Slip, fall & premises liability.
Wet floors. Broken stair treads. Black-ice walkways. Unmarked elevation changes. When property owners cut corners on safety, the people who get hurt are usually doing nothing wrong.
What counts as a premises case
Property owners in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania owe a duty of care to people they invite onto their property. When that duty is breached and someone is injured, it's a premises liability case.
- Wet, recently-mopped, or unmarked spills
- Snow and ice that wasn't cleared in a reasonable time
- Broken stair treads, missing handrails, uneven thresholds
- Negligent security (assaults in poorly-lit garages or apartments)
- Falling merchandise in big-box retail
- Pool, spa, and amenity hazards in apartment complexes
What we have to prove
Three things, generally: (1) the owner knew or should have known about the hazard, (2) they had a reasonable opportunity to fix or warn about it, and (3) they didn't. Cases turn on incident reports, surveillance video, prior complaints, and maintenance logs.
What to do now
Report the incident in writing the same day, even if injuries seem minor. Photograph the hazard before it's cleaned up. Get the names of any witnesses. See a doctor. And don't post about the injury online — defendants screenshot social media.