Slip and Falls are No Laughing Matter

According to the National Floor Safety Institute, slip and falls lead to more than one million emergency room visits every year. This type of accident can result in serious injuries such as sprains, bone fractures or traumatic brain injuries. It can even result in death.

Under Florida law, a person injured in a slip and fall at a business establishment must prove that the property manager had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition. A plaintiff can establish constructive knowledge by the length of time that the condition existed, or that the condition was foreseeable because it occurred regularly. Oftentimes, surveillance cameras capture the injury and the preceding moments.

Property owners have a legal duty to make their premises safe for visitors. They are required to clean up spills, provide well-lit walkways and warn of dangers such as just-waxed floors. A quick mopping and a yellow cone are all it takes to prevent an injury. However, property owners often neglect their duties. Every day, slip and fall accidents caused by spills, rainwater or leaking pipes injure customers. This type of slip and fall is the most common and the most preventable.

The bottom line is that slip and falls are not always due to clumsiness or carelessness. They are often due to business establishment’s failing their legal duty to provide a safe environment for customers. After a slip and fall accident, contact an experienced Clearwater personal injury attorney as soon as possible. At the Law Office of Paul B. Genet, P.A., we have the knowledge and experience to get you the maximum compensation for your injuries.