If you decide to pursue a slip and fall case against them, you must prove four conditions in court:

• Dangerous conditions existed on the property.
• The party in possession or control of the premises were aware of the conditions.
• The party in possession failed to repair or warn of danger.
• You were injured as a direct result of their inaction.

Finding Fault

Pursuing a slip and fall case requires a bit of insight from a St. Louis slip and fall attorney with regard to the way the state’s court system treats these incidents. Missouri has a “pure comparative negligence rule” that allows the courts to assign a percentage of fault to the plaintiff and the property owner, thus determining the payout amount. For example, if the court finds you to be 40% at fault for your incident, then the property owner would be required to pay 60% of the agreed-upon damages.

Property owners will generally make a multitude of arguments in an attempt to prove that you were negligent in your slip and fall case, such as:

• You were in an area of the property where visitors are not allowed.
• You did not have permission to be on the property.
• You ignored obvious signs of dangerous conditions such as signage or cones.
• You weren’t paying attention to the conditions ahead of you.
• You were not wearing proper shoes.

Even if your case does not make it to trial, comparative negligence will still play a role in personal injury settlement proceedings. The property owners’ insurance company and their attorneys will consider your fault in the matter and will make a settlement offer that reflects their view. Hiring the best slip and fall lawyers possible ensures your side of the story will not only be heard, but also taken seriously.