Auburn Slip and Fall Attorneys

Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents in Alabama 

When you visit someone else’s property—whether it’s a friend’s home or a grocery store—you are entitled to a reasonable degree of safety. Alabama premises liability laws require all types of property owners to carry out routine maintenance and remove, repair, or warn guests of possible hazards that could cause serious accidents and injuries, including slips, trips, and falls. When property owners fail to uphold this duty of care, they can be held responsible. 

If you slipped, tripped, and/or fell due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your medical expenses and other damages. Many people hesitate to bring slip and fall claims, fearing that they will be seen as frivolous or that it will be too difficult to prove that the property owner was responsible for the accident. But you should not have to simply suffer the consequences of someone else’s negligence on your own—and the law is on your side.

At Mike Slocumb Law Firm, our Auburn slip and fall lawyers can help you navigate the process of filing a personal injury claim against a negligent property owner or some other liable party. We are well-versed in the many nuances and complexities these cases have, and we know how to effectively and aggressively advocate for you.

Give us a call at (334) 219-3906 or contact us online using our secure form to request your free initial consultation with a member of our team. Hablamos español.

When Is a Property Owner Liable for a Slip, Trip, and Fall Accident? 

Although some slip and fall accidents are truly accidents, most could have easily been avoided had the property owner taken reasonable steps to ensure the victim’s safety. 

To hold a property owner liable for a slip, trip, and fall accident, you must prove the following: 

• The property owner owed you a duty of care, whether to maintain the property, warn you of a dangerous condition, or take reasonable steps to remove a hazard on the property
• You were injured, either directly or indirectly, by a dangerous condition or hazard that existed on the property 
• The property owner knew about the dangerous condition or hazard, yet failed to take adequate steps to remove it, repair it, or warn you about it 
• You were legally on the property when the slip, trip, and fall accident occurred, meaning you were not trespassing
• Your injuries led to measurable, compensable damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and/or pain and suffering 
• You were not at fault—even slightly—for the incident that led to the slip, trip, and fall accident and/or your injuries 

Under Alabama’s strict contributory negligence rule, if you are found to be even one percent to blame for your injuries, you cannot recover any compensation for your damages. 

Additionally, property owners owe different types of visitors varying duties of care under Alabama’s premises liability laws. For example, the owner of a retail store owes a greater duty of care to their customers than a homeowner owes to a solicitor who comes to their door for their own purposes. The nature of your visit to the property could affect your claim, so it is important that you work with an attorney who understands the law and has experience handling these types of cases. 

How Do Slip and Fall Accidents Happen? 

There is a common misconception that most slip and fall accidents are the result of clumsiness. However, the fact is that the majority of these incidents are not the fault of the victim but, rather, a negligent property owner who failed to adequately maintain the premises. 

Most slip and falls are caused by dangerous or defective property conditions, such as: 

• Puddles or ice 
• Wet or slippery floors
• Uneven flooring 
• Torn or ripped carpets
• Tripping hazards 
• Cluttered walkways 
• Improper signage 
• Poor lighting 
• Broken or missing handrails
• Potholes 
• Cracked asphalt or pavement
• Defective sidewalks 

When property owners fail to adequately remove, repair, or warn guests of these and other hazards, serious injuries can result. Our Auburn slip and fall lawyers can help you hold the property owner liable for your injuries and damages if they failed to ensure their premises were reasonably safe for visitors.