What is one quick way to ruin a perfectly good day? Slip or trip and fall in a public place and suffer serious injury or worse. And once the medical experts have had their say, questions about negligence arise. Could the accident have been prevented? When is it time to call on a Pennsylvania slip or trip and fall accident attorney ?

Whose fault was it?

First, you must consider that it could have been your fault. When you slip or trip and fall in Pennsylvania, you must be aware that sometimes an accident is just an accident—something that couldn’t have been predicted or avoided. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, proving someone else was at fault might be difficult:

  • Should you have stayed away from the area where you were? Going off the expected and usual areas—for instance, climbing a wall to take a short cut—could be the reason for your accident, and not any fault of the property owner.
  • Did you ignore warnings that the area might be hazardous? For example, when a wet floor sign is posted and you pay no attention, you could be at fault.
  • Were you careless? If you were not paying attention to where you were going, or were taking unnecessary chances, you could have a tough time proving your case. A growing cause of slip or trip and fall accidents is texting while walking, a comparatively new phenomenon.

However, many times the owner of the premises must bear the responsibility for your injury. When this is the case, he or she has probably neglected to properly care for the property and take reasonable precautions to ensure your safety. Here are some questions that might be asked in a Pennsylvania premises liability lawsuit:

  • Did the owner or an employee cause the dangerous situation by neglecting a repair or maintenance?
  • Did the owner or an employee know about a hazardous condition, but do nothing to fix it?
  • Did the owner or an employee neglect to inspect the premises, therefore not discovering the problem and making it safe?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you may want to contact an experienced Philadelphia slip/trip and fall attorney to explore your legal options and protect your rights.

Greg Schell, of Schell Law Office, offers each client personal attention; he will come to your hometown to meet with you anywhere in central or eastern Pennsylvania. Please call today at ​215-545-9000 to schedule a free case consultation.