You may know the basic guideline that Florida property owners and business owners are responsible for maintaining safe conditions on their premises. But if you are involved in a slip and fall accident that takes place outside, you may be unsure whether their realm of responsibility extends to this area. Thus, your potential liability claim may not be as straightforward as you would have hoped. Well, with that, please continue reading to learn more about your rights to hold someone legally liable after you slip on something outside a building, and how an experienced Broward County slip and fall lawyer at The Finizio Law Group can help build your case for this.

What conditions can cause a slip outside of a building?

Outdoor elements, namely the weather, are oftentimes powerful and uncontrollable, leading to several dangerous conditions that increase the risk of a slip and fall accident outside of a building. More specific examples, which may closely resonate with your personal experience, read as follows:

  • Florida’s consistent precipitation can prompt standing water, humidity residue, and mud, which inevitably create slippery surfaces.
  • Again, Florida’s rainfall can lead to wet leaves falling and moss and algae growing on walkways, making them slick for passersby. 
  • After a serious Florida storm, fallen tree branches and other wind-blown debris may obstruct walkways, restricting these designated pathways from pedestrians. 
  • After a tropical storm, outdoor steps may be broken and handrails loose or missing, failing to provide individuals a safe means of climbing up and down the stairs.
  • In the wake of a serious hurricane, power outages may occur, causing individuals to navigate outdoor parking lots, sidewalks, and entranceways with poor visibility.

What happens if I slip on something outside of a building?

Of course, you understand that nobody can control the weather. So you cannot necessarily blame a property owner or business owner for the damage a serious Florida weather event did to their premises. However, you can attempt to hold them accountable for how they responded to it, or their lack thereof. 

For example, say your slip and fall accident occurred due to standing water on the tiled entranceway of a building. Well, first of all, the property owner or business owner had a duty of care toward you, as an admitted visitor. Then, they should have investigated their premises after rainfall or a storm and identified any potentially hazardous conditions. They should have reasonably spotted the wet floor and taken immediate action to post a warning sign, block off the area, and/or redirect traffic toward a safer entranceway. 

With this, the property owner or business owner may claim they did not possess actual or constructive knowledge of the wet surfaces outside. However, you may shut this down through evidence of when the weather event occurred versus the time of your slip and fall accident, establishing a significant timeframe they had to notice it. Or, testimony from employees or other frequent visitors that confirms the longstanding existence of the hazard, along with citing that this is a frequent issue seen on the premises. 

When preparing for your upcoming legal case, you may find the missing puzzle piece to be your legal representation. Please do not work further until you have retained the services of a skilled Broward County personal injury attorney. Schedule your initial consultation with The Finizio Law Group today.