Did you slip and fall on someone else’s property due to someone else’s negligence? Were you injured as a result of your fall? You may have a valid personal injury claim against the property owner or manager if their negligence led to the property condition that caused your injury. A Niceville slip and fall lawyer from The Bruner Law Firm can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Call (850) 605-0672 for a free consultation with one of The Bruner Law Firm’s experienced Niceville slip-and-fall attorneys. We’ll evaluate your case, explain the personal injury claims process, and assist you in seeking total and fair compensation for your injuries.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall in Niceville

Slip-and-fall accidents can happen anywhere. But some hazards make these accidents more likely, such as:

• Wet floors
• Uneven surfaces
• Loose carpets
• Unsecure railings

The business owner may be liable for your injuries if you slip and fall because of a puddle in a grocery store aisle. Refrigerator leaks and other spills are relatively common, so management should be on the lookout for these hazards and take steps to clean them up as soon as possible.

Some buildings have uneven floors, such as a restaurant with a single step leading into the dining area. If there aren’t warnings letting customers know about these uneven floors, the property owner could be liable. Loose carpets, rugs, and mats can create tripping hazards if they’re bulging or not fully secured where they meet another flooring material. For example, a department store may have worn carpets that trip shoppers.

Any building with stairs should have secure railings for visitors to hold onto. Guests have a reasonable expectation that railings will be safe and able to provide support as they use a staircase.

Common Slip-and-Fall Injuries

Even though most slip-and-fall accidents don’t involve falling from heights, they can still lead to severe injuries with lasting impacts. Some common injuries include:

• Breaks and Fractures — Wrist and forearm breaks and fractures can occur when bracing yourself during a fall. Older adults are also susceptible to hip fractures, which can be life-threatening injuries.
• Soft Tissue Injuries — Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues can suffer strains or tears, depending on how you fall. These injuries may require surgery and physical therapy to heal.
• Spine Injuries — A spinal cord injury can leave you with paralysis and drastically change your quality of life. If you suffered a spine injury and someone attempted to move you from where you fell, that may have also made your injury worse.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries — If you hit your head when you fall, you could suffer a concussion or, worse, a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A TBI can leave you with permanent impairment, potentially requiring a full-time caretaker.

These injuries often result in significant medical expenses.

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability is a subset of personal injury law that holds property owners and managers liable for injuries caused by hazards on their property.

Property owners owe a duty of care to their visitors. It’s their job to ensure the property is free of known hazards and that appropriate warnings or safety measures are in place to protect visitors from permanent hazards, such as wet floors by a pool.

If you slipped and fell on someone else’s property, a premises liability claim can help you recover money to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses. A personal injury lawyer can make the process smoother and assist you in seeking the maximum amount of compensation available.

Proving Liability in a Niceville Slip-and-Fall Case

As part of your personal injury claim, you must show that the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard that caused your injury. Florida law lays out two possible ways to do this:

• Show that the hazard existed for a long enough time that the property owner should have reasonably known of the condition,
• Show that the hazard was a regular occurrence, so the property owner should have been able to foresee that it would happen again.

Your lawyer can use various forms of evidence to prove knowledge of a dangerous condition on a property. Some evidence they may use includes:

• Security camera footage showing your fall and that the hazard existed for a significant amount of time before your accident
• Eyewitness statements corroborating your claim that the hazard was persistent or that they previously reported the hazard to the property owner, manager, or employee
• Photographs of the hazardous condition immediately after your slip and fall
• Photographs showing that the hazard that caused your injury still exists on the property days, weeks, or months later

Having skilled legal representation can significantly improve your chances of proving liability and securing compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should I Do Immediately After a Slip-and-Fall Accident?

There are a few things you should do immediately after your slip-and-fall accident, including:

• Seek medical treatment for your injuries. Immediate medical treatment can prevent your injuries from worsening. It also establishes a paper trail of your injuries and treatments, which is substantial evidence in your case.
• Take photographs of your injuries and the hazardous conditions on the property. These photographs will support your claims about the severity of your injuries and that the property owner should have known about the hazard. If you cannot photograph the property, have someone else photograph you.
• Report your injury to the property owner or manager and ask them for a copy of the accident report. This documentation can serve as another piece of evidence.

How Do I Know If I Have a Valid Slip-and-Fall Claim?

The best way to determine if you have a valid slip-and-fall claim is to discuss it with a personal injury attorney. The lawyer will review your case during your initial consultation and explain the available legal options.

It may turn out that while you have a valid injury claim, it’s not against the party you expected. Rather than filing your claim against the property owner, for example, you may need to file it against the company responsible for maintaining the property.

What Types of Compensation Can I Receive for a Slip-and-Fall Injury?

You can seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages in Florida slip-and-fall injuries. Economic damages are your losses with objective value, such as bills. Non-economic damages are your losses with subjective value, such as the pain you experienced. Common types of compensation sought in slip-and-fall claims include:

• Medical Costs — Medical costs are the most common type of compensation. Medical cost compensation covers both past and future (expected) surgeries, medical treatments, hospital stays, prescription medications, and medical devices required for treating your injuries.
• Lost Wages — If you had to take off from work to recover from your injuries, or if your injuries left you unable to work at all or in the same capacity you once did, you can seek compensation for your lost income. This may also apply to lost benefits you would have earned if you could continue working.
• Necessary Home Renovations — Some severe injuries, such as spine injuries, can cause permanent impairment. If you now must use a wheelchair, you may be able to seek compensation for renovations to make your home wheelchair accessible.
• Pain and Suffering — You can seek compensation for the physical pain you suffered due to your injury.
• Emotional Distress — You can also seek compensation for the emotional distress you experienced because of your injuries and their impact on your life.

How Long Do I Have to File a Slip-and-Fall Lawsuit in Niceville?

According to Florida law, personal injury claims, including premises liability claims, have a two-year statute of limitations. You must file your claim within two years of your slip-and-fall injury to be eligible for compensation.

An attorney can assist you in properly filing your claim and any other forms you may need to file throughout the rest of your case within their respective time limits. Lawsuits have various deadlines each party must meet, and an experienced attorney can make sure you don’t miss any of them.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Handle My Slip-and-Fall Case?

While you do not need a lawyer to handle your slip-and-fall case, it is highly recommended. An experienced lawyer can assist you in obtaining a higher payout than you may be able to on your own.

They can provide a valuation for your claim, gather evidence supporting your claim, and represent you in settlement negotiations and at trial. In addition to those services, a slip and fall attorney in Niceville provides legal advice and can make your entire case go more smoothly, saving you time and money in the long run.

Niceville Slip-and-Fall Personal Injury Lawyer

Did a hazardous condition on someone else’s property cause you to slip and fall, resulting in injuries? You can seek compensation for your injuries through a personal injury claim, and an experienced premises liability attorney can help.

Contact the Niceville slip-and-fall injury lawyers of The Bruner Law Firm online or at (850) 605-0672 for a free consultation about your case. Our legal team has been fighting for the legal right to compensation for those injured for over 30 years.