What Are Your Legal Options After A Rainy Weather Fall?
Rainy weather is common in Miami, and the slippery conditions it creates can lead to dangerous slip-and-fall accidents. Trips and falls can result in serious injuries, leaving victims with medical bills, lost wages, and ongoing pain.
If you’ve been injured in a Florida public space or business and believe it was due to a property owner’s failure to clean up water, you may be able to secure a settlement. Share the specifics of your situation with a Miami personal injury lawyer to explore next steps.
How Rainy Weather Causes Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Water from rain can make floors, sidewalks, and other surfaces slick and hazardous. Common scenarios where these accidents occur include:
- Entrance areas. Rainwater tracked inside by customers can accumulate on floors, making them dangerously slippery.
- Outdoor walkways. Businesses often have walkways or parking lots where puddles or wet surfaces become hazards if not properly maintained.
- Leaking roofs or overhangs. Water dripping onto floors can create unexpected slip risks for customers.
- Inadequate mats or signage. Failing to place mats or wet floor signs in high-traffic areas during rain increases the likelihood of falls.
While rainy weather is unavoidable, business and property owners have a duty to take reasonable steps to minimize risks for visitors.
Property owners can be held accountable for slip-and-fall accidents if they fail to maintain safe conditions. To prove liability, there must be evidence of a slippery danger that caused the fall and that the owner knew about the risk or should have been aware of it. Owners are responsible if hazards should have been discovered through routine inspections.
Reasonable Actions and Investigating the Incident
When a customer slips, falls, or trips on a wet store entrance because no mats or warning signs were in place, the business may be liable for failing to address the hazard promptly. This is because those who own or manage public spaces need to take reasonable actions should they be aware of water dangers. Depending on the situation, this could involve cleaning up water, placing warning signs, or using anti-slip measures to prevent falls.
Should an injury be sustained, a Miami personal injury lawyer can gather evidence such as surveillance footage, witness statements, and maintenance records. Then, they will use all of the documents necessary to build a strong case for compensation. And because they know how insurers try to minimize payouts, they will use their legal skills to fight for a fair settlement on your behalf. If negotiations fail, your lawyer can file a lawsuit to seek the compensation you deserve.
The reality is that rainy weather can make public spaces and businesses hazardous, so property owners have a duty to protect visitors from preventable accidents. If you’ve suffered a slip-and-fall injury due to a business owner’s negligence, don’t face the aftermath of an accident alone. Instead, get the legal support you need to secure a fair outcome.
Could you access funds after falling on a slick, rain-soaked surface? Have a conversation with the attorneys at Spencer Morgan Law. Call 305-423-3800 to schedule your confidential consultation.