It is likely that individuals in Missouri and elsewhere enter the property of others on a daily or weekly basis. Whether it is a grocery store, convenience market, department store, office building, restaurant, apartment complex, government building or private property, most people enter the property of others believing that it is safe to do so. Because property owners have the duty to keep visitors safe from known harms, when a slip-and-fall accident occurs a property owner could face liability.

How can you prove fault in a slip-and-fall accident? When pinpointing liability of a slip-and fall, it is important to assess the cause of the incident. For this type of accident, there are a variety of reasons why these accidents occur. When they occur indoors, this is commonly due to a wet floor, improperly waxed floors, torn carpet or broken stairs or railings. With regards to slip-and-falls occurring outdoors, this could be due to ice, snow, inadequate lighting or uneven sidewalks.

While there are many causes for slip-and-fall accidents, this does not automatically mean that the property owner is to blame. In order for liability to be placed on a property owner, the property owner must have known or should have known about the dangerous conditions that led to the accident. It is also important to consider the length of time that the dangerous condition existed, as that could be a factor. If a dangerous condition existed for an extended period of time and the property owner took no action to fix it, this could be evidence of fault and liability.

Following a slip-and-fall accident, injured victims should take the time to understand their situation. This could mean taking steps to become aware of the legal recourses available, which could help the victim address the losses and damages caused by the incident.