Fort Lauderdale Slip & Fall Lawyer

A fall on someone else’s property is not decided by whether you got hurt. It is decided by whether the owner knew, or should have known, about the hazard and failed to deal with it, and Florida law now punishes an injured person who is found mostly responsible for their own fall. Spencer Morgan Law handles premises injury cases for people hurt in Fort Lauderdale and across Broward County, along with the rest of Miami-Dade and the State of Florida, and we take these claims on a contingency basis: you don’t pay unless we recover.

A Fort Lauderdale slip and fall lawyer spends most of the early weeks of a case on proof, not paperwork. Wet tile at a Las Olas restaurant, a cracked walkway in a Sunrise shopping plaza, uneven flooring in a Plantation apartment building, a loose stair rail at a beachside hotel: each one turns on how long the condition existed, who was responsible for inspecting it, and what the property owner’s records show. Video gets overwritten, cleaning logs get lost, and the hazard itself gets repaired within hours. The evidence that wins these cases is often gone before most people have even found a lawyer.

What to Do After a Fall on Someone Else’s Property in Broward County

Get medical attention first, and do it quickly. Falls frequently produce injuries that announce themselves late: a disc problem that surfaces days later, a knee that swells overnight, a wrist that was sprained and was actually fractured. Gaps in treatment give an insurance adjuster room to argue the fall was minor or that something else caused your symptoms. If a fall happened in a store, restaurant, or apartment complex, tell a manager and ask that an incident report be made, but be careful about what you say in it. Describe what happened factually and leave out guesses about fault, and never agree to a recorded statement with the owner’s insurer before you understand your position.

Document the scene before it changes. Photograph the exact spot, the surrounding floor or ground, any missing warning signs, the lighting, and the shoes you were wearing. Get names and numbers of witnesses, because employees tend to become hard to locate. Note whether cameras cover the area, and have a lawyer send a written preservation demand quickly, since retail and hospitality businesses commonly overwrite footage on a short cycle. Keep the shoes and clothing as they were. Do not post about the fall or your recovery on social media.

Deadlines matter more than they used to. For negligence claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023, Florida’s limitations period is two years, down from four. Claims that accrued before that date generally keep the longer period. If the fall happened on government property, such as a county or city building, a public park, or a public sidewalk the government maintains, separate notice rules apply: a written claim must be presented to the responsible agency, and the agency typically has 180 days to respond before a lawsuit can proceed. Recovery against a government body is also capped under Florida’s sovereign immunity statute at $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, and going above that requires a claim bill from the Legislature.

If the case goes to suit, civil claims over the county court threshold are filed in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, which covers Broward County and sits in Fort Lauderdale. Appeals from that circuit go to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Most premises cases settle well before trial, but the strength of your evidence at the outset largely determines the number.

Where Fort Lauderdale Slip and Fall Claims Come From

• Grocery Stores and Big-Box Retailers: Spilled liquids, produce on the floor, freshly mopped aisles without cones, and leaking refrigeration units are the classic scenarios. Liability usually depends on how long the hazard sat there and whether employees were walking past it.
• Restaurants, Bars, and Nightlife Venues: Dark entryways, slick tile near kitchens and restrooms, crowded patios with uneven pavers, and stairs with poor lighting all generate claims, especially in the busy downtown and beach corridors.
• Hotels, Resorts, and Pool Decks: Fort Lauderdale’s tourism economy means constant foot traffic on wet marble lobbies, pool decks, and beach access walkways. Visitors from out of state often don’t realize they can still bring a claim here.
• Apartment and Condominium Properties: Broken stairs, crumbling walkways, missing handrails, and construction debris in common areas are frequent causes. Inadequate security at multifamily buildings can lead to a separate negligent security theory when a crime causes the injury.
• Parking Lots and Garages: Potholes, faded curbs, poor drainage that pools water after a storm, and broken lighting make shopping center and garage lots a steady source of trip-and-fall injuries.
• Construction and Renovation Zones: Ongoing building work near occupied properties creates exposed rebar, uneven slabs, and blocked walkways. We have recovered substantial sums where construction at an apartment complex caused a fall.
• Government-Owned Property: Public sidewalks, parks, and municipal buildings come with shorter paths to notice and capped damages, so these cases require early and careful handling.
• Stairs, Railings, and Elevated Surfaces: Defective handrails and stair treads can produce severe fractures and head injuries, including falls involving children and older adults.

Why Choose Spencer Morgan Law for a Fort Lauderdale Slip and Fall Claim

The firm’s published results include an $850,000 slip and fall settlement, along with a $485,000 settlement for a fall at an apartment complex where construction was underway, a $225,000 settlement for a trip and fall in a restaurant parking lot, and a settlement against a major mall. Other results involve stairway falls, uneven flooring, a fall from a roof, and a child who fell through a faulty railing. That range matters, because a fall case against a supermarket looks nothing like one against a landlord or a contractor.

Spencer Morgan leads the firm and works with a staff that clients repeatedly name in their reviews. Those reviews describe prompt answers to calls and emails, plain explanations of each stage of the case, and personal attention rather than being treated as a file number. The firm also helps with the practical fallout of an injury, including securing needed medical care and working through medical bills so they are resolved fairly. Spanish-language services are available, and consultations are confidential.

Because Florida’s fault rules now cut off recovery for a plaintiff found more than 50 percent responsible, the way a case is built from the first day matters. Our Fort Lauderdale injury attorney team approaches each fall with that in mind, gathering the proof of the owner’s notice and the condition of the property before the other side’s version hardens.

Fault, Notice, and Why Florida Premises Cases Are Harder Than They Look

To win a fall case, you generally have to show that the owner or operator owed you a duty of reasonable care, that a dangerous condition existed, that the owner knew or should have known about it, and that the condition caused your injury. Actual knowledge is rare. Most cases turn on constructive knowledge: the hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have found it, or the condition occurred often enough that the owner should have anticipated it. Cleaning logs, employee schedules, prior complaints, and surveillance video are how that gets proven.

The defense will almost always point at you. Florida’s comparative fault rule now bars recovery entirely if you are found more than 50 percent at fault for your own harm. If you are at 50 percent or below, your recovery is reduced by your share. Defendants argue that the hazard was open and obvious, that you were distracted, that your footwear was unsuitable, or that you ignored a warning sign. Each argument needs a factual answer, which is another reason scene evidence and witness accounts matter so early.

Responsibility is also divided among parties instead of pinned on one. Florida does not use joint and several liability, so each defendant pays only its own percentage of fault. In a case involving a tenant, a landlord, a maintenance contractor, and a property manager, identifying every responsible party at the outset can be the difference between full and partial recovery.

Medical Bills, Insurance, and What a Jury Can See

Medical costs are a central piece of damages, and Florida has changed what evidence is admissible about them. For treatment provided under a letter of protection, where a provider treats in exchange for payment from a settlement or judgment, the claimant must disclose the arrangement and whether the provider was referred by an attorney. Evidence about what a third party paid to buy a provider’s receivable can also come in. Where you have health insurance, the amount the insurer is obligated to pay can be used to measure past medical expenses. These rules reward careful handling of how treatment is arranged and billed, and they do not apply retroactively to earlier claims.

Common Questions About Fort Lauderdale Slip and Fall Cases

How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim in Florida?

For negligence claims that accrued on or after March 24, 2023, the deadline is two years. Claims that accrued earlier generally retain the four-year period. Claims against government bodies involve written notice requirements on top of that, so do not wait to find out which rules apply to you.

Do I have a case if I wasn’t sure what I slipped on?

Possibly. Not knowing the substance is common. What matters is whether the owner’s records, video, and employee accounts can establish that a hazard existed and how long it had been there. Investigation after the fact often fills those gaps.

What if I was partly to blame for my fall?

Partial fault does not automatically end a claim, but it affects it. If you are found 50 percent or less at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage. If a jury finds you more than 50 percent responsible, Florida bars recovery altogether.

Can I sue if I fell at a hotel or attraction while visiting Fort Lauderdale?

Yes. Visitors injured in Broward County can bring a claim here even if they live out of state or abroad. The treatment and follow-up care you need back home can usually be coordinated while the claim proceeds.

Will the property owner’s insurance company contact me directly?

Often, and quickly. Adjusters may ask for a recorded statement or offer a fast, small settlement. Early offers rarely reflect the full cost of surgery, rehabilitation, or lost income, and statements given before you understand your injuries can be used to reduce your claim.

Is a fall at an apartment complex handled differently from one at a store?

The core negligence analysis is similar, but landlord-tenant duties, common-area maintenance obligations, and outside contractors add layers. Where a crime rather than a physical hazard caused the injury, separate negligent security rules apply, including a presumption that can protect multifamily owners who meet certain security standards.

Should I hire a lawyer for a fall that didn’t seem serious?

If you needed treatment, missed work, or are still symptomatic, a consultation is worthwhile. Some of the firm’s results involved injuries that looked modest at first but led to surgery months later. A consultation is confidential, and you pay nothing unless we recover.

What is a letter of protection, and will it hurt my claim?

It is an arrangement where a provider treats you now and is paid from your eventual recovery. It is not improper, but Florida now requires disclosure of it and allows related evidence about referrals and bill transfers. How the arrangement is documented can affect how a jury values your medical expenses.

What if the store or landlord’s video footage no longer exists?

Missing footage can itself be significant if the owner knew a claim was likely and failed to preserve it. A prompt written preservation demand improves your position, and other evidence such as maintenance records, photographs, and witness accounts can still carry the case.

How long does a fall case take in Broward County?

It depends on injury severity, how clear liability is, and whether the case settles or goes to suit. Cases where you are still treating generally cannot be valued responsibly until your medical picture is clear, so rushing is rarely in your interest.

Can a fall at work be handled the same way?

Not exactly. Workplace injuries are generally handled through workers’ compensation, which requires reporting the injury to your employer promptly, no later than 30 days. If a third party outside your employer caused the fall, there may be a separate injury claim as well.

Serving Slip and Fall Clients Across Broward County and South Florida

We represent injured people throughout Fort Lauderdale, from downtown and Las Olas to Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, and the beachfront along A1A. Our reach continues through Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Plantation, Sunrise, Davie, and Tamarac, and into Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs, Margate, and Coconut Creek. Further south we serve clients in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, and Weston.

The firm also represents injury victims throughout neighboring Miami-Dade County, including Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral, Hialeah, and Homestead, and across the State of Florida. Whether the fall happened at a Broward shopping center, a Davie apartment complex, or a Hollywood hotel, we can discuss your situation in Spanish or English.

Talk With a Fort Lauderdale Slip and Fall Attorney Today

Evidence in a fall case disappears fast, and the deadline for filing is shorter than it once was. If you were hurt on someone else’s property, speaking with a Fort Lauderdale slip and fall attorney early gives you the best chance to preserve video, identify every responsible party, and build a claim that accounts for your full medical needs. Call Spencer Morgan Law to schedule a confidential consultation; there is no fee unless we recover for you.