Published on behalf of No one wants to slip and fall or trip and fall, let alone in a public place. It’s embarrassing and painful, especially in situations where the injuries are so severe that an ambulance has to be called. Head injuries, back injuries and broken bones are very common in slip and fall or trip and fall situations.
What most people do not realize is that in many situations involving a slip and fall or trip and fall accident, the business/store or individual who owns or maintains the property did something or failed to do something which caused the accident. Slip and falls or trip and falls commonly involve the following:
- entrance areas,
- parking lots,
- sidewalks,
- bathrooms,
- floors,
- walkways,
- stairs,
- escalators, and
- elevators.
Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Law – The Duty a Store or Business Owes to a Customer
Under Pennsylvania tort or slip and fall law, any person, business or store which holds itself open to the public is required to inspect the premises for obvious or hidden defects. If there are any dangerous conditions, the store or business must either correct or warn of the condition. The reason is that when a store holds itself open to the public, for its own benefit, it must keep its premises in a reasonably safe condition, and that includes actually inspecting the store premises for dangerous conditions.
Failure to conduct reasonable inspections is a common cause of accidents. Many stores employ a mentality that each of its employees is responsible to inspect store areas for dangerous conditions, and most stores do not conduct any actual inspections. In a Pennsylvania slip and fall lawsuit, this kind of mentality and lack of proper procedure almost always result in liability.
This is why most businesses and stores have liability insurance. When a person is injured at a store due to the negligence of the store, the store’s insurance carrier will provide coverage for the accident. In other words, filing a lawsuit against a Pennsylvania store or business in a slip and fall or trip and fall accident involves an insurance claim. Most commercial general liability insurance policies carry slip and fall accident coverage of up to $1,000,000, sometimes more. Nine times out of ten, this is where financial recovery comes from in a slip and fall case.
More Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Legal Articles:
- Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Accident Law-Suits Against Government Agencies
- Pennsylvania Sidewalk Slip, Trip and Fall Accident Liability
- Slip and Fall Accidents at Work in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers
For nearly 30 years, our firm has been representing Pennsylvania residents in personal injury matters, including slip and fall or trip and fall cases. To speak to one of our Pennsylvania slip and fall accident lawyers, call 215.925.4451
The slip and fall accident lawyers at Schwartz & Blackman handle cases in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area and always offer a free consultation:
- PA: Berks County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia County, Allentown, Lehigh Valley, Norristown, Philadelphia
- NJ: Atlantic County, Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Camden, Cherry Hill, New Jersey shore cities
*This website does not provide legal advice. Every case is unique and it is important to get a qualified, expert legal opinion prior to making any decisions about your case. See the full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
Published: September 21, 2012