Slip and fall accidents are often underestimated, and many people assume these accidents are not a big deal. The truth is that slip and fall accidents frequently lead to severe injuries, and property owners may be held liable.
Slip and fall accidents may happen almost anywhere. They are known to happen in public spaces, retail stores, restaurants, and private residences. Slippery floors often cause them, but structural damage or hazards may also lead to accidents. Liability for slip and fall accidents often falls on property owners. Property owners might be liable if they owed the injured party a duty of care and safety. People who have no right or permission to be on the property often cannot sue the property owner. If you can sue them, you can claim economic and non-economic damages related to your injuries.
If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident in Boca Raton, the owner of the property where you were hurt should pay for your expenses. Our Boca Raton slip and fall accident lawyers can help you get started. For a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (954) 951-4828.
How Do Slip and Fall Accidents Happen in Boca Raton?
Slip and fall accidents can happen under a variety of circumstances in many different locations. These accidents have happened on public sidewalks, docks and piers, and private property. Wherever your accident happens, it is important to quickly identify the owner of the property because they can be held liable for your injuries.
The city of Boca Raton is right by the beach, and people love spending time on the water. Unfortunately, this also means that people often slip and fall on wet, slippery surfaces. A person taking a boat out for a ride might slip and fall on the dock. A person going fishing at the beach might fall on the wet pier. You might slip and fall and suffer severe injuries anywhere there is water.
Slip and fall accidents can also happen indoors in private homes or businesses. If a home or business is not structurally sound, numerous hazards might cause an accident. For example, uneven stairs in your neighbor’s home might cause you to trip and fall down the stairs the next time you visit. In a restaurant, spilled drinks or wet floors might cause customers to slip and fall.
Our Boca Raton slip and fall accident lawyers can help you determine what caused your accident so we can get started filing a lawsuit for damages. Property owners must take steps to ensure their property is safe for visitors. Otherwise, people may get injured.
Liability for Slip and Fall Accidents in Boca Raton
When someone is injured in a slip and fall accident, liability is often based on who owns the property where the accident happened. Liability might also depend on whether the injured victim was invited or permitted to be on the property. Generally, property owners owe a duty of care and safety to guests and visitors on their property. They must make sure their property is safe by inspecting for any unknown hazards and removing or repairing any known dangerous conditions.
Whether the property owner owed you a duty of care depends on whether you had permission to be on the premises. For example, an invited guest is permitted to enter the property, and the property owner must make sure the property is safe. Similarly, people who are not expressly invited but may still enter (e.g., retail store customers, restaurant patrons, hotel guests) are also owed a duty of care.
What if I was Trespassing During My Slip and Fall Accident in Boca Raton?
Trespassers are usually not owed any duty of care by property owners. Unknown trespassers ordinarily cannot hold property owners liable for a slip and fall accident, even if the accident was caused by hazards on the property owner’s premises.
However, if the property owner should reasonably expect certain trespassers, they might still owe them a duty of care. For example, a person taking a shortcut across another person’s property is trespassing and owed no care of safety from the property owner. Suppose that trespasser is a hiker on a nature trail near the premises, and the property owner knows that hikers often enter their property by mistake. In that case, the property owner might still be liable for slip and falls.
People injured in slip and fall accidents while technically trespassing are often frustrated because they have few legal options. Many injured victims did not realize they were trespassing in the first place. Our Boca Raton slip and fall accident lawyers can help you prove that the property owner should have reasonably expected you to be on the premises.
Damages Available in Boca Raton Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents very often lead to severe injuries for victims. Do not be fooled by the common misconception that slip and fall accidents are rarely serious. People sometimes experience broken bones, back and spinal injuries, and even brain damage if they hit their head. All the injuries and other losses can be added to your total damages calculations. Our Boca Raton slip and fall accident attorneys can help you accurately tally up your damages to get the most compensation possible.
Economic damages are injuries or losses that take a financial toll on the victim. Common economic damages in slip and fall accidents include medical bills and lost income from missing work. It is important to note that you may include any medical bills and lost income you have already incurred in addition to future losses you can reasonably expect.
Non-economic damages are injuries that did not actually cause the slip and fall victim to lose any money. Even so, the courts may financially compensate non-economic damages, as there are very few other options for making a plaintiff whole again. Non-economic damages may include emotional and physical pain and suffering. The value of these damages depends on how severely they impact your everyday life.
Call Our Boca Raton Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers for Help
Slip and fall accidents are very common, and sometimes people walk away with no significant injuries. Unfortunately, many others are severely injured. Our Boca Raton slip and fall accident attorneys can help you get compensation for your injuries. For a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (954) 951-4828.