SLIP AND FALL ATTORNEY IN LITTLE ROCK

Slip and fall (and trip and fall) accidents rarely happen “out of nowhere.” In many cases, they stem from preventable hazards like:

• Wet or freshly mopped floors without warning signs
• Spilled water, food, or other substances in grocery aisles
• Uneven or broken tiles, loose carpets, or curled mats
• Cracked sidewalks and potholes in parking lots
• Broken or missing handrails on stairs
• Poor lighting in hallways, stairwells, and parking areas
• Cords, clutter, or merchandise left in walkways

The weather can make things worse. Rain and tracked-in moisture can turn entryways into slick zones if mats aren’t placed or maintained properly. In colder conditions, ice on outdoor steps and walkways can be extremely dangerous if not promptly treated.

When businesses and property owners in Little Rock fail to address these conditions within a reasonable time or don’t warn visitors, they can be legally responsible for resulting injuries.

If your slip and fall happened at a store, restaurant, hotel, apartment complex, or other commercial property in Little Rock, you may be able to file a premises liability claim against the business or property owner. That typically means pursuing compensation through their liability insurance, not personally bankrupting an individual.

Key questions include:

• Was there a dangerous condition on the property?
• Did the owner or staff know about it, or should they have been aware of it?
• Did they fail to fix it or warn visitors in a reasonable time?
• Did that hazard directly cause your fall and injuries?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you may have a viable slip and fall claim.

Under Arkansas law, property owners owe lawful visitors a duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions and to warn about dangers they know, or should know about. If they fail in that duty and someone is injured, they can be held liable for the harm.

In practice, that means:

• Stores must regularly inspect aisles, entryways, and restrooms for spills and other hazards.
• Landlords must repair broken stairs, rotting decks, and known hazards in common areas.
• Businesses must maintain their lighting, floors, and walkways to ensure customers can move around safely.

To win a case, your legal team has to prove negligence: that the owner’s failure to fix or warn about a condition caused your fall and your damages.

Arkansas follows a modified comparative negligence rule with a 50% bar. That means:

• Your compensation can be reduced by your percentage of fault.
• If you’re found 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing.

For example, if a jury finds your claim worth $100,000 but decides you were 20% at fault for not watching where you were walking, your award may be reduced to $80,000. If you’re found 50% or more at fault, you may be barred from recovery.

Insurance companies often rely on this rule. They may argue you were distracted, wearing the “wrong” shoes, or should have noticed the hazard. Part of our job is to push back on unfair blame-shifting and fight to minimize any fault attributed to you.

Arkansas law gives you a limited window to file a slip and fall lawsuit. Once that deadline passes, you may lose the ability to pursue compensation, regardless of how severe your injuries are. This deadline is commonly referred to as the statute of limitations.

Cases involving government property often have additional notice requirements and much shorter filing windows, so it’s important to speak with an attorney as early as possible to protect your rights.

If you slipped at a government building, courthouse, public park, or other city- or state-owned property, your case may involve special rules:

• You may need to file a formal notice of claim within a short time frame.
• There may be caps on damages and procedural hurdles you don’t see in private cases.

These cases are more complex than standard premises liability claims. A lawyer familiar with Arkansas government liability rules can help you navigate deadlines and preserve your right to compensation.

Yes, in many situations. Landlords are generally responsible for maintaining common areas, such as hallways, stairwells, parking lots, and shared entryways, in a reasonably safe condition. They may be liable if:

• They knew, or should have known, about a dangerous condition and failed to fix it.
• They violated building codes or safety regulations.
• They failed to warn tenants and visitors about hazards such as broken steps, loose railings, or chronic leaks.

There are also scenarios where a landlord may be responsible for defects inside a tenant’s unit, especially if they failed to fix a reported problem or concealed a known danger.

Evidence is everything in a premises liability claim. After a fall, it’s helpful to preserve:

• Photos and video of the hazard and the surrounding area
• Incident reports filed with the store, landlord, or property manager
• Witness statements from anyone who saw the fall or the condition
• Security footage, if available
• Medical records documenting your injuries and treatment
• Maintenance logs and inspection records, showing how often the property was checked or repaired

Those last two, maintenance and inspection records, can be powerful. They can indicate whether the hazard existed for a long time, whether prior complaints were ignored, and whether the owner had a system in place to maintain safe premises.

You can still bring a claim even if you didn’t report the incident immediately. However, delays can give insurers ammunition to argue:

• The fall didn’t happen the way you said
• Your injuries came from something else
• The hazard wasn’t there at all

If you didn’t report it at the time, your attorney may rely more heavily on medical records, witness statements, photos, and any later communications with the property owner. The sooner you document what happened, the better, but a delay doesn’t automatically destroy your case.

People use “slip and fall” as a catch-all, but there is a difference:

• Slip and fall: Typically involves a slick or low-traction surface (water, grease, spilled product).
• Trip and fall: Usually involves an object or elevation change (uneven concrete, exposed cords, raised thresholds, broken steps).

The legal theories are similar, but the type of hazard can affect how we prove negligence and what standards or codes may apply.

In a successful slip and fall case, you may be able to recover compensation for:

• Medical bills (past and future)
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and anxiety
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disability or disfigurement

Settlement ranges in Arkansas vary widely, from more modest amounts for relatively minor injuries to substantial recoveries in cases involving serious fractures, surgeries, spinal injuries, or traumatic brain injuries. There is no one “average” number; the value depends on your specific facts, medical treatment, and long-term impact.

Short answer: It’s almost always worth at least talking to a lawyer before you sign anything. Early settlement offers are often:

• Made before you’ve finished treatment
• Based on incomplete medical records
• Designed to close your claim cheaply, before you understand the long-term impact

Once you accept and sign a release, you generally can’t go back for more, even if you later need surgery or develop complications. A slip and fall attorney can evaluate whether the offer even comes close to what your case might truly be worth.

Consistent medical treatment and documentation are crucial. Helpful records include:

• ER and urgent care notes
• Imaging (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs)
• Specialist evaluations (orthopedists, neurologists, etc.)
• Physical therapy notes and progress reports
• Documentation of pain levels, restrictions, and limitations at work and home

These records help connect your injuries directly to the fall and show how the incident has affected your life and ability to function.

If you’re able, try to:

• Get medical care immediately. Your health comes first, and prompt treatment creates a clear record.
• Report the incident to the property owner, manager, or staff and ask that an incident report be created.
• Take photos or videos of the hazard, the area, and your visible injuries.
• Gather contact information for witnesses.
• Save receipts, instructions, and paperwork related to treatment and time missed from work.
• Avoid giving recorded statements to the insurance company before you’ve spoken with a lawyer.

Every step you take to preserve evidence now makes it easier to build a strong case later.

Slip and fall claims may look simple on the surface, but property owners and insurers fight them hard. Our team builds cases by:

• Investigating the scene and securing photos, video, and inspection records
• Interviewing witnesses and staff
• Working with medical experts to link your injuries to the fall
• Analyzing maintenance policies and prior incident histories
• Calculating both economic and non-economic damages
• Negotiating aggressively with insurance companies
• Taking the case to trial if they refuse to offer fair compensation

As America’s Largest Injury Law Firm, Morgan & Morgan has the resources and trial experience to take on major retailers, landlords, management companies, and their insurers, whether your fall happened in a small local shop or a big-box store.

A slip and fall can leave you with more than bruises; it can mean hospital bills, missed paychecks, chronic pain, and a long, frustrating fight with an insurance company that wants to minimize your claim.

You don’t have to go through that alone. If you were hurt on someone else’s property in Little Rock, Morgan & Morgan can review what happened, explain your rights under Arkansas law, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Fill out a free, no-obligation case evaluation today to get started. With us, the Fee Is Free™—you only pay if we win.