Best Slip And Fall Lawyers in Gainesville

FAQs

• What is the non-emergency contact number for the local police station in Gainesville, Florida?

  For non-emergency purposes, dial 352-955-1818 to reach the Gainesville Police Department.

• Where can I get a copy of police reports for incidents related to my case in Gainesville, Florida?

  Request an incident report from the Gainesville Police Department over the phone, online, or in person. Here are some options:

  • Dial (352) 393-7565 to place a telephone order
  • Complete the form at http://www.gainesvillepd.org/Virtual-Front-Desk/Online-Reporting/Get-Your-Report/Incident-Report to get the report online
  • Visit the Gainesville Police Department in person at 413 NW 8th Avenue, Gainesville, Florida 32601.

• Do you have to slip first before you fall to have a slip-and-fall accident case in Gainesville?

  In Gainesville, a slip-and-fall accident can occur even if you do not first lose your footing. Any fall qualifies, whether preceded by sliding, falling, staggering, or other means of losing balance. These incidents are caused by an unreasonable risk on a negligent entity's property, which may occur in residential, business, and public spaces.

• What legal duties must property owners uphold to prevent slip-and-fall accidents in Gainesville?

  Property owners in Gainesville have the legal duty to take reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of anyone using or visiting their premises. This includes the following:

  • Instituting routine inspection procedures or practices to identify potential hazards
  • Taking prompt action to eliminate the dangerous condition or at least mitigate the risk it poses
  • Alerting visitors of potentially hazardous conditions through signs, barricades, or verbal warning announcements

• How do you know you have a slip-and-fall case in Gainesville?

  To establish a slip-and-fall case in Gainesville, you have the burden of proving that the property owner owed you a duty of care and breached that obligation, which the owner's negligent conduct led as the direct or proximate cause of your injury and resulted in compensable damages. In addition, you must demonstrate that you are authorized to be on the premises.

• Who is included in a property owner's duty of care in Gainesville?

  Public invitees, commercial invitees, and licensees by invitation are all subject to a duty of care to avoid slip-and-fall incidents in Gainesville. Members of the public who visit the property for the purpose for which the property is held open are the public invitees. Whereas business invitees are individuals who have been welcomed onto the property for the express or implied purpose of doing business with the owner. Those invited to social events hosted by the landlord are considered licensees by invitation.

• How can you prove a slip-and-fall case caused by a transitory foreign substance in Gainesville?

  Accident victims in Gainesville who sue property owners for injuries sustained from slipping on transitory foreign substances must show that the business had actual or constructive knowledge of the hazardous condition. Constructive knowledge can be established by presenting circumstantial evidence that must demonstrate the following:

  • The hazardous condition existed for an extended period, at which point the business should have known been made aware of through their periodic inspection and maintenance
  • The hazardous condition occurred frequently enough that it was foreseeable