How Long After a Slip and Fall Can You Sue in Florida?
Like every other state, Florida has a time limit for how long after a slip and fall you can sue. The statute of limitations, a law that establishes deadlines for personal injury cases, sets this timeline.
If you contact a Florida slip and fall lawyer early enough in the process, they can ensure you meet all necessary deadlines. This includes the applicable statute of limitations for a personal injury case.
How Long After a Slip and Fall Can You Sue in Florida?
Fla. Stat. § 95.11 sets the statute of limitations for injury lawsuits at two years from the date of the accident. It is essential to meet this deadline and file the initial complaint in the correct jurisdiction before time expires. Missing this deadline will likely jeopardize your ability to take your case to trial and make it difficult to negotiate a fair settlement, too.
The right to sue and take the case to trial provides significant leverage to help you negotiate a fair settlement agreement with the defendant. If you lose the right to take them to court, it could make it more difficult to get fair compensation through negotiations, too.
This same statute of limitations applies when the victim dies from their injuries. If you lost a loved one to Florida slip and fall injuries, a wrongful death lawyer will ensure you meet the deadline, understand your rights, and pursue fair compensation for your family.
Why Is Acting Early Important to a Slip and Fall Case?
Even though Florida gives you up to two years to file a lawsuit, it is not a good idea to wait to begin your insurance claim or lawsuit against the property owner or another liable party. You want to identify the potential defendants early and begin building your case as quickly as possible after your accident.
Calling an attorney within a few days or weeks of your accident could allow you to build a stronger, more compelling case. At the same time, it means you have a knowledgeable, experienced team protecting your rights early on.
Taking steps to support your legal case as soon as your injuries allow could ensure your lawyer identifies and preserves key evidence, such as video of the fall or eyewitnesses who can verify the hazard that caused your injuries. This evidence may not be available later.
How Do Slip and Fall Cases Work in Florida?
Florida slip and fall cases, like other fall injury cases, generally rely on negligence. The property owner or occupier—generally a lessee—has a duty to protect guests and other visitors. This includes both their buildings and the premises, such as parking lots.
To win compensation in a slip and fall case, you will need strong evidence to show the accused party breached their duty of care by allowing a hazard to exist and, despite being aware of the hazard, took no action to protect visitors from it. Then, you will need to show that this hazard caused your fall and injuries. You must also establish damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
With evidence of negligence, you can generally hold the property owner or occupier accountable, demand fair compensation, or ask for a verdict in court.
How Will a Lawyer Build a Compelling Fall Injury Case?
When you work with a Florida personal injury lawyer from our firm to build a slip and fall claim, they will handle your case from start to finish. They know how to show negligence occurred and what is required to compel the insurance carrier or jury to approve a fair payout. The investigation could require numerous steps, including:
- Identifying and interviewing eyewitnesses
- Obtaining any available video or photos that document the dangerous condition and fall
- Requesting official documents, such as relevant medical records
- Seeking reports of any similar incidents on the property
- Identifying the liable party or parties and reviewing their insurance policies
- Calling in experts to support other findings as needed
- Documenting the damages you incurred
Once they have evidence to tell the story of what happened and why you deserve a fair payout based on your expenses and losses, it is time to put the case strategy to work and seek fair compensation based on your damages.
How Will a Slip and Fall Attorney Help Me With My Injury Case?
It is often difficult for injured victims to oversee their own insurance claims while recovering from injuries or returning to previous activities. Seeking and securing maximum compensation in these cases requires skill, experience, knowledge of similar cases, and several resources most individuals lack.
Law firms have experience managing these cases, as well as the time and money to devote to developing a strong case. They also have access to specialists and experts who can provide additional support in some cases. Many firms have a vast network they call on as needed. These medical experts and accident reconstruction specialists are often out of the reach of victims handling their own insurance claims.
Talk to Our Team About Your Florida Fall Injuries for Free
Meldon Law reviews slip and fall injury cases for free. We will discuss what happened, the injuries you suffered, and how they affected your life. We can help you identify the potentially liable parties and explain how our slip and fall lawyer might approach your case. Our personal injury attorneys represent clients based on contingency. This means you pay no upfront fees, and you only pay us if and when we win your case. There is no risk when you enlist our help.
Contact us today for your free consultation with our team. We can determine how long you have to file your slip and fall lawsuit.
