How Responsibility Is Determined in a Slip and Fall Case

Down on sidewalk after slip | premises liability law firm new york city | Gash & Associates, P.C.

You recently got into a slip and fall accident, and now you’re wondering who was responsible for it. Was it your fault, or was it the property owner’s responsibility? Perhaps it was the store owner who neglected to protect you from getting injured. Either way, you’ll need to determine who is responsible for the accident so you can possibly retrieve compensation for your injuries.

People Involved in Slip and Fall Cases

When looking at a slip and fall case, there could be different parties who are responsible for the accident, including:

  • You
  • The property owner
  • The store owner
  • Another customer

For instance, you may be responsible if you were looking at your cell phone and not paying attention to your surroundings when you slipped and fell on a wet floor in a store. When you got up, you saw there was clearly a wet floor sign there to prevent this very thing from happening. In that case, it’d be your fault. However, it would be the store owner’s fault, for instance, if they mopped the floor and failed to notify customers by putting up a sign.

Determining Responsibility for Slip and Falls

When an insurance company or personal injury lawyer is trying to determine responsibility for an injury, they will look at the facts surrounding the case. Essentially, you have to show that the store or property owner had a reasonable duty of care to you, they did not uphold it, and because they neglected to uphold it, you got injured. You’ll need to collect evidence of this neglect following your fall. You could take pictures of the scene of the accident, gather witness statements, and go to the doctor for your injuries, for example.
Call a Personal Injury Lawyer

 

If you got into a slip and fall accident, then contact the personal injury firm Gash & Associates for help. We assist clients throughout Westchester County and we offer you a free consultation. Get in touch now at (914) 328-8800.

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