Determining fault in a slip and fall injury
A slip and fall injury is not always the property owner’s fault. Floors are likely to get wet, and certain objects serve their meaningful purpose on the ground. Everyone has an obligation to pay attention to their surroundings. That being said, property owners need to maintain a safe and stable environment. They need to make sure that their property does not have dangerous conditions which can easily lead to a slip and fall injury. For a property owner to be legally responsible for your slip and fall injury, the property owner or an employee:- Must have caused the dangerous condition;
- Must have neglected to fix the dangerous condition; or
- Should have known about the condition, as any “reasonable” person would.
- Did a dangerous condition exist long enough for the property owner to have known about it?
- Does the property owner regularly maintain the premises?
- Was an object poorly placed to create a dangerous condition?
- Could a warning have been given to prevent the slip and fall injury?
- Did poor lighting contribute to the slip and fall injury?
- Did I have a legitimate reason to be in the dangerous area?
- Would a careful person have suffered the same type of slip and fall injury?
- Did I ignore warnings that there was a dangerous condition?
- Did my actions or distractions contribute to the slip and fall?