One step on a wet floor can change your life in seconds. Slip and fall accidents send millions to emergency rooms every year, and many of those visits could have been prevented with basic property care. At Zweben Law Group, personal injury is all we do, and for more than 25 years, we have helped injured Floridians stand up to careless property owners. In the next few minutes, we will examine why these accidents happen and how you can protect your health and legal rights.
What are Slip and Fall Accidents?
A slip and fall accident occurs when someone is hurt on land or in a building that belongs to another person or business because the walking conditions were unsafe. Florida treats these incidents under the umbrella of premises liability, meaning the landowner must keep the area reasonably safe for visitors.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Most falls are not freak mishaps. They trace back to careless maintenance, poor housekeeping, or lack of planning. Below, we break down the leading triggers and explain why they matter.
Negligence by Property Owners
Florida law requires owners to act as a reasonable person would under similar circumstances. When they cut corners, guests pay the price. Common lapses include:
● Failing to mop or warn of liquid spills
● Leaving stairwells in the dark
● Using floor wax with no slip-resistant additives
● Letting handrails loosen or rot
● Skipping routine floor inspections
Dangerous Flooring and Surfaces
The walking surface itself often tells the story. Hazards we see again and again are uneven sidewalks, loose rugs, freshly polished tile, worn carpet threads, oily garage bays, potholes, and icy entryways during rare Florida cold snaps. Any one of these can rob shoes of the friction they need.
Environmental Conditions
Even a perfect floor becomes perilous when cluttered or poorly lit. Boxes left in grocery aisles, cords stretched across aisles, or bulbs burned out over a ramp reduce reaction time and hide hazards from view.
Defective Staircases and Handrails
Stairs magnify gravity, so a small oversight can cause a catastrophic tumble. Cracked steps, missing grip strips, or a loose railing give a person no chance to recover balance.
Weather-Related Hazards
Rainstorms are common across the Treasure Coast. Owners should place mats at entrances, post warning cones, and squeegee slick spots. When they wait too long, tracked-in water becomes an invisible skating rink.
Lack of Training
In supermarkets, hotels, and big-box stores, employees are the front line of safety. Without clear instructions on spotting hazards, documenting them, and fixing them promptly, risky conditions linger far too long.
Legal Aspects and Liability
Understanding how the law treats these cases helps you see why prompt action matters.
| Florida Premises Liability Snapshot | |
| Legal Concept | Practical Meaning |
| Duty of Care | Owners must keep public areas reasonably safe and fix or warn of dangers they know or should know about. |
| Negligence | Failure to use reasonable care, such as ignoring a puddle for hours. |
| Comparative Fault | Your recovery is reduced by your share of blame, like running in flip-flops on a wet floor. |
| Florida Statute 768.0755 | In business settings, the injured person must show that the owner had actual or constructive knowledge of the “transitory foreign substance.” |
“Constructive knowledge” can be proved by showing the liquid or item was present long enough that staff should have noticed, or that spills happen so often that the store should have had a cleanup system in place.
Common Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents
The human body is not built to hit hard surfaces. Falls often lead to bruises, torn muscles, wrist or ankle fractures, hip breaks, spinal disc damage, or concussions. Older adults are at higher risk because weaker bones and slower reflexes leave them less able to brace the impact.
What To Do If You’ve Been Injured
Quick action helps both your health and your case. Keep these steps in mind:
- Seek medical care right away to rule out hidden injuries.
- Use your phone to photograph puddles, loose tiles, debris, and lighting conditions.
- Report the incident to the manager and ask for a copy of the written report.
- Save the shoes and clothes you wore; they may show paint, grease, or liquid stains later.
- Talk with a personal injury attorney before speaking to insurance adjusters.
Memories fade, and floors get cleaned. Acting right away locks in proof of how the area looked when you fell.
Seeking Compensation for Your Injuries
Money cannot erase pain, yet it can cover treatment and lost wages. The road to payment usually follows four stages:
● Hire counsel: An attorney gathers medical records, security footage, and maintenance logs.
● File an insurance claim: Most businesses carry liability policies that respond to valid demands.
● Negotiate: Carriers often start low. Documentation and persistence raise the offer.
● Litigation: If talks stall, a lawsuit opens formal discovery, depositions, and, if needed, a trial.
Throughout the process, the burden rests on the injured party to show that the owner’s carelessness caused the fall, so detailed evidence makes all the difference.
Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident? Contact Zweben Law Group Today!
You deserve to focus on healing while someone else handles the legal heavy lifting. Zweben Law Group has fought for Floridians injured in falls, crashes, and other accidents for over 25 years, and we only get paid if we recover money for you. Call us at 772-223-5454 or visit our website to set up your free consultation. One conversation can clarify your options and set a plan in motion, so reach out today and let us help you move forward.
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