Accidents do happen, but sometimes they are clearly avoidable. If you or a loved one has slipped and fallen or experienced a similar accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may be able to file a lawsuit and receive compensation for your injury. Mississippi slip and fall law is also referred to as “premise liability.”
What Is Mississippi Slip and Fall Law?
The classic slip and fall example is when someone leaves a banana peel on the ground and another person comes along and slips on it, falling flat on their back, just like in the cartoons. In real life, it is important to take into consideration how long the banana has been on the floor and if the property manager or owner should have known about the banana. Three conditions must be met to have a valid Mississippi slip and fall lawsuit.
Dangerous Conditions
There must have been a dangerous condition on the premises. This could be something like an item or substance on the ground or flooring that has not been properly maintained.
Knowledge of the Dangerous Condition
In the case of the banana peel, if someone threw a banana peel on the ground and you immediately slipped on it, the property manager would not have had reasonable knowledge of the dangerous condition that caused the accident. If it had been sitting there on the ground for 30 minutes, that changes things.
Failure to Protect or Warn
Finally, you must show that the manager or responsible party on the premises failed to warn or protect the general public from the dangerous condition. It is the reason that store clerks are so quick to respond with “Clean up on aisle five!”
Comparative Negligence
Mississippi slip and fall law follows the state’s comparative negligence system. This means that even if you were partially at fault for the accident, you can still file a lawsuit and receive compensation. The court will determine your degree of negligence, and your compensation will be reduced by that amount.
This is one of the reasons that you may want to consider hiring an experienced slip and fall lawyer to argue on your behalf, whether you are negotiating with insurance companies or arguing in front of a judge.
Statute of Limitations
According to Mississippi slip and fall law, you have three years to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent party. This period begins from the date of the accident. It is important to start your claim as early as reasonably possible to preserve all relevant evidence and medical testimony. Getting the ball rolling quickly also means quicker recovery of the funds you need to care for your injuries and start to get life back to normal.
Should You Hire an Attorney?
One of the biggest benefits of having an experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney on your side is that they understand what your case is actually worth. You are more likely to get the compensation you deserve when you have a knowledgeable team to conduct an investigation, file all appropriate paperwork, and negotiate on your behalf.
The team at Harris Law Firm handles personal injury cases like yours every day. We provide personalized care for every client, no matter how big or small your case might be. Contact us today for your free consultation.
RATE THIS POST
Loading...