Slip and Falls

slip and falls / premises liability

What should you do if you are injured in a slip and fall? Call an experienced injury lawyer in South Florida who can help you recover. 

If you or someone you know has been injured on the property of another or due to the fault of another, be sure to contact an experienced injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale or Miami. 

Florida slip and fall laws govern when a property owner or occupier can be held legally responsible for injuries caused by dangerous conditions on their property. These claims fall under Florida premises liability law, primarily found in Chapter 768 of the Florida Statutes and developed through court decisions. To recover damages, an injured person generally must show that the property owner owed a duty of care, breached that duty by failing to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition, and that the breach caused actual injuries and damages.

Florida law applies special rules to slip and fall accidents involving transitory foreign substances, such as spills, food, liquids, or debris, especially in business establishments. In these cases, the injured person must prove that the business had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and failed to correct it. Constructive knowledge may be shown by evidence that the condition existed long enough that it should have been discovered, or that it occurred regularly and was therefore foreseeable. This heightened proof requirement makes slip and fall cases against businesses more challenging than general negligence claims.

Property owners’ duties vary depending on the injured person’s legal status, such as invitee, licensee, or trespasser. Business customers and guests are owed the highest duty of care, while trespassers are owed limited protections. Florida also follows a comparative negligence system, meaning a person’s compensation may be reduced if they are found partially responsible for their own fall, such as by ignoring obvious hazards or failing to act reasonably under the circumstances.

Damages in Florida slip and fall cases may include medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other losses related to the injury. Claims must be filed within the applicable statute of limitations, which is generally two years for negligence actions. Overall, Florida’s slip and fall laws balance the responsibility of property owners to maintain safe premises with the obligation of individuals to exercise reasonable care for their own safety.