Slip and fall accidents typically occur because of a dangerous condition on someone’s property. Since property owners are legally obligated to maintain safe conditions on their property, they are often held liable for slip and fall injuries. But, what if the property owner attempted to warn the victim about a hazardous condition prior to the accident? Here’s what you should know about liability in slip and fall accidents when warning signs were present:
How Warning Signs Can Affect Slip and Fall Cases
A property owner cannot always escape liability simply because he had a sign on his property warning visitors of a hazardous condition. If the warning sign could not have possibly been seen by the victim prior to the accident, the property owner can still be held liable for the victim’s injuries.
For example, let’s say there is uneven flooring at the entrance of a retail store. The property owner knows this is a hazardous condition, so he puts a warning sign up by the front door. However, the sign can only be read by people who are already inside the store. Therefore, the sign does not warn customers who are entering the store of the hazardous condition. In this case, the property owner would still be liable.
The warning sign is also ineffective if it is too small or unreadable. For instance, if the handwriting on the sign is sloppy and illegible, the property owner cannot argue that the victim was warned about the hazardous condition.
Documenting Warning Signs After Slip and Fall Accidents
The size, location, and readability of a sign can all affect whether or not the presence of the sign will impact your ability to recover compensation. But, it’s difficult to prove that a warning sign was ineffective because of its size, location, or readability without evidence. Because of this, it’s important to take photos of any warning signs present at the scene of a slip and fall accident. Photograph the warning sign from up close and afar to capture the size, location, and readability. These photos can be used to prove that the warning sign was ineffective and the property owner should still be held liable for your injuries.
Have you been injured in a slip and fall accident? If so, get in touch with the personal injury attorneys at Reisch Law Firm at once. Let our attorneys poke holes in the property owner’s defense strategy so we can recover the compensation you deserve. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
