Premises Liability (Slip and Fall)

Slip and falls are the second leading cause of injuries in the United States. They account for an estimated 16,000 deaths each year. Seniors are statistically the most likely to fall, and when they do, they tend to require more medical care and more time to recover from their injuries. If you have suffered serious personal injuries in a slip and fall accident in Alabama, our premises liability lawyers at Ferguson & Ferguson can help. Premises liability laws in the state of Alabama are based on the legal concept of negligence. If someone acted or failed to act in a manner that caused your injuries, they may be liable for your damages.

Who is responsible in a slip and fall case?

In Alabama, merely owning or occupying land does not make that person liable for injuries sustained on the property. There must be some form of negligence on the part of the owner or occupier of property before there can be any premises liability. Property owners, managers and operators may be liable for your slip and fall. A knowledgeable slip and fall attorney can determine who is at fault in a slip and fall accident. In order for a slip and fall victim to hold a property owner or operator liable for an incident, the accident victim will have to prove one of the following in a premises liability case:

• That the property owner or employee caused or was responsible for the unsafe condition and the subsequent slip and fall accident (by spilling something, for example, and not cleaning it up)

• That the property owner was aware of the dangerous condition of the property but did not try to correct it (actual notice-knew someone else spilled water on floor and owner did not post a warning sign, etc.)

• That the property owner knew or should have known about the danger, since a reasonable person would have found the problem and taken steps to prevent injuries caused by the slip and fall accident (constructive notice-This is the most common situation, as it is not clearly defined and is determined based on common sense).

Causes of slip and fall accidents?

Dangerous conditions that cause slip and fall accidents frequently result from poor design or improper maintenance. Other hazards are created by the presence of slippery surfaces and substances, such as areas with food spillage or water leakage. Slip and fall accidents occur virtually everywhere – in a supermarket or shopping mall; at school or at an office; or on a sidewalk. Your slip and fall may be caused, for example, by a defect in flooring, which may be wet or uneven, or else it may be attributable to inadequate lighting that obstructs your ability to foresee a danger.

Slip and fall accidents have two main types of mechanism. In one slip and fall scenario, your front foot slips forward, causing you to fall backward. In the alternative scenario, your rear foot slips backward, causing you to fall forward. A related type of accident, a trip and fall, occurs when your foot comes into contact with an obstacle, such as a protrusion, along your path.

Serving all of Alabama

We have offices conveniently located in Huntsville and Decatur Alabama. An attorney can meet with you at our Decatur or Huntsville office locations or arrange to meet you at your home or hospital, or any other convenient location. If you need a slip and fall lawyer in Huntsville, Decatur, Cullman or Athens, Alabama, call us today.

Free Consultations

If you or a someone close to you have suffered serious injuries in a slip and fall accident, or if you have questions about your legal rights following a slip and fall accident, a Alabama premises liability lawyer at Ferguson & Ferguson can help you determine if you have a case. To speak directly with a lawyer about your case, call us anytime at (800)752-1998. Call now.

At Ferguson & Ferguson, we handle all of our premises liability cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call now for your free consultation.