The owner or the manager of the property has to be negligent in the conduct of caring for or managing their property.
- For example: Someone could fall down because a light burned out in a staircase; however, if the light had burned out just before the person got to that staircase and the person fell down, in this situation, the property owner or manager probably would not be liable because the owner or manager of the property did not cause the defect in the property, and the defect did not last long enough for the owner or manager of the property to know about the defect and fix it.
DAMAGES FOR SLIP & FALL INJURIES
This depends on the jurisdiction and the facts of your particular case (an attorney can help you with this). Depending on the jurisdiction and the facts of your particular case, generally, the following damages may be recoverable:
- medical bills and expenses incurred as a result of the incident
- lost income for time from work
- recovery of the fair value of any clothing damaged in the incident
- compensation for pain and suffering as a result of the incident
- general damages
Call Bubalo, Hiestand & Rotman for a Free Evaluation of your Slip & Fall case at Toll Free 1-866-870-2489.
