Florida property owners often go to great lengths to make sure that their property is safe. They replace blown lightbulbs, repair loose flooring, clearly mark a sudden change in floor elevation and clean up spills that can present a slip-and-fall hazard. If the property is a business, the owner or manager will usually train employees to make sure that anything that can present such a hazard is clearly marked and promptly taken care of. Otherwise, it is possible that someone will suffer personal injury as a result.
A slip-and-fall injury can create a minor inconvenience for some and devastating injuries for others. No one wants to suffer a broken bone, back injury, concussion or worse because of something on the floor that causes them to fall. Depending upon the circumstances and injury received, it is possible that such an accident can lead to a personal injury claim against the property owner or company occupying the property.
Just because someone falls and is injured on someone else’s property, though, does not mean that a personal injury claim exists. There are specific criteria which must be met. For instance, did the property owner or manager know that the hazard even existed? If someone just spilled something on the floor, there may have not been time to properly mark it and clean up the spill. In this case, it is possible that no one associated with the property was even aware of the problem.
It is also possible that the injured individual is responsible for the injury. If the individual simply did not see a clearly marked hazard then it is possible that a simple accident occurred. Slip-and-fall accidents can result in serious personal injury. If the Florida resident believes that he or she has suffered personal injury as the result of something the property owner did or did not do, a personal injury claim may be necessary to meet the financial and emotional needs created as a result of the injury.