How Should I Handle a Slip and Fall on Ice at an Apartment Complex?

Property owners and landlords have a legal responsibility to maintain safe premises for anyone who lives in their building(s) or traverses through the area. If they fail to do so, and someone sustains an injury on a hazard created by their negligence, the victim can seek to recover damages from the careless owner. Every slip and fall situation is different, with each having its own unique characteristics that affect the outcome, but the main element of every slip and fall is negligence by a third party. Here are a few situations that would qualify as property owner negligence:

• Not providing adequate lighting or failing to fix broken steps
• Failing to repair any dangerous conditions, such as hazardous wiring or poisonous fumes in an apartment building
• Not warning visitors about known hazards, including loose floorboards or hidden pitfalls on the property
• Not educating tenants or visitors about potential risks, such as leaving open containers of chemicals around children's play areas
• Neglecting to secure the property by failing to lock doors and windows or install security alarms

If your accident was preventable, you deserve compensation for the damage. Your medical expenses and other costs shouldn’t be your burdens to bear, and by teaming up with a slip and fall lawyer sooner rather than later, you can greatly increase your chances of successfully recovering the compensation that you need and deserve. Morgan and Morgan has a slip and fall lawyer that can help you advocate for what you deserve in every state, and you can afford our comprehensive representation for no out-of-pocket costs.

The most important thing after any accident, regardless of fault, is your health, so make sure to seek the care of a doctor as soon as you can. It’s not always possible under your own power, but if you can, focus on receiving a comprehensive medical evaluation and any necessary care.

The doctor overseeing your care should maintain detailed notes of all your injuries, noting the extent, severity, and possibility of future damage for each. Not only will this allow you to proactively prevent future pain, but it will also serve as a laundry list of damages to seek for recovery later in the legal process.

Next, you’ll need to start considering the legality of your accident. Ask yourself, “Did my apartment complex know of the ice when I fell?” and “Did they have enough time to respond?” to establish a baseline. If you suspect that your apartment complex should have remedied the icy surface before you were injured, it might be a good idea to speak with a slip and fall lawyer to dip deeper into the situation.

Slip and fall cases aren’t easy to prove by any means. You’ll have to have evidence to support your claim, and you’ll also need the negotiation skills to advocate for the fullest extent of the compensation you deserve. Even some slip and fall lawyers have trouble doing this, but with Morgan and Morgan, you gain a powerful ally who’s well-versed in all aspects of premises liability law.

Here are the four steps of proving a property owner liable for your injuries.

1. Prove that the hazard existed on the property

This may sound unnecessary after sustaining a painful injury, but you’ll need to provide evidence that the hazard you fell victim to existed on the property. You can do this through photos, videos, and eyewitness testimony. However, every piece of evidence you bring must fully support your claim, and you should expect to face skepticism from the at-fault party.

2. Prove that the property owner knew the hazard existed

Winter weather can form hazards rapidly, and property owners might not notice that ice has formed on their property for some time. If you sustained an accident before they noticed, you might not have a legal claim, so you’ll have to show solid evidence that they knew of the hazard when you sustained your injury.

3. Prove the property owner had enough time to respond to the hazard

Once they’re aware of the hazard, the clock starts ticking. The property owner is legally responsible to fix the hazard within a “reasonable amount of time,” or they become liable for any damage. This time period varies from case to case, and it’s often one of the more difficult aspects to prove across all slip and fall cases. But, to reach a successful verdict,” you’ll have to prove this thoroughly, so make sure your slip and fall lawyer has experience in a situation like this.

4. Prove that your injuries were a direct result of the hazard

Once again, you may feel that this is an obvious step, but many victims have found themselves deep in legal disagreements about whether their injury occurred as a result of the accident or they stem from a previous condition. This is more common if you’ve suffered previous injuries, so make sure to bring medical evidence to support your claim.

In the most difficult moments of your life, Morgan and Morgan has your back. No one should have to suffer an injury because someone else was negligent, especially if it’s an apartment complex that should keep watch over its premises at all times. Everyone should feel safe at an apartment complex, whether in the winter or the summer, yet negligent property owners expose innocent people to unnecessary risk all over the country. If you believe that your slip and fall was the result of a negligent landlord failing to remedy the slippery surface, you should team up with a Morgan and Morgan slip and fall lawyer to give yourself the best chance of recovering the compensation you’re entitled to.

Their negligence isn’t your burden to bear. With us at your side, the at-fault party is forced to take you seriously, and there’s no negligent organization we’re afraid of. Don’t let them get away with recklessly exposing you to injury; complete our free, no-obligation case evaluation to take the first step in holding them accountable.