Dothan Slip and Fall Lawyer

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Representing people injured in a slip and fall accident in Dothan and Southeast Alabama. 

A slip and fall can cause far more than temporary pain. Falls can result in broken bones, head and brain injuries, back and neck injuries, torn ligaments, surgery, lost time from work, and lasting physical limitations.

If you were injured because of a dangerous condition at a store, restaurant, apartment complex, business, or other property in Dothan or the surrounding Wiregrass area, Dothan Law Group can help you determine whether the property owner or another party may be responsible.

Our attorneys investigate slip and fall and premises liability claims, preserve important evidence, identify responsible parties, and pursue compensation for people injured because of dangerous property conditions.

Not every fall on someone else's property makes the property owner legally responsible. In an Alabama premises liability case, the circumstances surrounding the dangerous condition and the property owner's knowledge of it can be critical.

Businesses and property owners generally have duties to maintain reasonably safe premises for customers and other lawful visitors and, under appropriate circumstances, to warn them about dangers they know or should know about.

A successful claim may depend on evidence showing how the dangerous condition developed, how long it existed, whether the property owner or its employees created it, whether they knew or should have known about it, and what was done—or not done—to correct the danger or warn visitors.

Slip and fall accidents can occur because of many different unsafe property conditions, including:

• Wet or slippery floors 
• Spilled liquids, food, or merchandise 
• Uneven flooring or broken pavement 
• Dangerous stairs or handrails 
• Torn or unsecured carpeting 
• Poor lighting 
• Potholes and parking lot hazards 
• Cluttered aisles and walkways 
• Missing or inadequate warning signs 
• Water tracked into entrances 
• Leaks and plumbing problems 
• Other dangerous walking surfaces 

These incidents commonly occur at grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants, hotels, apartment complexes, parking lots, offices, and other businesses and properties.

Slip and fall cases often turn on evidence that may disappear shortly after the accident. A spill can be cleaned, surveillance footage can be overwritten, a defective condition can be repaired, and employees or witnesses may become difficult to locate.

Depending on the case, important evidence may include photographs and video of the hazard, surveillance footage, incident reports, witness statements, inspection records, cleaning and maintenance logs, employee records or testimony, prior complaints or incidents, medical records, and evidence showing when the dangerous condition first appeared.

Dothan Law Group works to investigate the property condition and preserve available evidence before it is lost.

 Alabama law recognizes an important defense involving dangers that were open and obvious. Whether a condition was open and obvious can therefore become a significant issue in a premises liability case.

These cases are highly fact-specific. The appearance of the hazard, lighting, visibility, surrounding conditions, what the injured person was reasonably doing at the time, and other circumstances may all become relevant.

Do not assume that you have no claim simply because an insurance company or property owner says you should have seen the hazard. The particular facts and applicable Alabama law should be evaluated before reaching that conclusion.

Alabama Supreme Court decisions recognize the open-and-obvious doctrine in premises-liability cases and analyze whether the danger should have been observed through the exercise of reasonable care.

When another party is legally responsible for a slip and fall injury, the injured person may be entitled to recover damages resulting from the accident.

Depending on the circumstances, those damages may include:

• Medical expenses 
• Future medical treatment 
• Lost wages 
• Loss of earning capacity 
• Physical pain and suffering 
• Mental anguish 
• Permanent impairment or disability 
• Scarring or disfigurement 
• Other legally recoverable losses 

The value of a premises liability claim depends on the particular facts, including the nature and severity of the injuries, medical treatment, future limitations, and available evidence establishing liability.

 What happens immediately after a fall can significantly affect the evidence available later. If you are able to do so:

1. Report the accident to the property owner or manager. 
2. Seek appropriate medical treatment. 
3. Photograph the exact condition that caused the fall. 
4. Take wider photographs showing the surrounding area. 
5. Obtain contact information for witnesses. 
6. Identify employees who were present. 
7. Preserve the shoes and clothing you were wearing. 
8. Keep copies of medical bills and accident-related documents. 
9. Avoid posting about the accident or your injuries on social media. 
10. Speak with an attorney before giving a recorded statement to an insurance company. 

Photographs taken immediately after the incident can be especially important because the dangerous condition may no longer exist by the time an investigation begins.

 Many Alabama personal injury claims, including negligence claims arising from slip and fall accidents, are subject to a two-year statute of limitations. However, the applicable deadline can depend on the circumstances and the identity of the responsible party, and shorter notice requirements can apply in certain cases.

Waiting can also make a case more difficult even when the filing deadline has not expired. Surveillance footage may be deleted, witnesses may disappear, and the property condition may change.

For those reasons, an injured person should have the claim evaluated promptly rather than waiting until the statute of limitations is approaching.

Alabama's general two-year limitations provision for personal-injury actions appears at Ala. Code § 6-2-38.

 If you were injured in a fall at a store, restaurant, apartment complex, business, or other property, Dothan Law Group can investigate what happened and help you understand your legal options.

Our attorneys can investigate the dangerous condition, seek available surveillance footage and records, identify responsible parties and insurance coverage, and pursue compensation when the evidence supports a premises liability claim.

We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You do not owe an attorney fee unless we make a recovery for you.

Do I automatically have a case if I fell at a store?

No. A business is not automatically responsible simply because someone falls on its property. Liability depends on facts such as what caused the fall, how the dangerous condition arose, what the business knew or should have known, and other circumstances surrounding the accident.

What if I slipped on water or another liquid in a store?

You may have a claim, but the source of the liquid and evidence concerning the store's knowledge can be important. An investigation may examine whether an employee caused the condition, how long it existed, inspection procedures, surveillance footage, cleaning records, and witness testimony.

What if there was no warning sign?

The absence of a warning sign can be important when a property owner knew or should have known about a dangerous condition that was not apparent to visitors. However, the lack of a warning sign alone does not automatically establish liability.

What if the store says I should have seen the hazard?

That does not necessarily resolve the case. Alabama's open-and-obvious doctrine and contributory-negligence law can make visibility of the hazard important, but these issues depend heavily on the specific circumstances. The evidence should be evaluated before assuming the property owner's position is correct.

Should I give the insurance company a recorded statement?

You are not required to assume that an insurance adjuster is evaluating the accident from your perspective. Because statements about how the fall occurred can become important later, you may want to speak with an attorney before providing a recorded statement.

How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim in Alabama?

Many Alabama personal injury claims are subject to a two-year limitations period, but exceptions and different requirements can apply. It is also important to investigate promptly because surveillance footage and other evidence may disappear long before the legal filing deadline.

How much does it cost to hire Dothan Law Group?

Dothan Law Group handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You do not owe an attorney fee unless we make a recovery for you.

If a dangerous property condition caused you to fall and suffer an injury, contact Dothan Law Group to discuss what happened and learn about your legal options.

Call Dothan Law Group at (334) 793-4354 or contact us online for a free consultation.

Learn more about the personal injury cases Dothan Law Group handles.