WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A SLIP-AND-FALL ACCIDENT?

Slip-and-fall accidents often cause serious injuries. A broken bone or a head injury often means great expenses and losses for someone who has fallen on a slippery surface. A slip-and-fall accident from a balcony or stage, or on steps, stairs, an elevator or escalator may result in a catastrophic injury that leaves a sufferer with lasting disabilities.Whatever the details of a slip-and-fall accident, it can be very important for the injured person to establish liability on the part of the property owner. When a slip-and-fall injury happens on a slippery surface such as a grocery store floor or an icy sidewalk in front of a business, a key question is whether the property owner was aware of the hazardous conditions. Another important question, however, is whether the person who fell was paying attention to his or her surroundings.There is an assumption that a person walking in a store or on a sidewalk has a duty to notice what can be seen and take actions to protect his or her own safety.
There is also an assumption that a landowner who knows about a hazardous condition, and does not take action in time to prevent injuries, is liable for losses after an accidental injury occurs.

Determining liability in a slip-and-fall accident scenario often comes down to proving that store management personnel knew or should have known of a hazardous condition such as a spillage. Sometimes surveillance videos provide the necessary evidence to convince an insurance claims adjuster, a jury or a judge that the property owner should compensate the injured accident victim.

Protecting the opportunity to review evidence such as video surveillance footage is one reason it can be vitally important to contact an attorney right away after a serious slip-and-fall accident.