If you slip and fall while at someone else’s home, or if you slip and fall while shopping for groceries – who is liable for your injuries and medical bills?
If you fall and are injured on someone else’s premises, then you may be owed compensation for your injuries. Duty -or what is owed someone who falls, is different depending upon the reason you are in that home or business.
Under Alabama law, the least duty owed is trespassers. It also matters if you have a person in your home who is just visiting. But the highest duty is a business invitee, someone on your property for your own economic benefit.
For instance, if you have a business event at your house and someone were to get hurt, that is the person to whom you owe the highest duty because they were there for your economic benefit. So, in Alabama, it does matter why a guest is in your home.
In premises cases, the evidence is really important, and it is important to gather that evidence quickly. Take pictures of the puddle, or buckled floor that caused your fall. And nowadays, most businesses have video cameras. Get a copy of the store video, if possible.
There are two types of insurance coverage that can apply to these types of accidents, and the first is liability. In these cases, you must show that the business was at fault, that they knew or should have known about an unsafe area and didn’t remedy it, and that you were injured as a result.
The other type of insurance is no fault, in which case it doesn’t matter who is at fault. This is a medical payments policy, and you will be paid a certain amount for your medical expenses.
If you have been injured in a trip and fall accident, contact an attorney who specializes in these cases. You may consult our Online Legal Directory to find an attorney in your area.