Spokane Slip & Fall Accident Attorney

Personal Injury Representation in Spokane Since 1980

If you were injured in a fall on someone else’s property, you may have a premises liability claim against the property owner. Maxey Law Office has represented personal injury and wrongful death clients in Spokane since 1980, and our attorneys handle slip and fall cases throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho. We take a detailed, evidence-focused approach to these claims, starting with a thorough investigation of the conditions that caused your injury.

A slip and fall claim isn’t simply a matter of proving you fell. It requires connecting a dangerous property condition to the owner’s legal duty, their failure to address or warn of the hazard, causation, and a documented injury. Falls can happen on wet floors, uneven pavement, defective stairs, poorly lit walkways, or surfaces made slippery by ice and rain. Whether the incident occurred in a store, parking lot, apartment building, or another person’s property, the central legal question is whether the owner knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to act.

Call Maxey Law Office today at (509) 652-3330 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our Spokane slip and fall attorneys.

Understanding Spokane Slip & Fall Laws

In Spokane, slip and fall cases fall under Washington State’s premises liability framework, which treats these claims as negligence-based. A property owner’s duty of care can depend on why the injured person was on the property. Invitees, such as customers, are generally owed the highest standard of care. Licensees, such as social visitors, and trespassers occupy different legal categories, and each comes with its own duty analysis.

To establish liability, a claimant typically must show that the property owner had actual notice or constructive notice of the dangerous condition. Actual notice means the owner was directly aware of the hazard. Constructive notice means the hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection or maintenance program should have discovered it. Our attorneys investigate the scene and gather evidence, including maintenance records and witness statements, to establish what the property owner knew and when.

Washington State follows a contributory fault rule under RCW 4.22.005. If you are found partially at fault for the accident, your compensation is reduced in proportion to your assigned percentage of fault, but partial fault doesn’t automatically bar recovery. Understanding how contributory fault may affect your claim is one reason early legal evaluation matters. Our personal injury attorneys work with clients to document the full picture and address fault questions directly.

Common Causes of Slip & Fall Accidents

Identifying the cause of your fall is critical because it shapes how liability is established and what evidence needs to be preserved.

Common conditions that contribute to slip and fall accidents include:

• Wet or Uneven Surfaces: Spills, leaks, or poorly maintained surfaces can create hazardous conditions, leading to slips and falls.
• Inadequate Lighting: Insufficient lighting can make it difficult to see obstacles or hazards, increasing the risk of accidents.
• Lack of Signage: Failing to provide proper warning signs for wet floors, construction zones, or other potential dangers can result in accidents.
• Unsafe Stairs and Walkways: Broken handrails, loose steps, and poorly maintained walkways can lead to trips and falls.
• Negligent Maintenance: Property owners are responsible for maintaining their premises in a safe condition. Failing to do so may lead to accidents.
• Weather Conditions: Icy sidewalks and slippery surfaces due to rain can contribute to slip and fall accidents, especially during the colder months.

Our team examines maintenance logs and witness statements when building a case, and evidence matters most when it’s preserved quickly. Useful documentation can include photographs taken from the fall victim’s viewpoint, incident reports, surveillance footage, cleaning schedules, and inspection records. Maintenance logs and security footage may help establish whether the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard.

What Damages Can Be Recovered in Slip & Fall Claims in Washington State?

If you suffered injuries in a slip and fall caused by another party’s negligence, you may be eligible to seek compensation for a range of economic and non-economic losses. The specific damages available depend on the facts of your injury, the extent of your medical treatment, and how fault is ultimately assessed.

Potential damage categories include:

• Medical Expenses: Past and future medical costs, rehabilitation, prescription medications, and necessary medical equipment.
• Lost Wages: Compensation for income lost during recovery and, where applicable, reduced earning capacity going forward.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and emotional distress resulting from the injury and its treatment.
• Property Damage: Repair or replacement costs for personal belongings damaged in the accident.
• Disability and Disfigurement: Severe injuries can result in long-term disability or disfigurement, and compensation may address the effect of those changes on your daily life.

You may also pursue non-economic damages for loss of enjoyment of life when supported by injury evidence. Our attorneys gather medical records and other incident documentation to document your losses when evaluating your claim. There is no universal formula for calculating non-economic damages; they depend on the nature, duration, and documented effect of the injury.