Florida Slip and Fall Lawyers
A fall at a Florida store, hotel, apartment complex, restaurant, parking lot, walkway, resort, office building, or public-facing property can cause serious injuries. Some falls lead to fractures, head injuries, back injuries, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, surgery, scarring, and time away from work.
Burns & Favors helps injured people evaluate Florida slip and fall claims and identify the evidence that may matter before it disappears.
What Can Cause a Florida Fall Claim?
Slip and fall and premises liability cases may involve wet floors, leaking coolers, broken stairs, loose mats, uneven pavement, poor lighting, missing handrails, unsafe parking lots, hidden hazards, cluttered aisles, or negligent maintenance.
These claims often turn on what the property owner or business knew, how long the hazard existed, whether employees had notice, and whether reasonable steps were taken to protect customers, tenants, guests, or visitors.
Evidence To Preserve
Important evidence may include incident reports, photos of the hazard, surveillance video, cleaning logs, inspection records, maintenance requests, prior complaints, witness information, medical records, and footwear or clothing involved in the fall.
Businesses and insurance companies may not voluntarily preserve everything that helps your claim. Asking early can matter.
Free Review After a Florida Fall
You do not have to decide alone whether the fall was “serious enough” to call. If you needed medical care, missed work, or are still in pain, Burns & Favors can review the basic facts and explain the next step.
No fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Start a free case review or call 833-778-7359.
A Fall Alone Does Not Establish Property Owner Liability
A successful claim needs evidence connecting an unsafe condition with a legal responsibility to address it. Identifying the property owner, tenant, management company, cleaning contractor, or other party in control can be as important as identifying the hazard itself. A store’s incident report is useful, but it does not decide whether the claim is valid.
Florida’s Notice Rule for Spills in Businesses
For a fall on a transitory foreign substance in a business establishment, section 768.0755, Florida Statutes, requires proof that the business actually knew, or should have known, about the dangerous condition and should have addressed it. Circumstantial evidence may show that it had been there long enough to be discovered or that it happened regularly. Other hazards can involve different legal questions.
For example, a photograph of a puddle may show what was on the floor, while inspection records, earlier complaints, witness observations, or surveillance footage may help establish notice. These are examples of evidence to investigate, not a conclusion that any particular fall creates liability.
What to Do After a Fall at a Store, Hotel, or Apartment Property
- Get appropriate medical care and describe how the injury happened.
- If you can do so safely, photograph the condition and the surrounding area, including lighting, signs, and the route you were using.
- Report the incident and ask how to obtain an incident-report number or copy.
- Save witness details, receipts, and the shoes and clothing you wore.
- Ask promptly about preserving video and maintenance records. Do not assume a business will retain them indefinitely.
Documenting the Effect of a Fall
Fractures, head injuries, back injuries, and joint injuries can affect work, walking, sleep, driving, and household tasks. Keep treatment records and wage information, and describe specific changes to daily activities. Photographs of visible injuries and a dated record of practical limitations can help explain the loss alongside medical evidence.
Florida negligence lawsuits generally have a two-year deadline under Florida’s limitations rules. The claim type, accrual date, defendant, and exceptions still need review.
Can I have a claim without an incident report?
Possibly. Other evidence may establish what happened. Preserve photographs, witness information, medical records, and any messages with the business or insurer.
What if the business says it did not know about the hazard?
That is an issue to investigate, not a final answer. The relevant proof depends on the hazard and the applicable notice standard.
Should I accept reimbursement for my first medical bill?
Before accepting an offer, check whether it includes a release of the whole claim. A payment and a final settlement can have very different consequences.
Get to Know the Team Before You Call
Burns & Favors at Purely Legal offers free injury case reviews. You can read about Reshad D. Favors and Erica G. Burns, and review the firm’s published case results. Past results do not determine the outcome of another case.
For a first conversation, bring the incident date and location, any report number, insurer letters, and the records you already have. Request a free case review or call 833-778-7359.
FAQs
Do I have a case if I did not see the hazard before I fell?
Possibly. The issue is often whether the property owner or business knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to fix or warn about it.
Should I give a statement to the insurance company?
Be careful. Statements can be used to minimize the claim. It is often better to speak with a lawyer before giving a recorded statement.
Related pages: Florida personal injury lawyers, Orlando slip and fall lawyers, case results, contact Burns & Favors.
