Slip and Fall Injuries

Phoenix, Arizona, Slip and Fall Accident Attorney

Slipping, tripping, and falling can often lead to very severe and permanent injuries. However, these types of premises liability claims are often difficult to prove. Although the general belief is that a property owner is automatically liable for harm occurring on their property, these types of claims involve a variety of complex legal issues. In fact, these claims may be the most difficult of all to pursue and win.

Christopher J. Zachar, our Phoenix slip and fall accident lawyer, is experienced in representing clients who have been injured in slip and fall accidents. We have successfully recovered damages and compensation for clients from many large national grocery stores, convenience stores and shopping malls.

If you were injured in a trip and fall, slip and fall, or other premises liability accident and suspect that the business or property owner may be liable, contact our office as soon as possible. We offer free consultations and contingent attorneys' fees.

The Burden of Proof in Premises Liability and Slip and Fall Accidents

Simply being injured while on another person's property does not make that person or property owner liable for your injuries. You must prove negligence, meaning that the owner failed provide or maintain a safe premises, created hazardous conditions on the property, and failed to eliminate hazards. Owner liability and negligence may be based on failure to clean up a spill in a timely manner or failure to adequately warn a guest or customer about a dangerous condition. Contact us for help in figuring out your options according to the law if you were injured in a slip and fall accident on another person's property.

Why Is Contacting a Lawyer So Important?

Since premises liability and slip and fall claims involve complicated laws and legal issues, the first and most important step is to contact an experienced premises liability attorney. A thorough and quick investigation must be conducted and eyewitnesses must be contacted prior to any alteration or modification of the dangerous area. You should contact a lawyer as soon as is reasonably possible.

Also, there may be deadlines and statutes of limitations that may significantly affect your slip and fall case. You should not wait until the statute of limitations period is running out because your attorney will need enough time to complete his or her investigation. Christopher J. Zachar is experienced in dealing with complex slip and fall legal issues and helping people get compensation for their injuries.

Slip and Fall Legal Issues According to Arizona Laws

Frequently, a property owner in premises liability claims will claim that the injured victim should have seen the hazardous condition that caused the slip and fall. This claim can be weak, considering that retailers often distract customers from watching their steps. Business or property owners use eye-catching advertising and packaging to encourage customers to focus on the products rather than on the floor.

Another important slip and fall legal issue involves the "status" of the visitor or customer on the property. Owner liability will depend on what type of visitor the injured person was when injured: invitee, licensee, or trespasser.

Invitee. If a property owner invites a person to enter the property, he or she may be liable for failure to have "reasonable care" in keeping the premises safe. Examples include supermarket and retail store customers and, in Arizona, guests of an apartment tenant or motel guest.

Licensee. A licensee is not a customer, employee or trespasser; does not have a contract with the property owner; and is allowed by the owner on the property. A social guest at a home is considered a licensee. The property owner is liable for injury to a licensee for "willful or wanton" injury, for hidden dangers, and if the guest is not adequately warned about dangers.

Trespasser. A trespasser enters someone else's property without permission, like a burglar or other unwanted guest. A business or property owner is least liable compared with the other categories of visitors.

A trespasser is clearly defined, but figuring out whether the injured person was an invitee or licensee according to Arizona law can be difficult. Contact attorney Christopher J. Zachar for help with these complex slip and fall legal issues and for help in building a strong slip and fall injury claim.