Philadelphia Slip & Fall Lawyer
I have been representing victims of slip and fall accidents my entire career, which expands over 30 years. Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The causes of slip and falls can vary from slipping on a wet bathroom floor or tripping because of an uneven or broken sidewalk. Pennsylvania law requires property owners, managers, landlords, renters and others to keep their properties safe for their intended or foreseeable uses. If you or a loved one have been injured in Pennsylvania, call the Philadelphia slip & fall lawyer, Joseph Monaco, to learn your rights including the recovery of monetary damages.
Common Defenses
One common defense is the property owner arguing that they were not at fault. For example, the owner or property manager will argue that the liquid on the floor causing the fall had been dropped on the floor only moments before the fall happened. Therefore, they did not have enough time to clean it up.
A second defense is that the fall victim is at fault. They should have seen the substance on the floor or the crack in the sidewalk thereby avoiding it. However, individuals do not walk with their heads staring at the ground. You have to be aware of your complete surroundings to avoid walking in front of a car or bicycle. Also, a store patron may be looking for something on a store shelf and not see the grapes or toy that had fallen to the ground. Many properties are also poorly illuminated at night. Pennsylvania has a comparative negligence statute, which means if the fault of the victim is 50% or less, they are entitled to an award of damages.
Philadelphia Premises Liability & Dram Shop Claims (Improperly Serving Alcohol)
9,967 people were killed in the United States in 2014 by drunk driving accidents. Someone is killed once every 53 minutes. In Pennsylvania, there are approximately 10,000 alcohol related motor vehicle crashes per year leading to about 350 deaths. As a Philadelphia Dram Shop lawyer, I have handled dram shop cases against bars and restaurants that have needlessly served visibly intoxicated patrons, who then cause serious auto accidents leading to wrongful death or serious bodily injuries to others or themselves. It is also possible for parents to be responsible if their teenager is hosting a party attended by minors. In some cases, the intoxicated culprit and alcohol provider may be jointly liable for damages.
Responsibility for recklessly or negligently serving liquor in Pennsylvania can happen many ways:
- Serving visibly intoxicated customers
- Businesses selling or serving alcohol without a license
- Providing or selling alcohol to minors
- Buying alcohol for a minor who then provides it to other minors
- Hotel failing to shut down underage drinking party
- Failing to keep alcohol locked and secured with known minors on premises
Contact Our Experienced Philadelphia Slip & Fall Lawyer
If you or a loved one have been injured or killed from a Philadelphia slip & fall, call or text me for a Free Consultation and the No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee. The insurance companies hire the best lawyers so why shouldn’t you.
