Phoenix Slip and Fall Lawyer

You went to the store, your apartment, or a restaurant, and you left hurt. A fall on someone else's property can mean broken bones, weeks off work, and bills that pile up fast. If you're looking for a Phoenix slip and fall lawyer, you're in the right place. It covers what to do after a fall, how Arizona premises liability works, the deadlines that matter, and how we fight the property owner's insurance company. Kent Law handles slip and fall and trip and fall claims across Phoenix and the East Valley. Call (480) 359-KENT for a free case review. We'll tell you where you stand.

What to do after a slip and fall in Phoenix

The first hours after a fall matter. Here's what to do if you're able.

1. Get medical care the same day. Falls can cause hidden fractures and head injuries that don't show up right away. See a doctor, go to urgent care, or go to the ER, and tell them you fell. That visit also creates a record that ties your injuries to the fall.
2. Report the fall. Tell the store manager, landlord, or property owner what happened. Ask for a copy of the incident report. If you can't get one, write down who you told and when.
3. Photograph the hazard before it's gone. Spills get mopped. Broken steps get fixed. Take photos of the spill, the wet floor with no warning sign, the broken step, the uneven sidewalk, or the poor lighting. Photograph your shoes and your injuries too.
4. Get witness names. Anyone who saw you fall, or saw the hazard before you did, can help. Get names and phone numbers.
5. Look for cameras. Note every camera you see and ask the business to save the footage. Stores and businesses may record over video quickly, so this can't wait.
6. Keep your shoes and clothes. Don't wash them or throw them out. Put them in a bag and set them aside.
7. Don't guess or sign anything. Stick to what you know about how the fall happened, and don't sign a statement about it.
8. Call us before any recorded statement. The property owner's insurer may call quickly and sound friendly. Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT before you give a recorded statement to any insurance company, including the property owner's insurer or your own. Your policy may require you to cooperate with your own insurer, and we help you do that the right way.

Arizona laws that affect your claim

Property owners must use reasonable care. Businesses and property owners must use reasonable care to keep their property reasonably safe for people who are lawfully there, such as customers and guests.

Notice is often the key question. A claim usually turns on whether the owner created the hazard, or knew or should have known about it, and failed to fix it or warn people in time. This is called "notice." Not every fall is someone else's fault. The evidence decides, which is why we move fast to get it.

Sharing some fault doesn't end your claim. Insurers like to blame the person who fell. "You should have seen it." "You weren't watching." "The hazard was just there a minute." Arizona uses pure comparative fault (A.R.S. § 12-2505). Even if you share some of the fault, you may still recover damages. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, generally not wiped out. There are exceptions, such as A.R.S. § 12-711 for some alcohol- or drug-related situations, so talk to us about your facts.

Most injury lawsuits have a 2-year deadline. In Arizona, most injury lawsuits must generally be filed within 2 years (A.R.S. § 12-542).

Falls on public property have much shorter deadlines. If you tripped on a broken city sidewalk, fell in a government office, or got hurt at a public park, your claim may be against a public entity, such as a city, a county, or the state. A notice of claim is generally required within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01). A lawsuit against a public entity generally must be filed within 1 year (A.R.S. § 12-821). These deadlines are short. Call us early.

Common types of slip and fall cases

Here are common places and hazards behind fall injuries:

• Grocery and retail stores. Spilled liquids, dropped produce, and leaking coolers can turn an aisle into a hazard.
• Restaurants. Spilled drinks, food on the floor, and wet floors with no warning sign.
• Apartment complexes and rental property. Broken stairs, loose or missing handrails, and poor lighting in stairwells and walkways.
• Parking lots and sidewalks. Cracks, uneven surfaces, and potholes can catch your foot and send you down.
• Hotels and pool decks. Wet, slick surfaces around pools, lobbies, and walkways.
• Stores with poorly stacked merchandise. Items stacked too high or too loosely can fall on shoppers.

Phoenix summers and monsoon storms can leave entryways wet and slick.

Falls can cause serious injuries: broken hips, wrists, and ankles; back and neck injuries; knee and shoulder injuries; and head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. Older adults can be hurt badly in a fall. This is general information, not medical advice. Follow your doctor's care plan.

A dog attack on someone else's property is another kind of injury tied to the property. Learn more on our Phoenix dog bite injury page. If your family lost someone after a fall, our wrongful death page is a place to start.

Evidence and damages

Evidence we gather

The property owner and its insurer hold much of the evidence. We go after it early, before it's lost. Depending on the case, that can include:

• Photos of the hazard, your shoes, and your injuries
• The incident report
• Surveillance video, with prompt demands to preserve it
• Witness statements
• Maintenance, inspection, and cleaning records
• Prior complaints about the same hazard
• Your medical records
• Expert witnesses, such as safety or engineering experts, when a case needs them

Cleaning logs and prior complaints can show whether the owner knew or should have known about the hazard.

Damages you may be able to recover

Depending on the facts, you may be able to recover compensation for:

• Medical bills
• Future medical care
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity if your injuries limit the work you can do
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage, like broken glasses or a cracked phone

We fight for every penny of compensation you deserve.

How Kent Law handles slip and fall cases

The property owner has an insurance company. That insurer has adjusters and lawyers working to pay you as little as possible. We work just as hard for you.

We move from day one. We preserve evidence early and push for video and records before they disappear. We don't back down when they blame you for your own fall.

Kent Law recovers millions of dollars for injured clients every year. We've handled thousands of injury cases. We handle negotiated settlements, mediation, arbitration and trial. We take on denied and stalled claims, including cases already at the litigation stage. Some insurance adjusters and defense attorneys have hired Kent Law for their own injury cases.

Founding Partner Adam C. Kent has practiced in Arizona since 2006. He started his career as a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and founded Kent Law in 2011. Managing Attorney Jonathan Henry brings extensive trial experience to our injury cases.

Where your case is filed depends on court rules and the facts, such as where the fall happened and where the parties live. Phoenix-area and East Valley injury cases are usually filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, and we regularly file in Pima and Pinal counties too.

We have one office, in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix. From there, we serve clients in Tempe, clients in Chandler, and people in Gilbert and Mesa. We usually meet at our office. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video.

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What it costs

We handle slip and fall cases on a contingency fee. No fee unless we win. Your case review is free, and we explain the written fee agreement before you sign anything.

Talk with a Phoenix slip and fall lawyer

You were hurt on someone else's property, and the property owner's insurer may already be building its side. Start building yours. Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT and tell us what happened. Free case review. No fee unless we win.

Se habla español. Interpretation is always available.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different.