Slip & Fall Attorney in Scranton

Where Slip & Fall Hazards Commonly Occur

Falls can occur at stores, apartment buildings, private homes, offices, sidewalks, parking areas, and other properties. The legal analysis may differ depending on whether the injured person was a customer, tenant, guest, worker, delivery person, or another lawful visitor.

Conditions that may lead to a premises liability claim include:

• Wet floors, spills, and recently cleaned surfaces without adequate warnings
• Ice or snow on sidewalks, entrances, and parking areas
• Broken pavement, potholes, and uneven walking surfaces
• Defective stairs, loose handrails, and damaged steps
• Poor lighting in stairwells, hallways, or exterior areas
• Loose flooring, debris, cords, or merchandise in walkways

When a Property Owner May Be Liable

A claim generally requires evidence that a responsible party owed the injured person a duty, failed to address a dangerous condition, and caused an injury or measurable loss. Responsibility doesn’t automatically rest with the property’s titled owner. Depending on who controlled the area and the underlying agreements, liable parties may include a tenant, business, landlord, property manager, or maintenance contractor.

Proving Actual or Constructive Notice

Actual notice means a responsible party knew about the hazard. Constructive notice means the condition existed long enough, or occurred often enough, that a reasonable inspection should have revealed it. Surveillance footage, inspection logs, maintenance records, prior complaints, and witness statements may help establish notice.

How Comparative Negligence Can Affect a Claim

Property owners and insurers may argue that an injured person was distracted, ignored a warning, wore unsuitable footwear, or should have recognized an obvious condition. Under Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence law, recovery generally isn’t barred when the claimant’s share of negligence is no greater than the causal negligence assigned to the defendant. Any compensation is reduced by the claimant’s percentage of fault. How this rule applies depends on the evidence and parties in the case.

Documenting Injuries & Financial Losses

A fall can cause fractures, sprains, soft-tissue injuries, back or neck injuries, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries. Medical evaluation and consistent documentation can establish the diagnosis, treatment, and connection between the accident and the claimed condition.

Recoverable losses may include medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and limitations on ordinary activities. The compensation available depends on the circumstances of the claim and the evidence supporting each loss.

Pennsylvania’s Deadline for Slip & Fall Claims

Under Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations, an injured person generally has two years to file a lawsuit seeking damages for personal injury caused by negligence. Different deadlines or procedural rules may apply based on the defendant, the injured person’s circumstances, or the type of claim, so the specific deadline requires individual review.

Evidence may disappear well before that deadline. A hazardous condition may be repaired, surveillance footage may be overwritten, and witnesses may become difficult to locate. Preserving photographs, reports, records, and witness information early can provide a clearer account of the accident.

Speak With a Scranton Slip & Fall Lawyer

ACA Law offers free initial consultations in person or virtually. You can explain where the fall occurred, identify the condition that caused it, and speak directly with an attorney about the evidence, your injuries, and the possible next steps.

Call (570) 712-5545 to request your free personal injury consultation.