"Slip and fall," sometimes called "trip and fall," is a fairly straightforward term. As one would guess, it refers to a personal injury case in which a person slips or trips and falls, and is injured on someone else's property. In most instances, these cases fall under the larger legal category of cases known as "premises liability" claims. This is because slip and fall accidents usually occur on property owned or maintained by someone else, and the owner of the property may be held legally responsible if they are in some way negligent.

Dangerous conditions such as ripped carpeting, uneven flooring, poor lighting, narrow stairs, or a wet floor can cause someone to slip and hurt him or herself. These are likely cases of negligence. Other instances of slip and fall can occur when people trip on broken public sidewalks, or trip and fall on stairs or escalators. Additionally, a slip and fall case might arise when someone or trips and falls because of rain, ice, snow or a hidden hazard, such as a pothole in the ground. In most cases, these situations could be remedied were it not for the negligence of the property owner.

If you believe that you are the victim of another persons negligence due to a slip or trip and fall incident, you should contact an attorney, who can advise you as to whether you case has merit, and how you should proceed.