Who is liable for someone’s slip-and-fall injuries in Minnesota?

Despite how dismissive some people are about the risks involved in same-level spills, including slip-and-falls and trip-and-falls, it is possible for someone to experience major injuries because of a slip-and-fall and massive expenses as well.

There are many reasons that someone might experience a slip-and-fall in a public place in Minnesota. Perhaps they go to the pet store to pick up cat litter but end up slipping in spilled dry dog kibble and falling. Maybe ice in a parking lot or unsecured electrical cords are what cause someone to fall.

Particularly when a slip-and-fall occurs at a business or in a parking lot outside of a store, the injury victim may understandably wonder if they have the right to pursue a premises liability claim.

Property owners and companies may have premises liability

There are numerous scenarios in which a property owner or business tenant could be responsible for someone’s slip-and-fall injuries. Those scenarios include situations in which a business was clearly negligent. Many premises liability claims depend on allegations that a reasonable person would have seen the risk inherent in doing a specific thing or failing to do something. Not removing snow from the parking lot, not having enough staff on hand or prioritizing check-out services over facility maintenance could all be ways in which a property owner or business is negligent and directly contributes to someone getting hurt.

If reasonable people would agree that taking certain actions or failing to take them directly contributed to someone’s injury, the situation may meet the necessary standard for a negligence claim. Most businesses will carry insurance that includes premises liability coverage. That policy can reimburse those who suffer brain injuries, broken bones or soft tissue injuries in a slip-and-fall for medical expenses, property damage losses and lost income.

To pursue a claim against a business, someone who slips and falls while shopping or visiting a location will usually need to report the incident to management before leaving the facilities and to record as much as they can about the situation, such as using their mobile phone to take pictures or video of what caused them to fall.

Ultimately, reviewing the details of a slip-and-fall scenario when seeking legal guidance can help someone determine whether they might have reason to pursue an insurance claim and/or personal injury lawsuit.