Slip and Fall Lawyer in Pittston & Wilkes-Barre, PA

A fall on a wet store floor, an icy parking lot or a broken apartment stairway can mean broken bones, a head injury or months away from work. Property owners in Pennsylvania have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe, and when they don't, the person who got hurt may have a claim. Joyce, Carmody & Moran is a Pittston law firm that helps people injured in falls throughout Pittston, Wilkes-Barre and Luzerne County.

Falls we help with

• Slips on wet or freshly mopped floors in stores and restaurants. See slip and fall in a Pennsylvania store.

• Falls on ice and snow in parking lots and on sidewalks. See parking lot ice falls and icy sidewalk responsibility.

• Apartment and rental property falls: broken steps, loose railings, poor lighting, uncleared ice. See apartment ice and snow and landlords.

• Trips over uneven pavement, potholes, torn carpet or clutter in aisles

• Falls on stairs without proper handrails

• Falls on public property, such as sidewalks or government buildings

How premises liability works in Pennsylvania

To have a claim, it generally isn't enough that you fell on someone's property. Questions that usually matter:

• Was there a dangerous condition? For example, a spill, broken step or hidden hazard.

• Did the owner know, or should they have known? A spill that sat for an hour is different from one that happened seconds before.

• Did they fail to fix it or warn people? Wet-floor signs, repairs and reasonable snow removal all factor in.

• Were you partly at fault? Pennsylvania uses comparative negligence. You can still recover if you were not more than 50% responsible, but your recovery is reduced by your share.

Winter falls have their own rules. Pennsylvania courts apply what's known as the "hills and ridges" doctrine, which can limit an owner's responsibility for ice and snow during ongoing, general winter conditions. Whether it applies depends on the specific facts, which is one reason to get advice early. Learn more in who is liable for a slip and fall and slip and fall on ice and snow.

Deadlines to know

• Most Pennsylvania injury claims must be filed within two years. See the statute of limitations guide.

• If you were hurt on property owned by a city, borough, township, county or the state, you generally must give written notice within six months, and special immunity rules apply. See injured on government property.

What to do after a fall

1. Get medical care and tell the doctor exactly how you fell.

2. Report the fall to the store manager, landlord or property owner, and ask for a copy of the incident report.

3. Photograph the hazard, the area, the lighting and your shoes, if you can do so safely.

4. Get names and phone numbers of anyone who saw it.

5. Ask the business to keep any security video. Many systems record over footage within days.

6. Be cautious about giving a recorded statement to the property owner's insurer.

What a claim can include

• Medical bills and future treatment

• Lost wages

• Pain and suffering

• Out-of-pocket costs such as transportation to appointments

Wondering what your case might be worth? Our slip and fall claim value guide walks through the factors.

What it costs to talk to us

Slip and fall cases are typically handled on a contingent-fee basis: the attorney's fee comes from a recovery, and if there is no recovery there is no attorney's fee. Clients may still be responsible for certain case costs depending on the outcome and the written fee agreement, which we explain before you sign. See how much a personal injury lawyer costs.

Where we help

We help people injured in falls in Pittston, West Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Exeter, Wyoming, Plains Township, Old Forge, Moosic and throughout Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. See all areas we serve.

Talk it through with someone local. If you were hurt in a fall, call our Pittston office at 570-602-3560 or request a free consultation. We'll review what happened and explain your options, with no cost for the first conversation and no obligation.