A slip and fall can happen in an instant. One moment you are walking through a grocery store, crossing a parking lot, or stepping through a doorway, and the next you are on the ground, hurt, and trying to make sense of what just happened. For many people, the first feeling is embarrassment. The second is doubt. Maybe it was your fault. Maybe you should have been more careful. Maybe it is not worth making a fuss over.
At Hamo Law Firm, we have spent over 40 years going up against large corporations, retailers, and insurance companies on behalf of injured Michigan residents. We have handled cases against major big-box retailers, property owners who ignored known hazards, and businesses that put their bottom line ahead of the safety of their customers. We have recovered more than $250 million for our clients, and we bring that same determination to every slip and fall case we take. If you were hurt on someone else's property because of their negligence, you have rights, and we are ready to fight for them.
What Is Premises Liability in Michigan?
Premises liability is the area of law that holds property owners and occupiers responsible for injuries that occur on their property due to unsafe conditions. In Michigan, a property owner's legal duty to the people on their premises depends on the relationship between the owner and the visitor.
Customers, clients, and members of the public who are invited onto a property for business purposes are called invitees, and property owners owe them the highest duty of care. This means the owner must not only fix known hazards but also regularly inspect the property and take reasonable steps to discover and address dangerous conditions before someone gets hurt. Social guests at a private home are treated as licensees and receive a somewhat lesser degree of protection, while trespassers generally have the fewest legal protections of all.
Michigan's "Open and Obvious" Defense
One of the most common tactics used by property owners and their insurers to defeat slip and fall claims in Michigan is the "open and obvious" doctrine. Under this defense, a property owner argues that the hazardous condition was so visible and apparent that a reasonable person would have noticed it and avoided it, relieving the owner of liability.
This defense is frequently raised and frequently abused. Property owners try to apply it broadly, arguing that a wet floor, an icy patch, or an uneven surface was obvious and therefore their responsibility ends there. Michigan courts have recognized important limits on this defense. When a hazard has special aspects that make it unreasonably dangerous despite being visible, such as an unavoidable condition or one that poses an unusually high risk of severe harm, the property owner can still be held liable.
What You Must Prove to Win a Slip and Fall Case in Michigan
Slip and fall cases require more than showing that you fell and got hurt on someone's property. Michigan law requires that specific elements be established to hold a property owner liable. Understanding what needs to be proven is part of what makes experienced legal representation so important.
To succeed in a premises liability claim, you generally need to establish that:
- The property owner owed you a legal duty of care based on your status as a visitor
- A dangerous condition existed on the property at the time of your fall
- The property owner knew about the dangerous condition, or should have known about it through reasonable inspection and maintenance
- The dangerous condition directly caused your fall and the injuries you suffered
- You sustained actual, documentable damages as a result
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Property owners and their insurers often try to offer minimal settlements quickly, before injured victims understand the full scope of what they are owed. A thorough claim accounts for every category of harm, including:
- Medical expenses, covering emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, specialist care, and all future medical costs related to your injuries
- Lost wages for the time you are unable to work during your recovery
- Loss of earning capacity if your injuries have a lasting impact on your ability to work at the same level as before
- Pain and suffering, including physical pain, emotional distress, and the overall impact the injury has had on your daily life and well-being
- Permanent disability or disfigurement, recognized as a separate category of damages when injuries produce lasting physical consequences
- Attendant care and household replacement services for those who need ongoing assistance at home as a result of their injuries
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members when a fall proves fatal
Why Choose Hamo Law for Your Slip and Fall Case
We Take On Large Retailers and Corporations
Many slip and fall cases involve large businesses with experienced legal teams and well-funded insurers. We have gone up against major retailers and corporations before, and we are not deterred by the size of the defendant. If a business failed to maintain safe premises and you got hurt because of it, we will hold them accountable regardless of how large they are.
We Know How to Counter the Open and Obvious Defense
The open and obvious doctrine is one of the most frequently misused defenses in Michigan premises liability law. We know how it works, where it applies, and more importantly, where it does not. We build our cases to anticipate and overcome this defense from the start.
We Act Quickly to Preserve Critical Evidence
Security footage, maintenance records, inspection logs, and witness memories all have a shelf life. We send preservation letters and take immediate steps to secure the evidence that wins these cases before it is lost or destroyed.
Over 40 Years of Michigan Personal Injury Experience
Hamo Law has been representing seriously injured Michigan residents since 1981. We know the courts, we know the law, and we know how to build cases that produce results for our clients.
No Fee Unless We Win
You pay us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. There is no cost to calling us and no risk to getting experienced representation working for you right away.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Michigan
The actions you take in the hours and days following a slip and fall can significantly affect your ability to recover full compensation. Here is what we advise:
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if you believe your injuries are minor. Adrenaline and shock can mask pain, and a prompt medical record directly connects your injuries to the incident.
- Report the accident to the property owner or manager before you leave. Ask that an incident report be completed and request a copy of it for your records.
- Photograph everything you can. Take photos of the hazard that caused your fall, any warning signs that were present or absent, the surrounding area, and your injuries.
- Get the names and contact information of any witnesses who saw the accident or the condition that caused it.
- Preserve the shoes and clothing you were wearing. These can serve as physical evidence about the conditions at the time of the fall.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the property owner's insurance company. Adjusters use these statements to find ways to minimize or deny your claim.
- Contact Hamo Law as soon as possible. The faster we are involved, the better positioned we are to preserve surveillance footage and other time-sensitive evidence.
Big Companies Have Legal Teams to Protect Themselves. You Should Have One Too.
When you get hurt on someone else's property, the business or property owner is not thinking about your recovery. They are thinking about their liability. Their insurer has already assigned an adjuster to your claim with instructions to pay as little as possible. At Hamo Law, we level that playing field. We have been doing it for over 40 years, and we are ready to do it for you.
Consultations are free, there is no obligation, and you pay nothing unless we win. Call us today at 810-234-3667, email us at ahamo@hamolaw.com, or visit our office at 614 S. Grand Traverse Street, Flint, Michigan 48502. You can also fill out our contact form and a member of our team will reach out to you promptly.
Relentless Advocacy. Compassionate Counsel.
