Slip And Fall Injury

A slip and fall can leave you injured, out of work, and looking for answers. These accidents often start with something as ordinary as water on a polished floor or cracked concrete outside a shop. In Lakeland, where grocery stores, shopping centers, and apartment complexes see heavy foot traffic every day, these hazards can lead to life-disrupting injuries.

Florida property owners carry legal duties when they open their spaces to the public. When they ignore hazards or cut back on safety practices, people get hurt. If that describes your situation, contact a Lakeland slip and fall lawyer at Maranatha Law. We represent individuals injured in falls caused by dangerous conditions and work to hold property owners responsible for the harm they’ve caused.

Slip and Fall Accidents Are Common in Lakeland

Lakeland is full of commercial spaces and aging infrastructure. Walk into any store, hotel, or apartment complex, and you’re walking into a space that must meet Florida’s safety standards. When property owners or managers ignore those duties, visitors pay the price.

We handle slip and fall cases that occur in:

• Chain stores and local retailers across Lakeland Square Mall and Lakeside Village;
• Grocery stores like Publix, Walmart, and Winn-Dixie;
• Apartment buildings with broken stairs, missing handrails, or broken lights;
• Parking lots near downtown and shopping centers on Harden Boulevard or Memorial Boulevard;
• Restaurants and cafes near Lake Hollingsworth or Dixieland; and
• Medical offices with wet floors or cluttered walkways.

Any space that invites the public must maintain safe walking conditions. If management ignores known hazards, rushes clean-up procedures, or skips regular maintenance, anyone walking through those areas is at risk.

Injuries That Can Follow a Slip and Fall

A serious fall may not be visible on the outside, but inside, muscles tear, bones break, and vertebrae shift. Even low-impact falls can lead to injuries that limit movement and quality of life for months.

In our experience as Lakeland premises liability attorneys, we’ve seen clients suffer:

• Hip and pelvic fractures,
• Shoulder and wrist breaks,
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries,
• Herniated discs,
• Torn ligaments in knees and ankles,
• Head injuries with lasting cognitive effects, and
• Spinal compression from landing on hard flooring.

These injuries can force time off work, lifestyle changes, and long-term treatment. We work with medical professionals across Lakeland to document diagnoses, cost projections, and the potential impact of these conditions on your future.

What to Do After a Slip and Fall in Lakeland

If someone else’s actions caused your injury, you can take steps right away to support your case, even if you’re unsure about pursuing legal action. This includes:

• Reporting the incident to the manager or owner right away, and asking for a copy of any written report;
• Taking pictures of what caused the fall, the area around it, and any visible injuries;
• Talking to witnesses and getting their names and contact information;
• Saving the clothes and shoes you were wearing;
• Seeking medical attention, even if the pain doesn’t immediately appear; and
• Keeping all medical records, discharge papers, and billing statements.

If the property owner tries to place the blame on you, you can be prepared to push back with evidence. A Lakeland slip and fall attorney will also know how to request cleaning records, inspection logs, camera footage, and other valuable documentation.

What You Can Recover in a Slip and Fall Claim

Your injuries and losses form the basis of every slip and fall claim. That includes medical costs and the long-term personal and financial impact of your injuries. We help you pursue compensation for:

• Hospital stays and emergency room bills;
• Surgery, X-rays, MRIs, and follow-up care;
• Physical therapy and pain management;
• Lost wages from time away from work;
• Reduced earning capacity if you’re unable to return to your job;
• Pain, discomfort, and emotional suffering; and
• Changes to your daily activities or ability to care for others.

Many property owners rely on corporate liability policies to protect their profits. These insurers may deny or delay fair payment without a strong claim prepared early. We represent clients both in negotiations and, when necessary, in court.

Can You Still Pursue Compensation If You Share Fault?

Yes. Under Florida’s modified comparative fault law, you can pursue compensation if you were not more than 50% at fault for the fall.

For example, imagine a customer slips on spilled detergent in a grocery store aisle near Lakeland Highlands Road. The store failed to post warning signs and left the spill unattended for over 30 minutes. However, the customer was walking quickly while looking at a shopping list rather than watching the floor.

If a court finds the property owner 60% at fault for not addressing the hazard and the customer 40% at fault, the customer can still recover compensation. However, the available amount would be reduced by 40%.

Insurance companies sometimes try to shift part of the blame to the person who fell. They may claim you should have seen the hazard or acted differently. When we take on a case, our Lakeland slip and fall lawyers collect video footage, inspection logs, weather records, and witness statements to help document what happened and determine who’s responsible.

Premises Liability Is About More Than Just Slipping

Slip and fall accidents fall under Florida’s premises liability law, which holds property owners accountable when they allow dangerous conditions to persist. However, this doesn’t mean owners are automatically liable for every fall. To recover compensation, you have to prove that:

• A hazardous condition existed on the property,
• The owner or operator knew or should have known about it,
• They failed to fix it or warn about it in a reasonable amount of time, and
• That failure directly led to your injury.

This may sound straightforward, but property owners often dispute victims’ claims. The stronger your evidence, the stronger your case. At Maranatha Law, we can handle the legal work so you can concentrate on your health and recovery.

Act Within Florida’s Time Limit

Under Florida’s current statute of limitations, you generally have two years from the date of the fall to file your claim. You may lose the right to pursue compensation if you miss the deadline.

We encourage individuals who’ve fallen on commercial, residential, or municipal property to speak with a Lakeland slip and fall attorney early in the timeline while evidence remains available and witness accounts are still accurate.

We Know Lakeland Properties and Public Areas

Slip and fall injuries occur in everyday places throughout Lakeland. These include grocery store aisles, restaurant kitchens, apartment stairwells, medical offices, hotel entrances, and parking lots.

Maranatha Law has experience pursuing claims involving well-known businesses, rental properties, and commercial buildings in Lakeland. Our team is also familiar with the local health systems, emergency response agencies, and contractors who may be involved when a fall occurs.

Whether your injury happened near Lake Hollingsworth, in Midtown, along U.S. 98, or closer to the I-4 corridor, we know how property conditions in these areas can create risks for visitors and tenants. That knowledge helps us gather records, speak directly with the people connected to your case, and build a strong claim for you.

Contact a Lakeland Slip and Fall Lawyer Today

If you fell and suffered injuries on someone else’s property in Lakeland, FL, you have the right to pursue legal action. A Lakeland slip and fall lawyer at Maranatha Law can evaluate your case and explain your next steps during a confidential consultation. Reach out today to discuss how we can help.