Falls on Wet and Slippery Floors in Tennessee

When you visit someone else's property, you do not expect to suffer broken bones, fractures, lacerations, soft tissue injuries, or any of the other injuries that often arise from a slip and fall. Wet and slippery floors are common in stores, gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and other business places. In many cases, the floor is wet and slippery even though customers are on the property. If you are seriously hurt in a fall on a wet and slippery floor, experienced Maryville premises liability attorney Mark C. Hartsoe and the staff at the Hartsoe Law Firm can evaluate the facts, determine whether you have a case, and represent you if appropriate.

Maryville property owners owe a duty to keep their premises in a reasonably safe state. This includes making repairs and inspecting the property to determine whether there are dangerous conditions. Anyone in charge of property in Tennessee may be held liable when an accident occurs on the property to business invitees or social guests.

Business invitees are owed the greatest duty of care because they have been invited onto the property for reasons that are economically advantageous to both parties. The property owner should be on the lookout for dangerous conditions, such as a slippery floor on which a customer could slip. When a property owner cannot immediately clean up a wet and slippery floor for invitees, it should put a visible warning in place, such as a sign or orange hazard cones. However, the level of care owed to social guests is less than this. A property owner should warn of risks of harm that a guest would not be able to discover on their own.

A wet and slippery floor is a potentially hazardous condition, and if a property owner fails to provide warnings or fix the condition, it may be held responsible in a premises liability lawsuit. In bringing a premises liability case, you will need to establish that the property owner knew or should have known about the wet and slippery floor, yet it failed to provide warnings or fix the problem. Constructive notice may be established by showing that the condition existed for some time without being addressed.

After a fall, it is important to take photographs of the area, take down contact information for potential witnesses who might have seen how long the condition was there or seen the fall itself, and consult an attorney right away. One of the challenging aspects of these types of cases is the need to preserve evidence before it is lost.

An owner may argue that the condition was open and obvious. Under the open and obvious rule, a property owner may not be liable if a dangerous condition—such as a wet and slippery floor—was open and obvious. This could potentially apply if the floor was discolored with a different-colored liquid, for example, and that caused the fall.

After a slip and fall, it is important to retain a Maryville premises liability lawyer who understands how to establish the dangerous condition. If you suffered an accident on a wet and slippery floor, slip and fall attorney Mark C. Hartsoe can provide knowledgeable representation. Call the Hartsoe Law Firm at 865-804-1011 or contact us via our online form to set up a free appointment. We represent victims throughout East Tennessee, including in Knox, Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.