Slip and Fall Accidents Common Questions:
If I fall and injure myself on someone else’s property or at a business, are they automatically responsible?
KPH: No. Florida law is clear that landowners are not insurers for the safety of people who come on their property. For you to be able to collect damages against a property owner, you must show that they have done something unreasonable that caused you to be injured.
I recently fell at a friend’s house and was injured. Is there a way of getting my medical bills paid without proving carelessness on the part of my friend?
KPH: Yes. Many homeowner’s policies and business policies include coverage known as medical payments coverage. This is available to pay medical bills for anyone hurt on the property, even without proving fault. This type of insurance can only be used for medical bills and costs and is usually limited to $1,000 or $5,000.
What is a foreign substance fall down case?
KPH: It is where a person falls because of something on the floor that wasn’t supposed to be there.
I was in a grocery store and fell on a grape that was on the floor. Is this a good case?
KPH: Probably. If there is something on the floor that is not supposed to be there, we are usually able to prove that it was placed there by an employee or was there because of the landowner’s failure to properly inspect the premises.
What is a structural defect case?
KPH: It is when a person falls as a result of something wrong with the property itself. For instance, a broken step. 
Can there be negligence against a landowner in a structural defect case, even if there is nothing obviously broken?
KPH: Yes. Most buildings are controlled by the Standard Building Code and Life Safety Codes in Southwest Florida. If you are able to show that your fall was caused because of a defect that violated the building code, you have an excellent chance of getting the case to a jury and winning.
How long do I have to bring a slip and fall case in the state of Florida?
KPH: The statute of limitations is 4 years from the date of the accident.