Not every situation in which you take a fall on a business’ premises results in a lawsuit. If you did not suffer a severe injury, for example, then you do not have a very strong case, and going to court would not make a lot of sense. You also have to look at the details of the situation because Arizona law requires proving that the business owner was negligent and that led to your injury.
The State Bar of Arizona cautions that in every personal injury case, there is a percentage of fault. The court will consider everyone in the situation and how much each party contributed to the accident. This means that you may be partial at fault for your injury. If the court says that you are 50% responsible for your accident, then the court will reduce any claim you make by 50%.
Other considerations
Another issue is whether the other party can pay any damages the court awards you. If the business is small and new, it may not have the means by which to pay you. In the end, you do not get any money and have to pay for the costs associated with bringing the case to court.
Also, you need to think about the time limit. Every situation has a legal statute of limitations, which is the time in which you may sue. For most personal injury issues, the time limit is two years. If it is past the two-year mark, then you cannot bring your case to court.
In general, a good slip-and-fall case involves a severe injury that alters your life, such as a broken hip. The case will be against a company that can afford to pay, and you can prove the business was mostly at fault for the incident. If you lack any of these areas, you may not have a strong case, but only an attorney can make that determination.
