Slip and Fall Accidents

Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Injury Attorney

Solnick Lawyers represent people who have been injured in slip and fall accidents throughout the Philadelphia Metropolitan area. Slip and fall accidents happen everywhere – in stores, parking lots, business offices, government buildings, and any other indoor or outdoor, residential or commercial setting. If you are injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. A Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyer, like Solnick Lawyers, can help.

What is Classified as a Slip and Fall Accident?

A slip and fall accident is any incident in which you trip or slip and fall on someone else’s property because of an unsafe condition on that property.

What Qualifies as Negligence in a Slip and Fall Accident?

A property owner has a duty to keep their property in a safe condition for visitors. If there are dangerous conditions on the property that the owner knew or should have known about, they may be liable to someone who is injured, such as when someone slips and falls. Your lawyer may refer to this as premises liability. A property owner’s liability may be different depending on the visitor’s reason for being on the property, and these laws are slightly different in each state. For example, a property owner is expected to do more to make their property safe for an invited guest or someone on the property as a customer than for an illegal trespasser. 

What are Considered Dangerous Property Conditions?

A dangerous property condition could be any hazard on someone’s property, from an icy parking lot to a spilled drink on a store floor to uneven sidewalk blocks. A dangerous condition could be a result of poor maintenance, weather, or some other reason, but the law requires property owners to take responsibility for their property and will hold them liable for personal injuries that are caused by hazards that they knew or should have known about, and for which they did not give adequate warnings. 

Top Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents can happen in many places and in many different ways. Some of the most common causes of slip or trip and fall accidents leading to personal injury claims are:

• Wet, slippery surfaces
• Ice or snow that has not been cleared
• Spills on floors
• Just washed or polished floors
• Uneven or sloping surfaces, or holes
• Objects blocking walkways
• Broken stairs
• Poor lighting

Determining Liability in a Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Accident

Slip and fall laws are complex, often combining issues of personal injury, negligence, premises liability, insurance, and workers’ compensation law. If the property is occupied and/or managed by someone other than the owner, you will also have to determine whether the owner, occupier, manager or multiple parties are legally liable for the slip and fall.

Commercial Tenants

A business often rents its business premises from the owner, a commercial landlord. In this scenario, the occupying business is usually liable for any accidents on the property and should carry insurance for such liability.

Residential Tenants

Depending on the language of their lease, a residential tenant will be liable for slip and fall accidents on their rented property but the landlord is responsible for common areas such as apartment block stairwells, parking lots, and entrance lobbies.

Private Homeowners

A private homeowner is responsible for accidents on their property and should maintain homeowners’ insurance which provides coverage for slip and fall accidents.

Municipal Governments

A slip and fall claim against a government body is more complex and compensation may be more limited than a claim against a private person or business. In Pennsylvania, the responsible government agency must be notified within 6 months of a slip and fall accident which occurs on government property. These types of accidents might occur on a sidewalk, or in public buildings, parking lots, playgrounds, and other public properties.

The Victim

The victim in a slip and fall accident can sometimes be partly at fault for their own fall. In Pennsylvania, which is a modified comparative negligence state, the victim’s proportionate share of fault will reduce the amount of compensation that the victim can be awarded.

Common Injuries Related to Slip and Fall Accidents 

Injuries in slip and fall accidents can range from minor bruising to severe physical and mental trauma. In fact, every year, thousands of people die as a result of slip and fall injuries. Some of the more common injuries which occur in slip and fall accidents are:

• Fractures
• Torn ligaments and tendons
• Muscle sprains and strains
• Concussions
• T.B.I. (Traumatic Brain Injuries)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Nerve damage
• Bruising and other soft tissue injuries
• Lacerations

How to Proceed Following a Slip and Fall Accident in Pennsylvania

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, take the following steps to protect yourself and your legal right to compensation:

• Get medical attention: Your health comes first. Take care of yourself and your injuries, and see a doctor for evaluation and treatment. Keep a copy of your medical report and medical bill.
• File a report: Notify the property owner or manager about your accident as soon as possible. Most businesses have a standard accident report form for accidents on their property. Keep a copy of the completed form.
• Take Photos: If possible, take photographs of the condition(s) which caused you to fall as well as photographs depicting your injuries.
• Contact a slip and fall attorney: Before speaking to an insurance company or other party, contact a personal injury lawyer who handles slip and fall claims. Anything you say to another party could affect the amount of compensation that you receive so it is important to get reliable legal advice first.

Time Limit for Filing a Slip and Fall Claim in Pennsylvania 

Each state has its own laws on the time limit for filing a slip and fall claim, known as the statute of limitations. In Pennsylvania, the deadline for filing a slip and fall lawsuit is 2 years from the date of the accident but there are additional, shorter deadlines for claims against government agencies and bodies. If you miss a deadline, it may be impossible for you to file a legal claim. Moreover, the evidence must be preserved as soon as possible after a slip and fall.  Contact a Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that you do not lose your right to bring a legal claim for your slip and fall.

Why Work with a Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Injury Attorney

The legal team at Solnick Lawyers will take on your burden and fight for you against the property owner, insurance company, or government agency that is to blame for your injuries in a slip and fall accident. We know the law and we know how large insurance companies work to reduce the compensation that you receive and protect their profits. We will thoroughly investigate your case and negotiate on your behalf for full and fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. While many of our slip and fall cases settle without going to trial, we are ready and willing to take your case to a jury trial if you are not offered the compensation you deserve.