Key West & Marathon Slip & Fall Lawyer
Nationwide, falls generate eight million trips to the ER every year, and about a million of those come from slip and fall accidents. Falls are the leading cause of death to the elderly in Florida and the fourth leading cause for everyone else. They are the number one reason for non-fatal hospital admissions related to an injury in the state.
Slip and fall accidents don’t happen for no reason. Some hazardous condition on the floor causes the fall. That hazard shouldn’t be there in the first place. Even if it wasn’t the property owner who created the condition, it is their responsibility to clean it up or fix it before somebody gets hurt. If they fail to do that in a reasonable way, they can and should be held responsible for the harm caused to an innocent slip and fall victim.
At Florida Keys Injury in Key West, our job is to help accident victims recover compensation for their injuries from the negligent parties responsible for causing the harm. In the case of slip and fall accidents, this most often means the owner of a grocery store, restaurant, nightclub, retail store or shopping mall. These large corporations can be tough to deal with, and negligence related to a slip and fall can be hard to prove. Our attorneys, however, are trained and experienced in recovering significant monetary settlements that provide real, valuable help and support to people who were injured through no fault of their own. If you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall accident in Key West, Marathon, or anywhere in The Keys, call Florida Keys Injury for a free consultation (786-605-8500) regarding your claims. We are compassionate with clients and aggressive toward insurance companies, and we get the job done.
When Are Property Owners Liable for a Slip and Fall?
Property owners can be liable for a slip and fall on their premises whenever they personally created the hazardous condition or when they either knew or should have known about the danger yet failed to fix it or warn about it in a reasonable time. Some of these dangerous conditions can include:
- A spilled drink at a restaurant or shopping mall
- Liquid on the floor of a grocery store from a broken bottle or condensation leaking from a refrigerated case
- A crack in the floor caused by subsidence
- Merchandise, trash or other debris on the floor of a retail store
- A broken step
- An unmarked step or ramp
- Misplaced or missing floormats
- Water tracked into the entrance from outside
When the property is a business open to members of the public, the owner has an affirmative duty to actively be on the lookout for dangers and fix them promptly. Store managers should have a routine in place for checking the floor and quickly putting up warning signs or barriers around a spill or other hazard until it can be effectively cleaned up or fixed.
Even when they don’t invite members of the public onto their premises, Florida property owners owe a duty to people lawfully on their property with a license to enter, such as to make deliveries, read the meter, drop off mail or make inspections. To these people, the owner must warn or fix any known dangers but does not have an affirmative duty to look for problems and fix them.
What Do I Do if I Slip and Fall?
Immediately tell someone at the establishment and let them know what happened. Make sure they document it in writing. If any witnesses saw you fall or saw the hazardous condition on the floor, try to get their contact information for later. If you are offered a ride to the hospital or an ambulance and feel you need emergency care, take it. Otherwise, follow up with a doctor as soon as you can. Also as soon as you can, call Florida Keys Injury. We’ll make sure the circumstances surrounding the accident are properly documented and any evidence preserved. We can also connect you with a doctor if you don’t have a personal physician. Once your damages are known, we’ll work with the property owner’s insurance company to get you a settlement that fully compensates you for your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other legal damages.
Before you’ve talked to an attorney, don’t give any recorded statements to the insurance company or accept any money from them. They might try to settle your case cheaply or build a case against you so they can avoid paying a fair settlement. Common insurance company tactics include claiming that you are to blame for the accident because you were not watching where you were going or perhaps you were enjoying your vacation and they’ll claim you had too much to drink. Adjusters often brush off your actual injuries and say that you aren’t seriously hurt. Insurance claims adjusters are expertly trained in techniques to get you to say things that make it sound like you are at fault or not badly hurt. The best thing to do is call a law firm and let the attorneys talk to the insurer on your behalf.
Call Florida Keys Injury Lawyers for Help After a Slip and Fall
For help after a slip and fall accident in the Florida Keys, call Florida Keys Injury at 786-605-8500 for a free consultation with a skilled and experienced Key West & Marathon slip & fall lawyer.
