Has an accident ever happened to you because you slipped or fell because a business or property owner did not take care of a spill, a defect in the property, or because they failed to put a sign on a freshly mopped floor? If you live in Michigan, there’s some great news for you. Recently, the law in Michigan has changed, restoring your rights to ask for help if you get hurt because of someone else’s mistakes. This change is a big step forward for people like you who want to make sure businesses and property owners are responsible for keeping their places safe.
Over the past twenty years, if you slipped or fell in a business or on someone’s property and the danger was easy to see, it was virtually impossible to get compensation for your injuries. The law said that if something was “open and obvious”, the business or property owner had no responsibility to fix or make the defect safe for customers or invitees. The most ridiculous example of this was that business had no obligation to salt ice or shovel snow as the case law deemed it open and obvious! This wasn’t fair because even if the danger was clear, the business or property owner had no liability if someone was hurt due to their negligent conduct in failing to warn or make the condition safe for customers or invitees.
But things have changed for the better now. Thanks to two important court cases, Kandil-Elsayed v F & E Oil, Inc* and *Pinsky v Kroger Co of Michigan, your rights are restored to what they once were, holding businesses and property owners accountable. Even if the danger was obvious, the owner might still be responsible for your safety. This is really important because it means that businesses have to work harder to keep their places safe for everyone.
This change is a big deal for you and others who have been hurt because of someone else’s negligence. It’s like getting your rights back to make sure businesses do the right thing. Now, if you slip or fall because of a hazard on someone else’s property, you can stand up for yourself and ask for help. Businesses and property owners have a duty to take care of their places and make sure they’re safe for people like you.
If you were hurt because of a slip and fall accident, you should immediately call us! You only have three years from the date of your slip and fall to sue the business or people that caused your injuries. Also remember if you ever find yourself in a situation where you’ve been hurt because of a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, remember that the law is on your side. You have the right to ask for compensation and make sure that businesses and property owners are held responsible for their negligence. Talk to our office as our lawyers know about these changes in the law, and we can help guide you through the process of making things right. This change is a win for you and others who deserve justice after getting hurt because of someone else’s mistakes.
