Slip and Fall

Slip And Fall

Washington state law iposes a duty on property owners to maintain his or her property to keep free from hazards. The level of care varies depending on the property use and the owner's intention when inviting people onto his or her land.

This level of duty is heightened when the invitee is a commercial guest, such as a shopper in a store; the law imposes an high duty of care when an owner of a store invites people into his store for profit. However, that level of care is much lower for social guests, such as when people invite friends over for dinner.

Depending on the owner's intended use of the property, these duties may include:

• Frequent inspections as reasonably needed to ensure the grounds are well-maintained and safe.
• Ensuring that there are safe lighting and security in known hazardous areas.
• Posting warnings where there is known hazards, such as wet floor.

A property owner who is aware, or should have been aware, of a hazarous condition must take reasonable care to protect others from harm. This includes taking remedial actions (repair or fix the problem) or post warning signs on the danger and how to avoid it. When an owner fails to take the necessary steps to protect guests, slips and fall accidents occur. A victim of an owner's neglience is entitled to recover damages including medical bills.

To recovery for slip and fall injuries, the injured party must prove:

1. A dangerous condition existed; The property owner knew or should have known about the condition;
2. The property owner did nothing to remedy the dangerous condition