I slipped and fell going down the stairs at a friend’s home. Are they liable for my injuries?
I feel awkward about it, but I broke my ankle and have to miss work.
Pradeep
A homeowner can be liable for a slip and fall on their property. But you’ll have to prove several things under this law:
the stairs were in an unsafe condition or there was a hazard on the stairs,
the homeowner knew or should reasonably have known the stairs were unsafe,
they didn’t take reasonable steps to fix the problem, and
you were injured because of their negligence.
For example, let’s say the stairs were visibly rotting out, and the homeowner had taken no action to fix them for years. In those circumstances, you would have a stronger claim than if you slipped on water you had spilled moments before. In the latter scenario, it’s hard to imagine your friends being found responsible.
We have more on how the law deals with slips and falls, including a step-by-step guide to making a claim for damages.
