Can I File a Lawsuit If I Slipped and Fell on a Wet Surface in a Store or Place of Business?

Thousands of slip and fall accidents occur each year at retail stores and other places of business due to slippery floors. While it might be easy to dismiss these accidents as a mistake, the fact remains that slip and fall injuries caused due to wet surfaces can cause lasting physical damage. The injuries caused by such accidents can prove catastrophic in older individuals due to weak bones and slow healing.

If you sustained a physical injury as a result of a slip and fall at a place of business, you might wonder whether you are entitled to financial compensation for your damages. You can successfully obtain financial compensation through a lawsuit against the party responsible for creating the hazardous conditions resulting in the slip and fall injury.

Proving Negligence

In case of a slip and fall injury resulting from a wet surface at a place of business, you must prove in a court of law that the wet surface was caused due to the negligence of the property owner or store staff.

The store staff or owner might be responsible for the accident in several ways. The store can be held liable for the accident if the slippery wax used to clean the floors led to the slip and fall injury. It can also be held liable if it fails to put sufficient warning signs around the slippery area to help the visitors avoid injury. In other cases, the staff might be negligent in cleaning liquid spills causing slippery conditions that can lead to slip and fall accidents on the wet floor as well as possible serious injuries to the victim.

Premises Liability Law

The determination of liability in such slip and fall cases is governed by the Premises Liability Law. Under this law, all property owners owe a duty of care to the visitors or customers. The duty of care involves the elimination of dangerous conditions at the property, including wet or slippery surfaces.

Any breach or violation of this duty of care due to negligence of the business owner or staff can cause them to be held liable for the accident. For this purpose, it is essential to prove in a court of law that the opposite party was aware of the wet or slippery surface and failed to take appropriate measures to warn the guests or monitor/clean the wet or slippery floor.

Additionally, the guests or customers at the place of business also have to act responsibly. To successfully establish the negligence of the business owner/staff, it is essential to prove that you took steps to avoid the hazardous condition, i.e., the wet/slippery floor.

Hiring a Lawyer

To file a slip and fall injury lawsuit against the place of business, it is important to hire an experienced attorney. An injury lawyer will help guide you through the complicated legal process of filing the lawsuit, gathering the evidence, establishing liability, and obtaining financial compensation for your physical, emotional, and financial damages.