Your vacation should be a time of fun and relaxation. You probably have all sorts of plans made to fully enjoy your time. But what happens when you slip and fall in your vacation rental and end up injured? It certainly puts a damper on your vacation, and it may cost you a lot more than you planned on spending for vacation.

Depending on the situation, this slip and fall may be eligible for compensation, even though you were on vacation. To learn more about your options, consider hiring a local slip and fall injury lawyer to help you navigate the process.

Slip and Fall Liability

Slip and fall liability differs from state to state, but the owner of a property or premises is generally responsible for ensuring a certain level of safety for anyone on those premises. This is known as premise liability. Here in South Carolina, a property owner has an expected standard of care to ensure anyone on their property is reasonably safe, and this includes vacation rentals as well.

It doesn’t matter whether that vacation rental is owned by individuals, a company, or another entity; the liability still applies. If you fall and you are injured, there will be certain things you need to prove for your case:

• Proof of who owns the property where the accident happened.
• Proof of “duty of care” establishes the owner’s obligation to provide a reasonably safe environment based on the state’s requirements to do so.
• Was there a hazardous condition that led to your fall? This will need to be proven.
• Did the property owner breach their duty of care by knowingly failing to fix an issue?
• You will need to prove that these things are ultimately what caused your fall and resulting injuries.

Slip and Fall Injuries in a State You Don’t Live In

When you slip and fall on vacation, there is a possibility you were in a state you don’t reside in. Say your fall and injury happened in South Carolina, but you are from Mississippi. Your situation and any claims process would need to take place in South Carolina.

This means you will need to find representation for your case in the state where the incident occurred, and that state’s laws are what will prevail in the claims process. A qualified lawyer will help you work through these steps:

• Investigation of the scene and gathering evidence, medical records, and witness statements
• Ensuring the premises liability laws were followed or determining where the owner failed to meet requirements
• Show the property owner’s negligence that led to the slip and fall accident
• Testimonies from experts who can speak of your injuries, treatment, and impact
• Negotiate a settlement for the claim

You aren’t expected to go through this alone. Find a slip and fall injury lawyer in the state who has experience working with this type of case. They will be able to help you with investigating, the claims process, and ensuring you get the maximum compensation possible for your injury.