Who Can a Claim be Made Against in a Slip & Fall Accident?

Author: Attorney Dennis Schaefer

The obvious answer is the store or premise where you fell. Clearly, this is the first potential defendant that stands out. However, there may be other potential defendants that need to be investigated. Who needs to be investigated depends upon all of the circumstances and evidence of the case.

It is possible in a premises liability case that there is an outside maintenance company who is responsible for keeping certain areas of the premises clean and safe. The legal responsibility of an outside company might exist through law or contract. There are situations where vendors in stores maintain their own product displays. By example, a beverage company stocks the shelves and displays of their own products. The store does nothing except sell the products. Any defect or negligent maintenance of the area around the product might make the outside vendor responsible for any injuries caused by that failure to maintain. It is also not uncommon for vendors when stocking their products in their designated area to create dangers in other areas of the store or premises. This can happen while the vendor is moving through the store to get to their location.

Other examples can exist when seeking potential defendants in a slip and fall case. Always look for all of the responsible people, not just the first and obvious one. Often it is the careful investigation that makes the case. Hiring a top flight law firm to thoroughly investigate can be vital to the success of your claim. Dell & Schaefer always carefully investigates each of their claims.