Slip-and-fall refers to the liability laws that govern cases in which an individual is injured by a dangerous condition on another’s property. These lawsuits usually fall under the umbrella of “premises liability” claims. Individuals frequently slip and fall on others’ property, and the property owner could be held legally liable for the mishap.
Every year, nearly a million people visit emergency rooms due to slip and fall accidents. Torn carpeting, uneven flooring, insufficient lighting, a narrow stairwell, or a wet floor are just a few of the dangerous conditions that might lead someone to stumble and hurt themselves.
A slip and fall accident can also occur when someone falls outside due to ice, rain, snow, or an unforeseen danger, such as a hole in the ground. The same goes if someone slips on a cracked or broken public walkway or if someone falls down a set of stairs.
In any case, the plaintiff must have suffered some form of injury, no matter how little, in order to be eligible for compensation.
How to Determine a Slip and Fall Case
There is no specific way to determine if someone else is legally accountable for your injury if you slip and fall. In most cases, there must be an unreasonably high risk of accident to a person on the property. More importantly, the injured party should not have foreseen given the circumstances. This latter stipulation means that individuals must be aware of and avoid obvious threats. Here is a general guideline to determine a slip and fall on different kinds of properties.
For Commercial Properties
To be legally accountable for injuries caused by slipping and falling on another’s property, the owner of a restaurant, store, or other business must:
- Have been responsible for the worn/torn patch, spill, or other unsafe surface or item being underfoot.
- Have been informed of the hazardous circumstance yet did nothing about it; or
- Should have known about the unsafe condition since a “responsible” person looking after the property would have detected it fixed it.
For Government Property
When a slip and fall accident occurs on land owned by a federal, state, or local government institution, special regulations apply. There are highly strict notification requirements, as well as wide immunity rules. Which sometimes shield government institutions from accountability for damage that occurs on their land.
For Residential Properties
Landlords could be held liable to tenants or third – parties for slip and fall injuries that occur on rented property. To hold a landlord liable for an accident, a tenant must establish the following:
- The landlord was responsible for taking care of the unsafe condition that led to the slip and fall.
- It would not have been prohibitively expensive or difficult to remedy the hazardous situation.
- The landlord’s failure to take adequate safety precautions resulted in the tenant’s or third party’s slip and fall injuries.
Slip and Fall Attorney Philadelphia
Now, determining what qualifies as a slip and fall case requires expertise; hence contacting a lawyer is the right choice if you wish to get the compensation you deserve. Philadelphia Injury Lawyers, P.C is a law firm that has experienced slip and fall attorneys to help you get the most suitable compensation. Contact a slip and fall attorney in Philadelphia to help you determine if your accident accounts for slip and fall personal injury cases.
