Florida Slip and Fall Laws: What the Insurance Companies Won’t Tell You

Bill Allen | September 9, 2025 | Slip & Fall Accidents

If you were injured in a slip and fall accident in Gainesville, FL, the law gives you certain rights and protections. However, the insurance company will be looking for every opportunity to minimize the value of your claim. You need a strong advocate on your side who can advise you of the law and help protect your rights.

Keep reading below to learn everything you need to know about Florida’s slip and fall laws that the insurance companies won’t tell you.

You Have the Right to Recover Compensation for Your Injuries

If someone else was responsible for your slip and fall accident, you have a right to recover compensation for your injuries. In many cases, a property owner’s negligence is what led to your injuries. You are entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages from the at-fault party.

Economic damages compensate victims for their financial losses, such as:

Medical bills
Lost wages
Lost benefits
Out-of-pocket expenses
Diminished earning capacity

Victims are also entitled to recover non-economic damages for their physical and emotional pain and trauma. These intangible losses cover items such as:

Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Diminished quality of life
Loss of consortium
Loss of enjoyment of life
PTSD
Anxiety
Depression

An experienced lawyer can help you identify all the damages to which you are entitled after a slip and fall accident.

Your Time to File a Lawsuit After a Slip and Fall Accident is Limited

The insurance company likely will not let you know that your time to file a lawsuit after your accident is limited. After all, they would rather you let the deadline pass so that you cannot recover any compensation for your claim. However, Florida law typically only affords accident victims two years from the date of their injury to file a claim for damages.

Missing the deadline can completely bar you from recovering any compensation for your injuries. However, you should be aware that the two-year deadline is simply the general rule. There are some special circumstances that could make the deadline for your case different. This is why you should always seek help from an experienced lawyer after your accident.

Slip and Fall Accidents Can Result in Severe Injuries

The insurance company will try to make you believe that slip and fall accidents can never result in severe injuries. However, that is a myth that is simply not true. Slip and fall accidents can result in devastating or catastrophic injuries. Some common injuries suffered in these accidents include:

Brain injuries
Fractures and broken bones
Dental and facial injuries
Shoulder injuries
Wrist and arm injuries
Hip and leg injuries
Nerve damage
Severe bruising
Internal bleeding

After your accident, an experienced lawyer can help you recover compensation for all your injuries.

Many victims believe that they cannot recover damages if they share any of the fault. However, under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, victims can still recover compensation as long as they are less than 51% responsible for their accident.

However, their recovery will be reduced by their portion of the fault. For instance, if you are found to be 30% responsible for your accident, you could still recover 70% of your damages from the other at-fault party.

Your Case Must Be Proven By a Preponderance of the Evidence

The insurance company is not going to tell you that your case does not have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Instead, you only have to prove your case by a preponderance of the evidence. This means that your version of the facts is more likely true than not.

Contact a Gainesville Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer at Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Free Consultation

Don’t let the insurance company downplay your injuries. Call Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced Gainesville slip and fall accident lawyer. We’ll fight to protect your rights and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

We have three convenient locations in Marion County and Alachua County, North Central Florida:

Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Gainesville Office
2550 SW 76th St #150
Gainesville, FL 32608
(877) 255-3652

Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Downtown Gainesville
621 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL 32601
(866) 928-6292

Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Ocala Office
112 S Pine Ave
Ocala, FL 34471
(352) 351-3258