Slips, Trips, and Falls: Premises Liability Laws in Connecticut Explained
Slips, trips, and falls cause over 1 million emergency room visits annually in the U.S., often due to unsafe property conditions. Connecticut’s premises liability laws hold property owners responsible for maintaining safe environments for visitors. Liability depends on the visitor's status and whether the owner knew or should have known about hazardous conditions. Common causes of these accidents include wet floors, uneven surfaces, poor lighting, and uncleared snow or ice. To prove negligence, victims must show a dangerous condition existed, the owner failed to address it, and it directly caused the injury. Connecticut’s modified comparative negligence rule may reduce compensation if the victim is partly at fault, but recovery is barred if they are more than 50% responsible. Victims should report the incident, document the scene, seek medical attention, and consult an attorney. Hastings, Cohan & Walsh, LLP offers free consultations and legal support for premises liability cases, with no fees unless compensation is recovered.