Florida Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers
Slip and fall injuries happen in everyday places across Florida, from grocery stores and parking lots, to resorts and apartment buildings. Warm weather keeps people on foot year round, and tourism brings steady crowds to coastal destinations and city centers. Seasonal residents add winter foot traffic, and things like aging sidewalks and stairways, spills, or pooling water, raise the risk of falls.
Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel, PLLC has represented injured Floridians for decades, and handles premises liability cases in retail, residential, and hospitality settings. Our slip and fall accident attorneys fight to recover compensation for medical treatment, lost income, and lasting harm caused by unsafe property conditions. If you were injured in a slip and fall, you may be entitled to compensation. Call 833-LAW-LLSS now for a free consultation.
Do I Have a Case?
Not every slip, trip, or fall qualifies for a personal injury case. Florida law requires proof that a property owner or occupier failed to keep the area reasonably safe and that the unsafe condition caused the injury.
A viable case usually proves all of the following:
- Duty of care: You were a visitor the owner had a responsibility to protect, for example a customer or tenant.
- Breach: The owner failed to fix a hazard or give a clear warning.
- Causation: The hazard caused the fall and the injury.
- Losses: The injury produced measurable costs, like treatment bills or lost income.
Florida Statute 768.0755 adds a specific requirement for business premises. You have to prove the owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition. Our slip and fall attorneys can show that knowledge with clear evidence. For example:
- Age of the hazard: footprints through a puddle, dirt in the liquid, or dried edges indicating the spill sat long enough to be discovered.
- Recurring problems: leaks or condensation that happen regularly near freezers or entryways, backed by maintenance tickets or prior complaints.
- Prior notice: work orders, emails, or reports about a broken step, loose tile, or raised curb that remained unfixed.
Some examples of evidence that can support a case include an uncleaned grocery spill with tracked-through footprints, a cracked apartment walkway noted in prior maintenance requests, or a wet hotel pool deck without mats or signs despite earlier slip reports.
Strong evidence are things like time-stamped photos or video, witness names, medical records starting the day of the fall, and pay records showing lost wages. Our Florida premises liability lawyers can review your situation and tell you quickly whether it qualifies for a case.
How to Choose the Right Slip and Fall Lawyer in Florida
Pick a team that handles slip and fall cases across Florida and moves fast. Good lawyers lock down video before stores overwrite it, send evidence-preservation letters within a day or two, and pull cleaning logs, reports, and witness names. Quick action helps prove the property owner should have fixed the hazard and cuts down on insurer blame.
Use plain questions when you compare firms.
- What results have you had in Florida slip and fall cases like mine?
- How will you prove the owner knew or should have known about the hazard, and what evidence will you get in the first two weeks?
- How do your contingency fees and case costs work if there is no recovery?
- Will an attorney direct the evidence work and negotiations, or only staff?
- How fast do you return calls, and how will I get updates?
You will work directly with a slip and fall lawyer, who will stay engaged from the first call through resolution. Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel deliver consistent results built on years of experience winning cases.
How to Protect Your Case After a Slip and Fall
In a Florida slip and fall case, we have to prove what caused the fall and how long the hazard existed, enough to show the owner knew or should have known about it. Proof that shows those facts needs to be gathered as quickly as possible. Store staff clean or repair the area soon after a fall, witnesses move on, and camera footage may not be high quality or could be deleted. Acting right away helps preserve the details that confirm what happened.
Once contacted, our attorneys move fast to secure and preserve evidence. You can strengthen your case by taking a few practical steps.
- Take photos or short video of the area before cleanup if possible. Images showing missing warning signs, wet floors, or poor lighting help identify what caused the fall.
- Collect names or contact information for witnesses who saw the hazard or the fall. Their statements show how long the condition existed.
- Report the accident to a manager and ask for a copy of the report. Write down who you spoke with and when.
- Get medical care the same day and keep every record. Treatment notes link the injury directly to the fall.
- Save the shoes and clothing worn at the time in a sealed bag. Tread and residue can support slip testing later.
After those first steps, our attorneys take over the investigation. They send preservation letters for video, cleaning logs, and maintenance records, contact witnesses, and create a clear timeline that demonstrates how the property owner’s negligence caused the injury.
Examples of Slip and Fall Hazards
Here are settings that see frequent falls and what typically goes wrong in each. Owners and managers are responsible for routine inspections, fixing hazards within maintenance timelines, and posting clear warning signs until repairs are complete.
- Retail and grocery stores: Spills, leaking coolers, fresh mops without signs, cluttered aisles, and worn floor mats at entrances.
- Apartment and condo properties: Uneven sidewalks, loose handrails, broken steps, potholes in parking areas, and poor lighting in stairwells.
- Hotels and resorts: Wet pool decks, slick lobby floors after rain, loose tiles near spas, and balcony or walkway defects.
- Parking lots and public walkways: Potholes, lifted slabs, oil slicks, faded paint at curbs, and lighting that leaves hazards hard to see at night.
- Nursing homes and healthcare facilities: Slippery flooring, clutter in hallways, missing grab bars, and inadequate supervision during transfers.
Our lawyers document hazards in each setting and secure store video plus maintenance records to show what happened and how long the condition existed.
Deadlines and Comparative Fault in Florida
Two-Year Statute of Limitations
A statute of limitations sets how long someone has to file a lawsuit after getting hurt. Florida’s personal injury statute of limitations gives two years to file negligence cases, including slip and falls. Once that deadline passes, a lawsuit can no longer be filed.
Minors, incapacitated adults, and cases where the property owner cannot be located may qualify for extra time. Each situation depends on specific facts, so deadlines can vary.
Our lawyers track every deadline from the first call, confirm any extensions that apply, and file all documents on time so clients never lose their right to pursue a case.
Modified Comparative Negligence
Florida uses a modified comparative negligence rule that divides fault between everyone involved in an accident. Each person gets a percentage based on how their actions contributed to what happened. Any money awarded is reduced by that percentage. If the injured person is found more than 50 percent at fault, no money can be recovered.
Example: if a jury awards $100,000 and decides the person who fell was 20 percent at fault, the recovery drops to $80,000. Fault arguments come up when someone walks through a spill that could be seen, ignores a wet-floor cone, or wears shoes with worn treads on a slick floor.
Our injury team will collect photos, video, same-day medical records, and witness statements to stop insurers from pushing extra blame onto the injured person.
Types of Injuries and Potential Compensation
Physical Injuries
A simple fall can wreak havoc and cause broken bones, spinal injuries, concussions, or ligament tears. Hip and wrist fractures are frequent in older adults, while head trauma can cause lasting memory or balance problems.
Payments cover hospital treatment, surgery, physical therapy, and follow-up care. Severe trauma may include compensation for long-term care, home changes, or mobility equipment.
Economic Losses
Medical bills, therapy, medication, and travel for appointments create direct financial costs. Lost wages or missed business income add to the impact.
Financial recovery may include reimbursement for all medical expenses, repayment for lost income, and future earnings if the injury limits work ability.
Non-Economic Losses
Pain, stress, loss of independence, and scarring affect quality of life. Emotional distress or reduced confidence in walking safely can also qualify.
Payments reflect how much the injury disrupts daily life and whether the effects are permanent.
Factors That Affect Value
Severity of injury, strength of evidence proving property owner negligence, percentage of shared fault, and available insurance coverage all influence case value.
Our attorneys review medical records, income data, and expert reports to document every loss and present verified proof for full compensation.
Let Our Florida Slip and Fall Lawyers Fight For You
After a serious fall, our lawyers bring clarity and relief so you can focus on recovery. Our attorneys manage every stage of a case with verified evidence, strategic preparation, and steady negotiation to reach the strongest possible outcome.
Consultations are free across Florida, you pay nothing unless compensation is recovered. Attorney fees come from a percentage of the recovery, with no upfront costs for clients. Call 833-LAW-LLSS or send an email to connect with a Florida slip and fall lawyer who is ready to act immediately.
