Slip & Fall Accidents

Premises Liability Lawyers Advocating for Middlesex and Mercer County Victims

Slip and fall accidents sometimes result in serious injuries. They may happen in parking lots, sidewalks, restaurants, grocery stores, malls, retail stores, and homes. If you slip and fall on someone else’s property and suffer injuries, you may be able to recover financial compensation. At Siegel & Siegel, our Middlesex County slip and fall lawyers represent people who have suffered all kinds of injuries as a result of unstable or poorly maintained surfaces. We also serve victims in Middlesex and Mercer Counties who need a dog bite attorney or representation in a wide range of other personal injury claims.

Slip and Fall Accidents

In New Jersey, as in other states, property owners are supposed to fix or remove dangerous conditions that might result in harm to a lawful visitor. If a property owner fails to use reasonable care to inspect the property and respond to any unsafe conditions, they may be held liable for any resulting injuries through a premises liability lawsuit.

Historically, different types of visitors are owed different degrees of care by the property owner. However, business owners are expected to use reasonable care to make sure that areas where customers might be are reasonably safe. These include areas inside and outside the property. For example, grocery store aisles and the grocery store parking lot should be inspected routinely for hazards. A hazard might include a natural condition like snow or ice. For example, a storeowner would likely be held liable for failing to keep the entryway of the store free from black ice when holding the store open to customers.

Generally, store and restaurant owners are supposed to clean up spills routinely so that customers do not fall on them. The slip and fall attorneys at our Middlesex County firm can help victims try to establish that the business owner knew or should have known about a dangerous condition. You are more likely to be able to establish notice if the dangerous condition has existed for some time. If, for example, someone spills a drink on the floor of a fast food restaurant, and nobody cleans it up for three or four hours, it is likely that you will be able to establish that the restaurant knew or should have known about it. New Jersey has a relatively unique rule called the mode of operation rule. When this rule is in effect, you do not need to prove notice. The rule applies to remove the notice requirement for plaintiffs when the dangerous condition is something that was likely to occur because of the kind of business where it arose, the condition of the property, or the pattern of actions that led up to the slip and fall.

If you invoke this rule appropriately, you will receive an inference that the defendant was negligent in connection with your slip and fall accident. Once this inference is in place, the burden of proof moves to the defendant. It must prove that it took the appropriate measures to deal with a potential danger. If you are able to establish liability, you should be able to recover damages that arose from the slip and fall. For example, if you fracture your ankle and are unable to resume your work as a construction foreman for two months, you may be able to recover two months’ worth of wage loss. You are also likely to be able to recover for medical bills, hospital bills, pain and suffering, household services, scarring, disfigurement, loss of consortium, and mental anguish. Each of these types of damages will need to be established through testimony or documentation. An experienced attorney can make sure that the jury hears the full narrative of what you suffered as a result of a property owner’s negligence.

Retain a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Middlesex County or Surrounding Areas

Slip and fall accidents often result in serious injuries. Our firm may be able to help you recover compensation. Our Middlesex County slip and fall attorneys represent people in Plainsboro, Cranbury, South Brunswick, North Brunswick, New Brunswick, Edison, Piscataway, Trenton, Princeton, Hamilton, and West Windsor, as well as other communities in Middlesex, Mercer, Burlington, Monmouth, and Union Counties. Contact us online or call us at 609-799-6066 for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer or a wrongful death attorney.