Perez Law Firm · Sarasota, Florida
Based in Sarasota. Representing injury victims throughout Florida.
Start your claimProperty owners must keep their premises reasonably safe. When hazards like wet floors or broken walkways cause injury, we help victims hold owners responsible.
Understanding your options
A fall on someone else’s property raises questions about the hazard, who controlled the premises, and how the injury happened. Perez Law Firm helps injured people evaluate those questions and the records that may support a claim.
An injury on a property does not automatically establish negligence. The investigation may examine the condition that caused the fall, the duties owed to the visitor, who controlled the area, and whether reasonable precautions were taken. A wet floor, damaged walkway, poor lighting, or an obstruction can require different evidence.
For a slip on a transitory foreign substance in a business establishment, Florida law requires proof of actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition. Constructive knowledge may be shown through evidence that the condition lasted long enough to be discovered with ordinary care, or occurred regularly and was foreseeable. This particular rule should not be applied to every type of premises claim.
Get appropriate medical care first. When safe, photograph the hazard and surrounding area, record the time and exact location, and save witness contact details. Note whether warning signs were present. Keep your shoes, receipts, incident-report information, and original photographs. Surveillance footage and inspection records may be relevant; ask an attorney promptly about preservation rather than assuming a business will retain them indefinitely.
Treatment records, bills, missed-work records, and documented limitations help explain the injury’s effects. Prior conditions and the circumstances of the fall also matter. Avoid guessing about fault or promising a recovery based only on the seriousness of the injury. A consultation can help identify missing records and questions for investigation.
Answers to common concerns
Possibly, but the absence of a sign does not by itself prove liability. The hazard, the responsible party’s knowledge and duties, and the circumstances of your visit must be evaluated.
Florida comparative-fault rules can affect negligence claims. Your conduct and the property condition both may be examined. Do not assume an insurer’s initial assignment of fault is the final legal determination.
If you can do so safely, notify the appropriate manager and retain the report number or other confirmation. Give accurate facts, avoid speculation, and seek medical attention when needed.
Deadlines depend on the claim, incident date, and parties. Florida’s civil limitations statute and potentially separate notice requirements must be considered. Seek an individual assessment promptly; do not wait for insurance discussions to end.
Based in Sarasota, Alan Perez represents injury victims throughout Florida. Start with the facts you know and the questions you want answered. Ask how to share sensitive documents securely. Alan Perez is bilingual in English and Spanish.
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Consultations are free and confidential, and there is no obligation. We usually respond the same business day.
