Slip and fall accidents can occur within a blink of an eye, but the catastrophic damages that they cause
can remain for a lifetime. After a fall, you may find yourself feeling in pain, embarrassed, and confused
what to do next. It is very easy to seriously injure yourself, particularly in big box stores with concrete or
covered concrete floors. A fall can cause significant damage and medical bills and it is important to know
your rights so you do not have to pay for a store’s negligence.
Know the Statute of Limitations
This is the length of time you have to take legal actions against the property owner or business. In Florida,
it is four years from the date of the injury. This means you must have a physician verify the injury as soon
as possible.
Understand Comparative Fault
Florida law uses comparative fault to determine the percentage of fault in a slip and fall accident. A
corporation might try to use comparative negligence to place part of the blame on you. They do this by
saying something like your shoes were not right for the situation or that you were not paying attention
while walking.
Know What Courts Consider Reasonable
The courts must determine if the company or business did everything possible to prevent your injury. This
means did they:
- Have broken or damaged flooring
- Know about the unsafe condition
- Took measures to correct or warn about an unsafe condition
- Is there a good reason for the object or condition to exist
- Was there adequate lighting
- Could the store block off the area
This is basically to determine if you or the business was careless.
After a slip and fall at a business, do your best to be aware of your surroundings to try to piece together
what happened. You will need to act quickly to look for potential witnesses, take pictures of the area if
possible, and secure detailed records of what happened. Slip and fall accidents can happen to anyone.
Knowing your rights can make all the difference.
MATTHEW WASSERMAN, ESQ.
