Slip & Fall Accident Attorney in Florida
When a slip and fall accident disrupts your life in Florida, you need legal advocates who understand both the complex premises liability laws governing property owner responsibilities and the serious injuries that can result from what might initially appear to be minor incidents. At Lowman Law Firm, our Florida slip and fall accident attorneys have spent over two decades helping injured victims secure the compensation they deserve while navigating the aftermath of dangerous property conditions with skill and compassion.
Operating from our conveniently located offices throughout Central Florida – including Brooksville at 31 S Main St, Spring Hill at 11029 Spring Hill Dr, Dade City at 14233 7th St, Crystal River at 600 SE US Hwy 19, and Inverness at 508 W Main St – we serve slip and fall victims across the region. With Florida experiencing millions of visits to hospitals and emergency rooms annually for fall-related injuries, and medical costs for nonfatal fall injuries among older adults estimated at $50 billion annually nationwide, having knowledgeable legal representation can make the difference between a fair settlement and overwhelming medical debt.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Florida
Florida’s unique environmental conditions and high volume of tourist destinations create specific risks for slip and fall accidents that our attorneys encounter regularly. The combination of frequent rainfall, high humidity, tourist-heavy locations, and diverse business environments creates numerous hazards where property owners may fail to maintain safe conditions.
Weather-Related Hazards
Florida’s frequent thunderstorms and high humidity create persistent slip hazards that property owners must actively address. Wet floors from tracked-in rainwater, inadequate drainage systems, and failure to place warning signs during storms contribute to serious accidents. Learn more about everything you need to know about slip and fall prevention and understand the conditions that commonly lead to falls.
Retail and Commercial Property Accidents
Shopping centers, grocery stores, and restaurants throughout Florida see frequent slip and fall accidents due to spilled liquids, wet floors from cleaning, produce spills, and inadequate maintenance. These businesses have a duty to regularly inspect their premises and address hazards promptly.
Hotel and Tourist Destination Falls
Florida’s tourism industry creates unique liability situations where visitors unfamiliar with properties may encounter dangerous conditions. Pool areas, hotel lobbies, theme parks, and recreational facilities must maintain heightened safety standards due to high foot traffic and visitor unfamiliarity with the premises.
Elderly Population Considerations
Florida’s significant population of older residents creates additional premises liability concerns, as elderly individuals are more susceptible to serious injuries from falls and may have different visibility and mobility needs that property owners should accommodate.
Construction and Maintenance Hazards
Ongoing development and renovation projects throughout Florida create temporary hazards including uneven surfaces, debris, inadequate lighting, and construction materials that can cause serious slip and fall accidents when proper safety measures aren’t implemented.
Types of Slip and Fall Cases We Handle
Retail Store Accidents
Grocery stores, department stores, and shopping centers must maintain safe walking surfaces and promptly address spills, debris, and other hazards. Common causes include produce spills, wet floors from cleaning, merchandise in walkways, and inadequate lighting. We regularly handle cases involving major retailers who fail to implement proper safety protocols.
Restaurant and Bar Falls
Food service establishments face unique challenges with grease, spilled drinks, wet floors from cleaning, and high traffic areas. These businesses must maintain proper floor surfaces, implement regular cleaning schedules, and provide adequate warnings when hazards exist. Learn about what you must prove in a Florida slip and fall accident case.
Hotel and Resort Accidents
Tourism properties must maintain safe conditions for guests unfamiliar with the layout. Pool deck accidents, lobby falls, stairway incidents, and bathroom falls are common in hospitality settings where wet conditions and high traffic create ongoing hazards.
Workplace Slip and Falls
While workers’ compensation may cover some workplace falls, third-party liability may exist when dangerous conditions are created by contractors, visitors, or inadequate building maintenance. These cases often involve complex liability determinations.
Parking Lot and Sidewalk Falls
Property owners and municipalities must maintain safe walking surfaces free from potholes, cracks, uneven pavement, and debris. Poor lighting, inadequate drainage, and failure to repair known hazards can create liability for serious accidents.
Stairway Accidents
Defective stairs, inadequate handrails, poor lighting, and slippery surfaces can cause devastating falls. Building codes require specific safety features, and violations can establish liability when accidents occur.
Swimming Pool Area Falls
Pool decks become extremely slippery when wet, requiring appropriate surfaces, drainage, and safety measures. Property owners must provide adequate warnings and maintain safe conditions around water features.
Understanding Florida’s Premises Liability Laws
Florida operates under specific premises liability laws that determine when property owners can be held responsible for slip and fall accidents. Understanding these legal principles is crucial for building successful cases.
Property Owner Duties
Florida law requires property owners to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition and warn visitors of known hazards that aren’t obvious. The extent of this duty depends on the visitor’s classification and the nature of their presence on the property.
Visitor Classifications
Invitees: Business customers and others invited onto property for the owner’s benefit receive the highest level of protection. Property owners must inspect for hazards and maintain safe conditions.
Licensees: Social guests and others present for their own purposes are owed a duty to warn of known hazards but not to inspect for unknown dangers.
Trespassers: Generally owed minimal duty, though special rules apply for child trespassers and when property owners create dangerous conditions.
Comparative Negligence System
Florida’s modified comparative negligence system allows recovery even if the injured person bears some responsibility for their accident, provided they are less than 51% at fault. Understanding what is comparative negligence helps in evaluating potential claims.
Statute of Limitations
Since March 2023, Florida has a two-year statute of limitations for premises liability claims, reduced from four years. This shortened timeframe makes immediate legal consultation essential for preserving your rights.
Notice Requirements
Property owners are only liable for hazards they knew about or should have known about through reasonable inspection. Proving constructive or actual notice of dangerous conditions is often crucial to successful slip and fall cases.
Compensation Available for Slip and Fall Victims
Slip and fall accidents can result in significant injuries requiring extensive medical treatment and long-term care. Understanding available compensation helps victims make informed decisions about pursuing legal action.
Economic Damages
- Medical Expenses: Emergency room visits, diagnostic testing, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and ongoing treatment costs
- Lost Wages: Income lost due to inability to work during recovery, including sick leave and vacation time used
- Future Medical Care: Ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, medical equipment, and home modifications needed for recovery
- Lost Earning Capacity: Reduced ability to earn income due to permanent injuries or limitations
- Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Transportation to medical appointments, prescription medications, and assistive devices
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and discomfort caused by injuries and medical treatment
- Emotional Distress: Anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma resulting from the accident
- Loss of Enjoyment: Inability to participate in activities, hobbies, and social events you previously enjoyed
- Scarring and Disfigurement: Permanent changes to appearance from injuries or surgical procedures
- Loss of Consortium: Impact on relationships with family members and loss of companionship
Learn more about types of damages you can recover in a personal injury case and understand the full scope of compensation available.
Immediate Steps After a Slip and Fall Accident
The actions you take immediately after a slip and fall accident can significantly impact your ability to recover compensation. Following these crucial steps helps protect your rights and preserve important evidence.
- Seek Medical Attention: Get immediate medical care even if injuries seem minor, as some injuries may not be immediately apparent
- Report the Accident: Notify the property owner, manager, or security of your fall and request they document it
- Document Everything: Take photographs of the hazard that caused your fall, your injuries, and the accident scene
- Gather Witness Information: Collect contact details from anyone who saw your accident occur
- Preserve Evidence: Keep the shoes and clothing you were wearing, as they may be important evidence
- Avoid Giving Statements: Don’t provide detailed statements to property owners or insurance companies without legal representation
- Keep Detailed Records: Maintain all medical records, bills, and documentation related to your accident and treatment
- Contact Our Office: Call (352) 796-0016, (352) 540-7777, (352) 437-7777, (352) 651-1111, or (352) 617-7777 for immediate legal guidance
Learn more about slip and fall accident response and 3 ways to prevent deadly falls for seniors.
How Lowman Law Firm Can Help You After An Accident
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, from minor bruises to life-threatening trauma. Understanding these injuries helps victims recognize the importance of seeking immediate medical attention and proper legal representation.
Head and Brain Injuries
Falls often result in head impact with floors, stairs, or other surfaces, potentially causing concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and skull fractures. These injuries may have long-lasting cognitive and physical effects requiring extensive rehabilitation.
Hip and Pelvis Fractures
Hip fractures are particularly common among older adults and can be life-threatening injuries requiring surgical repair and extensive rehabilitation. These injuries often result in permanent mobility limitations and increased dependency on others.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The impact from falls can damage vertebrae, discs, and the spinal cord itself, potentially resulting in chronic pain, mobility issues, or paralysis in severe cases. Back and neck injuries may require ongoing treatment and significantly impact quality of life.
Wrist and Arm Fractures
People instinctively extend their arms to break falls, often resulting in wrist, forearm, and shoulder injuries. These fractures may require surgical repair and can result in permanent limitations in strength and mobility.
Knee and Leg Injuries
Falls can cause torn ligaments, fractured bones, and other knee injuries that may require surgery and extensive rehabilitation. These injuries often impact mobility and the ability to return to normal activities.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Sprains, strains, and bruising may seem minor but can cause ongoing pain and mobility limitations. These injuries are often undervalued by insurance companies despite their significant impact on daily life.
Read about the biggest slip and fall cases and the awards to understand how serious these injuries can be.
Working with Insurance Companies
Property owners typically carry liability insurance to protect against slip and fall claims, but these insurance companies are profit-driven businesses that aim to minimize payouts. Understanding their tactics helps protect your rights.
Common Insurance Company Strategies
- Quick Settlement Offers: Low initial offers before the full extent of injuries is known and medical treatment is complete
- Disputing Liability: Claiming the property owner wasn’t responsible or that you were entirely at fault for the accident
- Surveillance: Following accident victims to find evidence that contradicts claimed injuries or limitations
- Medical Record Requests: Seeking extensive medical histories to find pre-existing conditions that could reduce claim value
- Delaying Tactics: Prolonging investigations and negotiations hoping you’ll accept a lower settlement due to financial pressure
How Our Attorneys Protect You
Our Florida slip and fall attorneys level the playing field by handling all communications with insurance companies, conducting independent investigations, and negotiating aggressively for maximum compensation. We prepare every case for trial, which often leads to better settlement offers from insurance companies who know we’re prepared to fight.
Our Florida Offices Serving Slip & Fall Accident Victims Statewide
Brooksville Office
31 S Main St, Brooksville, FL 34601
(352) 796-0016
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We’re Your “Florida Slip & Fall Accident Lawyer Near Me”
Why Choose Local Florida Representation
Selecting local slip and fall attorneys provides distinct advantages over larger, distant firms. Our deep understanding of Florida premises liability law, local court systems, and regional property challenges translates to more effective representation.
Local Knowledge: We understand the specific hazards common to Florida properties, from weather-related slip hazards to tourism industry challenges that contribute to accidents throughout the state.
Court Familiarity: Our attorneys regularly practice in Florida courts, understanding local procedures, judges’ preferences, and how premises liability cases typically resolve in different jurisdictions.
Community Investment: As Florida residents, we’re invested in making properties safer throughout the state. Our work extends beyond individual cases to advocacy for improved safety standards.
Accessibility: Our multiple convenient Florida offices make it easy to meet with your legal team throughout your case, ensuring personal attention and regular communication.
What Sets Our Slip and Fall Practice Apart
Immediate Response
Slip and fall cases are time-sensitive, with evidence disappearing quickly as property owners repair hazards and witness memories fading. When you contact our offices, we immediately begin protecting your rights and preserving crucial evidence.
Thorough Investigation
We conduct comprehensive investigations involving safety experts, accident reconstruction specialists, building code experts, and medical professionals. We examine maintenance records, inspect properties, and analyze all factors that contributed to your accident.
Medical Network
We maintain relationships with healthcare providers throughout Florida who understand the unique needs of slip and fall victims. This ensures our clients receive appropriate treatment while building the medical documentation necessary for successful claims.
Trial Preparation
While approximately 95% of personal injury cases resolve through settlements, we prepare every case for trial. This preparation demonstrates our commitment to fighting for fair compensation and often leads to better settlement offers.
High-Risk Slip and Fall Locations in Florida
Through years of representing slip and fall victims, we’ve identified several types of locations where accidents occur frequently throughout Florida:
- Shopping Centers and Malls: High traffic retail areas with food courts, cleaning activities, and weather-related hazards
- Grocery Stores: Produce spills, wet floors from refrigeration units, and cleaning activities create ongoing hazards
- Hotels and Resorts: Pool areas, lobbies, restaurants, and guest rooms with wet conditions and high visitor turnover
- Restaurants and Bars: Spilled drinks, grease, wet floors, and inadequate lighting in dining and restroom areas
- Gas Stations and Convenience Stores: Tracked-in moisture, spilled beverages, and inadequate maintenance
- Medical Facilities: Hospitals and clinics with high foot traffic and potential liquid spills from medical procedures
- Government Buildings: Courthouses, municipal buildings, and public facilities with heavy use and varying maintenance standards
- Parking Lots and Sidewalks: Potholes, uneven surfaces, poor drainage, and inadequate lighting
Frequently Asked Questions About Slip and Fall Cases
What if I was partially at fault for my slip and fall accident?
Florida’s modified comparative negligence law allows you to recover compensation even if you were partially responsible, as long as you’re found less than 51% at fault. Your award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. Learn more about contributory negligence vs comparative negligence the difference.
How do I prove the property owner was negligent?
You must show the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to address it or warn about it. This often requires investigation into maintenance records, surveillance footage, and witness testimony.
Should I accept the property owner’s insurance company’s settlement offer?
Insurance companies often make quick, low settlement offers before the full extent of your injuries is known. It’s advisable to consult with an attorney before accepting any settlement to ensure it adequately covers all your damages.
How long do I have to file a slip and fall lawsuit?
Florida’s statute of limitations gives you two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit. However, evidence preservation and investigation should begin immediately to protect your rights.
What if the property owner claims I should have seen the hazard?
Property owners cannot escape liability simply by claiming a hazard was “obvious.” The law requires them to maintain safe premises and address known hazards regardless of their visibility.
How much will hiring a slip and fall attorney cost?
We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your case. This arrangement ensures everyone has access to quality legal representation regardless of their financial situation.
What if my slip and fall happened at work?
Workplace falls may involve both workers’ compensation benefits and third-party liability claims. We help determine all available sources of compensation for your injuries.
How long will my slip and fall case take?
Case duration varies depending on injury severity, liability clarity, and insurance company cooperation. We work efficiently to resolve cases while ensuring maximum compensation for our clients.
Why Florida Residents Trust Lowman
- Statewide Knowledge, Local Expertise – With offices throughout Central Florida, we understand the unique challenges facing drivers across the Sunshine State. From I-4’s notorious reputation as one of America’s deadliest highways to the tourist-heavy corridors of US-19 and the rural dangers of State Road 60, our attorneys know where accidents happen and why. Florida’s population of over 22 million residents, combined with millions of annual visitors, creates a complex driving environment that requires local legal knowledge. Our understanding of Florida’s diverse geography, from urban Miami-Dade County’s 59,978 annual crashes to the rural highways of North Florida, helps us build stronger cases and achieve better outcomes for our clients.
- Two Decades of Excellence – Our firm’s commitment to car accident victims spans more than 20 years, during which we’ve successfully recovered millions of dollars in compensation for injured drivers and passengers throughout Florida. We’ve helped families rebuild their lives after devastating crashes, ensuring they receive the medical care and financial support they need during recovery. With Florida experiencing over 331,000 crashes annually and ranking third nationally for accident frequency, our track record of success provides the advocacy you need.
- Personalized, Compassionate Representation – At Lowman Law Firm, we believe every client deserves individual attention and respect. We take the time to understand your unique situation, explain your legal options clearly, and keep you informed throughout every step of the legal process. Whether you’re a longtime Florida resident or a visitor injured while enjoying our state’s attractions, you’ll never feel like just another case number with our team.
Contact Our Florida Slip and Fall Attorneys
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident anywhere in Florida, don’t delay seeking legal representation. With Florida’s shortened two-year statute of limitations and the critical importance of immediate evidence preservation, time is essential for protecting your rights and building the strongest possible case.
Available 24/7 for your free consultation:
- Brooksville: (352) 796-0016
- Spring Hill: (352) 540-7777
- Dade City: (352) 437-7777
- Crystal River: (352) 651-1111
- Inverness: (352) 617-7777
We’re available 24/7 to discuss your case and provide the skilled legal representation you deserve. Contact us today for your FREE consultation – remember, you pay nothing unless WE WIN your case.
At Lowman Law Firm, we understand that slip and fall accidents often occur during routine activities like shopping, dining, or conducting business. The sudden transformation from a normal day to a life-changing injury requires both legal expertise and personal sensitivity. We’re here to handle the legal complexities while you focus on healing and getting your life back on track.
Don’t let property owners and their insurance companies take advantage of your situation. Trust the dedicated slip and fall attorneys at Lowman Law Firm to fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us now or visit one of our convenient Florida offices to get started with your free case evaluation.
For additional information about premises liability law, visit our personal injury resources page or read our blog for helpful articles about slip and fall safety and legal rights. You can also learn more about should I get a personal injury attorney and review our frequently asked questions.
