Michigan Slip and Fall Lawyer
Slip and fall injuries can happen to anyone. Retail stores are busy and especially in grocery stores, the floors can become wet and go unnoticed due to spills or leaking products/equipment. Parking lots or sidewalks can have uneven surfaces posing a risk of a slip and fall injury. The injuries that result from unexpected falls can be catastrophic due to the risk of broken bones, serious neck and head injuries and injuries from high force impact with floors, concrete, or other objects. If you were injured after a slip and fall in Michigan, schedule a free consultation with an attorney from our team using the form below.
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What to Do After a Slip and Fall In Michigan
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, you’ll likely incur medical bills, be unable to work and earn your typical wage and other pain, suffering and major disruptions to your life. These damages, if caused by the premises owner, should not be borne by you. In order to recover those damages from the property owner, however, you may need to file a lawsuit or attempt to negotiate with the property owner. If the property owner has general liability insurance, this type of incident may be covered. After the accident, you will need to obtain medical treatment, try to keep your life in order, and negotiate your claim. We strongly recommend you consult with a slip and fall attorney as soon as possible after the accident to understand your options.
Liability for Slip and Fall Injuries in Michigan
Slip and fall cases can happen anywhere and at a moment’s notice. They are the most common types of accidents. A slip is usually caused by a slippery surface or spilled items. A trip happens when an object or a defective condition causes a person to stumble and fall. Slips center around slipping on ice and snow, on shiny floors, or on food spills. Trips occur from fallen merchandise, poor lighting conditions, broken or torn flooring, cracked sidewalks, or landscape hazards. When slip and fall accidents happen, there’s a complex legal framework that must be applied.
There are various rules based on State law when premises liability applies to property owners. The liability for the slip and fall on the property owner is a very fact specific inquiry where the reason for your presence on the property is a key factor. For example, in most States, the duties the property owner has to keep you safe from a slip and fall injury differs significantly if it’s a retail establishment or if you are trespassing on the property without permission.
When someone is invited onto the property for commercial means (such as a customer shopping at a retail establishment), the law imposes the highest duty of care upon the property owner. In these cases, the person is seen to have been invited onto the property to benefit the property owner and so they must take extra care not to expose them to hazardous conditions.
For those individuals invited onto the premises for non-commercial reasons, the law refers to them as licensees. There is still a moderately high duty of care imposed on the property owner to avoid exposing the person they invited from unreasonable risk of a slip and fall injury.
If someone is present on the property without permission to be there, the duty of care is extremely low. The property owner has almost no affirmative duty to avoid hazardous conditions on their property if they do not even know the trespasser is present on the property. This can change based on the facts such as where they do no. In either case, the duty of care imposed on them for people trespassing on their property is much lower than if they were invited for business or otherwise.
Contact Sawan & Sawan Today
If you or a family member was injured after a slip and fall in Michigan, you should contact a lawyer immediately. Sawan & Sawan is a family-owned multi-generational personal injury law firm representing the victims of truck accidents. Our team has the experience, knowledge, and professionalism to help. We offer free consultations and do not charge a fee unless we successful resolve your case or win at trial. Don’t let insurance play games with your claim. Call us today at 419-900-0955 for a free consultation and let us fight in your corner.
September 9, 2023
