Slip and Falls

Slip and fall accidents happen often in Florida. Property owners have a duty to use reasonable care in maintaining their property. They also have a duty to warn of hidden dangers.

Slip and fall cases in Florida can be tricky. For example, if you slipped and fell as a result of a transient or foreign substance, then you must prove the property owner knew (or should have known) of the dangerous substance and they failed to clean it up. This is commonly called the “notice requirement.” Because of this, property owners have a defense that they didn’t know of the existence of the foreign substance, and thus are not liable. You’ll want to hire a Florida slip and fall attorney who has handled these kinds of cases before.

If you are able to prove that the property owner was negligent in causing your slip and fall, then you should be entitled to damages. This includes past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life, mental anguish, and pain and suffering damages.

Take Pictures:

After a slip and fall accident, you should take pictures of the area where you fell. Focus in on the dangerous condition that caused you to fall. You also want to take pictures of the location of the fall from multiple angles. Having photographs can make a huge difference in the value of your case.

Witnesses:

If there are witnesses get their names and telephone numbers. You attorney will contact them to get a statement, which is extremely valuable should your case go to trial. You’ll also want to report the fall to the property owner or store manager. If possible try to get a copy of the report.

What Are The Typical Causes Of Slip-And-Fall Accidents?

The number one cause of slip-and-fall accidents is the presence of a transient substance, which is anything on the ground that shouldn’t be there (e.g. water, juice, banana peel). A lot of trip-and-fall injuries are caused by unevenness or height differentials on sidewalks (according to the law, there cannot be a height differential of more than a half inch) and holes in pavement…Read More