Have you been injured in a slip and fall accident in the Greater Denver Area? A slip and fall claim is a breed of premises liability lawsuit that is filed against property owners when they failed to keep their properties safe, and someone was injured as a result of their negligence or carelessness.
“Are property owners responsible for all injuries that occur on their property?” Not necessarily, it depends on the facts of the case. Was the property owner negligent in some way? Did they have a chance to learn of the unsafe condition? Did enough time pass that they should have known about the unsafe condition and they failed to remedy it? If the visitor was partially responsible for their injuries, it could reduce the value of their claim proportionate to their degree of negligence.
Was the Property Owner Negligent?
Suppose a superstore employee knocked over a bottle of dish soap. She knew about it, but was careless and decided to leave it there for someone else to stumble across and clean up. Hours later, an elderly customer slipped on the spill and broke her hip.
Or, suppose a customer at a grocery store slipped because of a leaky refrigerator. She reported it to the manager, who forgot to clean up the mess and put up a caution sign to warn customers. An hour later, a little boy was running down the aisle. He slipped on the wet floor and hit his head really hard on the floor, sustaining a traumatic brain injury. In both examples, the stores could be found fully liable because they were negligent.
Statute of Limitations to File a Claim
Each state has what is called a “statute of limitations” to file a personal injury claim, otherwise known as a “time limit” or “deadline.” Under Colorado law, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim, with the exception of car accidents, is two years. Car accidents have a three-year statute of limitations.
In other words, you have two years from the date of the slip and fall accident to file a claim for damages. If you miss this small window of opportunity, the court will refuse to hear your case, so it’s important to file a claim before this deadline expires.
Next: Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages in a Personal Injury Case
Were you injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s residential or commercial property? If it can be proven that the property owner was negligent, there is a very good chance that there is an insurance policy in place that may compensate you for your injuries. To explore your legal options, contact my Denver personal injury firm today.