Liquid spills, slick walkways, and uneven floors are among the most common causes of slip-and-fall accidents in Alabama. These hazards quickly turn a routine trip to the grocery store or a local business into a trip to the emergency room.
If you get hurt because a property owner failed to fix a dangerous issue, you have legal options. The experienced Montgomery slip and fall lawyers of Hunter | Everage helps injury victims in Montgomery recover financial compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain. We investigate the specific causes of slip and fall accidents to build a strong case against the responsible party.
Who Is Responsible When You Slip and Fall on Someone Else’s Property?
Liability depends on who had control over the property and caused the hazard. The property owner is usually the primary responsible party. This includes homeowners, business owners, and commercial landlords. If a landlord neglects maintenance of the common areas of an apartment building, the landlord is responsible for any resulting injuries.
Business tenants can also be liable. If you slip inside a retail store, the store operator is often responsible, not the building owner. Our slip-and-fall attorneys investigate lease agreements to determine exactly who controlled the space where you fell.
Government entities can be held responsible if you fall on public property, like a city sidewalk or a government office building. Claims against the City of Montgomery are subject to different rules and have much shorter deadlines than claims against private businesses.
Alabama’s Premises Liability Laws: What Property Owners Are Required to Do
Alabama law divides visitors into three categories to determine what a property owner must do.
1. Invitees
The highest level of protection belongs to invitees. An invitee is someone on the property for business purposes, such as a customer in a grocery store. Owners must keep the property safe, inspect it for hidden dangers, and fix or warn about hazards.
2. Licensees
The second category is licensees, who are social guests visiting for personal reasons. Property owners cannot intentionally harm licensees and must warn them of known or hidden dangers.
3. Trespassers
The lowest level of protection is for trespassers, who enter property without permission. Owners only owe a duty not to intentionally injure trespassers.
Injuries That Can Result from a Slip and Fall — Even a Minor One
Sometimes, even a minor slip-and-fall causes painful, hidden injuries that disrupt your daily life. Here are the most common injuries that result from these accidents:
- Sprains and Strains: Your ankles and wrists can twist or tear when you try to catch yourself during a fall.
- Bruises and Contusions: Hitting a hard floor causes deep, painful bruising that damages muscle tissue.
- Concussions: Your brain can shake inside your skull if your head hits the ground, causing dizziness and headaches.
- Hairline Fractures: Small, thin cracks can form in your bones and cause throbbing pain over time.
- Back Strain: The sudden impact can pull muscles and ligaments out of alignment along your spine.
How Long Do You Have to File a Slip and Fall Claim in Alabama?
Alabama sets a strict time limit for filing personal injury lawsuits. Under Code of Alabama Section 6-2-38, you have two years from the date of the slip and fall to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, the court will dismiss your case, and you will lose your right to collect compensation.
The deadline is much shorter if your accident happened on government property. For a claim against a city, you must file an official notice of claim within six months of the accident under Alabama Code § 11-47-23.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Slip and Fall?
Victims can seek financial compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover direct financial losses from the injury, including:
- Ambulance fees,
- Hospital stays,
- Doctor visits,
- Physical therapy,
- Prescription medications,
- Future medical expenses, and
- Lost wages.
Non-economic damages cover physical pain and suffering caused by the accident. This includes mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and physical disfigurement.
An experienced lawyer helps calculate these numbers to ensure the insurance company pays a fair amount.
How to Build a Strong Negligence Case After a Slip and Fall
Winning a premises liability case requires proving that the property owner was negligent. You must show that a dangerous condition existed on the property and that the owner knew about the hazard, or should have known about it through regular property inspections.
We gather maintenance logs, employee schedules, and internal store records to find out how long a hazard existed. If a spill sat on a floor for hours without being cleaned, it shows the business failed to maintain a safe environment.
Expert witnesses can help strengthen your claim. Floor safety experts can measure the slipperiness of a floor surface, and medical experts can testify about the long-term impact of your injuries.
Why You Need a Montgomery Slip and Fall Attorney on Your Side
When you are injured on someone else’s property, insurance companies will do everything they can to use Alabama’s laws to deny your claim. Here is why you need a Montgomery slip and fall attorney on your side:
- Defeating Contributory Negligence Defenses: Alabama’s contributory negligence rules bar recovery if you are found even 1% at fault. An attorney works to counter efforts to shift blame onto you.
- Securing Crucial Video Evidence: Security footage from retail stores or parking lots is often overwritten within days or weeks. A lawyer can immediately issue a spoliation letter to preserve video evidence and other key records.
- Proving Owner Liability: To win your case, you must prove the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard. An attorney investigates maintenance logs, internal records, and inspection histories to establish negligence.
- Calculating Full Damages: Insurance adjusters often undervalue claims. A lawyer collaborates with medical and financial experts to calculate the true cost of your injuries, including future treatment and lost earning capacity.
- Handling All Insurance Communications: Adjusters may use recorded statements to weaken your case. Your attorney manages all communications and negotiations to protect your claim.
- Taking Your Case to Court: If a fair settlement is not offered, your lawyer can pursue your case in court and seek full compensation through litigation.
Contact Our Montgomery Slip and Fall Attorneys
If you suffered injuries from a fall on someone else’s property, the attorneys at Hunter | Everage provide strong legal representation to injury victims in Montgomery.
Call our Montgomery office at 704-377-9157 to schedule your free consultation. We will review your accident, explain your options under Alabama law, and help you determine the best path forward.
