Slip and falls are commonly caused by water, grease, oil or other substances that end up on the floor that should not be there.

Trip and falls can happen when there is a sudden unexpected change in elevation. Sudden changes in elevation are common on sidewalks next to trees whose roots lift the concrete and in areas that are exposed to the rain, like parking lots. Poor construction also leads to sudden and unintended changes in elevation that are a tripping hazard to the public.

Trip and falls also happen when items are carelessly left on walkways, such as brooms, ropes, boxes, and construction materials.

Proving a slip and fall lawsuit requires more than just proving that the property on which you fell was in dangerous condition. Slip and fall lawsuits are about proving negligence and carelessness.

The following factors are necessary for a claim:

• The fall was caused by a property owner’s failure to inspect and maintain their property. A dangerous condition has to present an unreasonable risk of harm to those on the property and must be a condition a reasonable person would not have expected — in other words, not an obvious, avoidable hazard. For example, slippery spills on a supermarket floor that store management didn’t address would be a dangerous condition.
• A slip and fall case requires proving that the property owner didn’t act as a reasonable property owner would. A reasonable property owner would have a plan in place to efficiently and comprehensively address any and all dangerous conditions so that no one gets hurt. A negligent property owner, however, fails to do this.

There are some important steps that should be taken by your client to support their claim. They should:

• Seek medical treatment immediately for your injuries.
• Collect contact information from any witnesses at the scene.
• Record evidence of the accident, including photos of the hazard and your injuries.
• File an accident report with the police.
• Don’t sign any waivers or give statements without a lawyer present.