Personal Injury
Slip and Fall & Premises Liability Lawyer
A fall on someone else's property is not automatically their fault — proving it takes evidence that vanishes within days.
Property owners owe visitors a duty to keep the premises reasonably safe, but "I fell and got hurt" is not by itself a case. What matters is whether a dangerous condition existed, whether the owner knew or should have known about it, and whether they had a reasonable chance to fix or warn about it. Almost all of that is proved with evidence that is easy to lose.
What Makes These Cases Different
The evidence has a shelf life measured in days
Store surveillance systems commonly overwrite footage on a short cycle. Spills get mopped, ice melts, broken handrails get repaired, and burnt-out lights get replaced — often the same day, sometimes specifically because someone fell. Photographs taken at the scene and a preservation letter sent quickly can decide the case.
Notice is usually the whole fight
The central question is rarely whether you fell. It is whether the owner knew or should have known about the hazard. Inspection logs, maintenance records, prior incident reports, and employee statements are what answer that, and they are in the property owner's possession.
Expect to be blamed
The standard defense is that the hazard was open and obvious, or that you were not paying attention, or that your footwear was the problem. These arguments get made in nearly every case and need to be anticipated rather than answered after the fact.
Not every fall involves a floor
Premises liability also covers inadequate security in a parking lot or apartment complex, unsafe stairs and railings, falling merchandise, and unmaintained rental property. Different hazards, same core question about what the owner knew and did.
When to Call Us
- You fell on a wet, icy, or damaged surface at a business or rental property
- A landlord ignored a hazard you had already reported
- Poor lighting, a broken stair, or a missing handrail caused your fall
- You were injured by falling merchandise or unsafe equipment
- A property owner or their insurer is blaming you for not watching where you walked
- You were harmed because a property had inadequate security
What We Do for You
- Send a preservation demand for surveillance footage before it is overwritten
- Obtain inspection logs, maintenance records, and prior incident reports
- Document the hazard and the scene conditions as they existed
- Identify employees and witnesses who saw the condition before your fall
- Establish what the owner knew and when they knew it
- Answer the open-and-obvious defense with facts rather than arguments
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do right after a fall?
Report it to the business and ask that an incident report be created, photograph the hazard and the surrounding area before anything is cleaned up, get names of witnesses and employees present, and seek medical attention. Photographs taken in the first few minutes are frequently the strongest evidence in the case.
The store said they would review the video. Is that enough?
Not usually. Many systems overwrite automatically, and a verbal assurance does not obligate anyone to preserve anything. A written preservation demand sent quickly is what puts the property owner on notice that destroying the footage carries consequences.
Can I bring a claim against my landlord?
Possibly, depending on who controlled the area where you were hurt, what the lease provides, and whether the landlord knew about the condition. Complaints you made in writing before the injury tend to matter a great deal.
This page is attorney advertising and general information, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Injured? Talk to a Missouri Slip & Fall Attorney.
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