On the surface, a wet floor may not seem like a great hazard. But at the same time, it may not be a huge deal for a property owner to clear it up at first notice. This is because one of their visitors may end up slipping and falling on this wet floor, subsequently prompting serious, if not life-altering, injuries and damages. If this seems relevant to you, read on to discover the initiatives you should take when encountering an incident with a wet floor and how a seasoned St. Mary’s County slip and fall lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can advise you through it all.
What is an owner’s responsibility for handling a wet floor on their premises?
Generally speaking, an owner of a commercial establishment (i.e., supermarket, retail store, marina, etc). is responsible for clearing any potentially hazardous conditions that appear on their premises. Namely, this includes cleaning up a wet floor as soon as they are made aware of its existence. With this, an owner is expected to know about a wet floor’s existence within a reasonable timeframe.
At the very least, Maryland premises liability law holds that an owner must adequately warn visitors of a wet floor’s existence until they have the opportunity to clean it. This may entail posting a wet floor sign nearby, bordering off the wet floor with orange cones, taping off the wet floor area, or ordering an employee to stand in front of the wet floor area.
What initiatives should I take if I slip and fall on a wet floor?
Essentially, you will want to set yourself up nicely for a slip-and-fall accident claim that you may potentially file in the future. In other words, you will want to collect as much evidence as possible while you are still at the scene of your accident.
This may start with speaking with a property owner or manager and requesting that a store incident report be conducted. Namely, a store incident report takes down your personal information, along with the date and time of your slip and fall, the initial injuries you noticed after your slip and fall, and an overall description of how your slip and fall came about.
What’s more, it may be in your best interest to also collect the below pieces of proof while still on the scene:
- Photos and videos of the wet floor, along with the initial injuries and damages you incurred.
- Testimonies by witnesses who saw the wet floor long before your slip and fall accident occurred.
- Testimonies by witnesses who saw your slip and fall accident take place.
- Surveillance camera footage that captured how your slip and fall accident took place.
Your best chances at having a successful slip and fall accident claim start with retaining the services of a competent Leonardtown personal injury lawyer. So please contact The Dorsey Law Firm today.
