Slip and Fall Premise Liability at Department Stores

Property owners are responsible for maintaining safe premises and warning visitors of potential hazards. They can be held liable for injuries that occur due to unsafe conditions on their property.  Slip and fall accidents may result in many types of injuries, ranging from minor to severe.

Slip and Fall Injuries

Slip and fall negligence cases may include claims against hotels or a department store accident liability claim.  These accidents can occur due to:

• Adverse weather conditions (snow, ice, or rain)
• Uneven sidewalks or pavement
• Potholes in the street or parking lot
• Poorly lit or unmarked pathways or stairs
• Unbalanced or slippery flooring
• Rippled carpet
• Obstructions on floor or walkway

Rights for Victims

A victim may sustain bruises, broken bones, and scrapes that require minimal medical treatment and heal relatively quickly.  Others may suffer a catastrophic personal injury, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or burn injury, which requires on-going medical care.  If the victim dies due to their injuries, then the death is considered a wrongful death and can be litigated as such.

Determining Liability from Department Stores

To be legally responsible for the injuries an individual suffered, one of the following must be true:

• The owner of the premises or employee must have caused the spill or other slippery or dangerous surface or item to be underfoot
• The owner of the premises or employee must have known of the dangerous surface but did nothing to correct it
• The owner of the premises or employee should have known of the dangerous surface because a “reasonable” person taking care of the property would have discovered it and repaired it

How Lawyers Can Help

If you or a loved one has sustained a slip and fall injury, you should contact a personal injury or slip and fall lawyer in order to determine the eligibility for filing a lawsuit.  If you have a viable case, you can pursue compensation for damages and injuries.