Slip and Fall Accidents in Parking Lots

Each day, residents of South Florida use parking lots for quick trips to the grocery store, picking up dry cleaning, or getting in and out of work. Parking lots are necessary places we need to visit in order to go about our lives, but sometimes they are also places where hazards lurk. Slip and fall accidents can occur when lots are poorly maintained and inspected, or built incorrectly to allow pooling or with materials that are subpar. The Miami slip and fall lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon represent people throughout South Florida who have been hurt in these situations. Consulting a premises liability attorney may be a critical step to take in preserving your legal rights.

Businesses, or sometimes municipalities, have the responsibility to keep their premises safe for visitors. This responsibility extends to parking lots owned and operated by these entities. Parking lots can contain a lot of hazards if they are not maintained or inspected regularly and properly. Common causes of falls occurring in a parking lot include:

• Uneven pavement,
• Potholes developing due to heat or wear,
• Slippery surfaces caused by water, loose gravel, or mud, or
• Objects left in parking lots, including maintenance equipment or debris.

Elderly people are at a high risk of sustaining a fall in a parking lot. Given that people over the age of 65 make up over 15 percent of the population in Florida, the concern over slip and fall injuries is significant. Injuries associated with a fall may include broken or fractured bones, sprains, and serious head or brain injuries. Making sure that negligent property owners are held accountable for allowing dangerous conditions to develop or remain is important in preventing further accidents.

If an individual slips or trips and falls in a parking lot as a result of a property owner’s negligence, he or she can potentially recover damages for his or her injuries. Property owners operating a business have a duty to inspect their premises and either fix a dangerous hazard or provide proper warnings to visitors.

To prevail on a premises liability claim, the plaintiff must prove that his or her injury was caused by a dangerous condition. Also, the condition must have been known or must have been something that reasonably should have been discovered if proper inspections of the property were conducted. For example, a patron who falls in a parking lot as a result of a pothole that has existed for a year or more may show that the property’s owner knew or should have known of its existence and should have taken proper measures to fix it. Damages recoverable by people injured in a fall may include past and future medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering.

If you have been injured as a result of a parking lot fall, the Miami slip and fall attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can help you determine your legal options and seek to hold property owners responsible. We also assist injured individuals in Miami, West Palm Beach, and other cities throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Call 877.499.4878 or contact us online to set up a free, no-obligation consultation about your claim.