What to Know About Maryland Slip and Fall Claims 

 Posted on March 05, 2025 in English

Sometimes a fall is just a fall, and you get back up and keep walking. Sometimes, however, a fall can result in serious and even life-altering injuries: you might break your hip, bruise your spine, or tear a ligament.

If you slipped and fell and were injured as a result of an unsafe condition, you may have a claim against the person or entity responsible for the accident. An experienced Rockville, MD personal injury attorney can advise you on the merits of your slip and fall case.

Who Is Responsible for a Slip and Fall Injury?

It can be difficult to prove liability for a slip and fall accident, but property owners can be liable for your injuries in certain cases. Property owners are responsible for keeping their property in a safe condition. If they knew or should have known about the dangerous condition on their property that caused the injury, they could be liable in a slip and fall claim. However, liability will depend on the duty of care they owe the injured person and on other factors.

What Are the Elements of a Slip and Fall Claim?

• The property owner owed the visitor a duty of care

• The property owner breached that duty

• The visitor suffered an injury and

• That injury was caused by the owner’s failure to meet their duty

How Does the Duty of Care Work in Maryland?

The existence of the hazardous condition and the property owner’s knowledge of it gives rise to the property owner’s duty of care. Liability, however, will vary based on the type of duty of care the property owner owed the injured person. 

This is because the duty of care is different depending on whether the injured person is a trespasser or a visitor who is on the property with the owner’s permission. It also changes based on whether the relationship between the property owner and visitor is one-sided or mutually beneficial. 

For example, the property owner owes a trespasser only a minimal duty of care. But if the injured person had permission to be on the premises and the property owner received a financial benefit from the person’s presence, such as from a customer in a shop, the property owner owes that person the highest duty of care. They must exercise reasonable care to warn them of the dangerous condition or repair the condition. 

What Is Contributory Negligence?

In Maryland, if you contributed to your injury, even in a minor way, you unfortunately cannot recover in a slip and fall claim at all, even if you were just minimally at fault for the fall and injury. That is why we fight hard against any claims of contributory negligence made against our clients. 

What Is the Statute of Limitations?

The statute of limitations for Maryland slip and fall cases is three years, meaning that you have three years from the date of your injury to make a claim in court. 

Call a Rockville, MD Personal Injury Attorney 

If you have experienced a slip and fall injury, it is important to seek legal counsel as early as possible to determine if you have a claim for your injury. The experienced Linganore-Bartonsville, MD personal injury attorneys at Salvado Law Offices will review the facts of your accident and advise you on the strength of your claim. Call our offices at 301-933-1814 for a consultation.