A Jefferson County resident slipped and fell at a Wal-Mart store in Port Arthur, Texas two years ago, on March 12, 2010.  Due to injuries she received in the incident, she has decided to file a slip and fall lawsuit against the retail giant.  She is also naming a manager of the store in the lawsuit for failing to “inspect and maintain” the area in which she slipped.  The woman claims a slippery substance was on the floor, causing her to slip and fall and suffer injuries that have not been named.  She is suing for all medical expenses, pain, mental anguish, impairment, disfigurement, as well as attorney wages and all court costs.  The lawsuit was filed on March 12 of this year in a Jefferson County District Court.  Slip and fall accidents are some of the most common accidents that occur in grocery and other retail stores, causing injuries to many people all over the country.

A Jefferson County resident has filed a lawsuit against La Morenita Meat Market after a slip and fall accident that occurred on January 30, 2011.  The lawsuit alleges that as the victim was entering the store, he slipped and fell on a wet substance on the floor.  He claims the store knew of the dangerous condition and did not put out warning signs, and did not maintain the area safely.

The victim is suing for all medical expenses, mental anguish, impairment, pain and suffering, disfigurement, in addition to lost wages and all court costs.

In slip and fall cases, the difficulty comes in proving the owner or person responsible for maintaining the property was negligent in their duties.  Simply having an accident on a premises does not automatically ensure the owner was negligent, nor ensure compensation for medical expenses or other lost wages.

Paula Abdul recently agreed to settle a slip and fall claim for $900,000 involving a woman who was a part of the production team on her reality series, Hey Paula.  The woman who fell claimed that Ms. Abdul’s driveway “was in a dangerous and defective condition.”

The high profile, high paying settlement serves as a reminder to all homeowners that there are circumstances when they are responsible for the safety and well-being of guests on their property as well as in their homes.

Every state has different laws regarding liability for slip and fall accidents that occur on the property.  Differences between the laws include whether the victim was invited onto the property or is trespassing, and how well the property is being maintained.  In order to prove liability or fault in the case of slip and fall accidents, negligence generally must be shown.

A man has been awarded $125,000 by the city of Glendale, California as part of a settlement agreement following a slip and fall accident that occurred on June 21, 2009.  Although the city has settled slip and fall cases in the past, it is unusual for the settlement to reach six figures.

According to the victim, as he carried a large container of leftover food to his car, he tripped and fell over a crack in the sidewalk that had been created by a magnolia tree.  He lost consciousness and woke up in a hospital room with bruises and cuts on his face and arms.  The most serious injury he suffered was a ruptured eye globe.  Also according to the claim, he had emergency surgery on his left eye and spent six days in the hospital.  The victim’s vision in his left eye is significantly reduced as a result of the injury.

Although the victim sued the city and the host of the party, his friend and fellow member of a local gourmet club, for her part in not maintaining the magnolia tree, the lawsuit against the party host was later dismissed.

A High Bridge, New Jersey couple has filed suit against the Solitude House museum and others, including the Union Forge Heritage Association, and up to ten other people that are not identified, due to a slip and fall accident that occurred on the sidewalk in front of the house.  The claim is that the sidewalk was covered with leaves at the time of the fall.

The lawsuit has been through several stumbling blocks, including the denial of summary judgment, and the trial date being postponed nearly a month.

One issue in the dispute is who is actually responsible for the sidewalk where the accident occurred.  The borough owns the property, but the museum is required to maintain the sidewalk based on a lease with the Solitude House museum. In 2002, the Union Forge Heritage Association was formed to preserve Solitude House as well as other historic structures, and signed a 10-year agreement to lease Solitude House.  The judge has dismissed the part of the lawsuit against the borough.