Put A Leading St. Petersburg Slip-And-Fall Accident Lawyer On Your Side Today
Last updated on September 29, 2025
Slip-and-fall accidents can result in life-changing, catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or spinal injuries. If you have suffered a broken bone, ligament or muscle damage, spinal cord injury or other serious injury due to a slip-and-fall in the St. Petersburg area, you need an experienced slip-and-fall accident lawyer on your side as soon as possible to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Your slip-and-fall accident may have happened in a public place such as a mall or park, at someone else’s home, at a boating dock, on the job at a construction site, or in a retail store. Whatever your situation may be, if you need medical care, this is a clear sign that you also need legal advice. At The Law Offices of John R. Mathias, P.A., in St. Petersburg, you will find the counsel and representation that you need to pursue full compensation for your injuries.
For a free consultation, please call 727-362-2122 or complete our contact form. You have nothing to lose by contacting us today.
About Premises Liability Claims And Slip-And-Fall Accidents
There may be more than one responsible party in connection with your slip-and-fall accident. As a personal injury attorney with decades of experience, I can investigate your case to determine who the responsible parties may be. In St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater, often these types of accidents involve:
- Broken stairs or steps
- A slippery surface
- Merchandise obstructing aisles in stores
- A messy outdoor walkway
- A defective or missing handrail
- Poor lighting
- Broken concrete in parking lots or sidewalks
You may have a premises liability claim against:
- The owner of a building, parking lot or other type of property
- The owner of a retail store, boating dock or other type of commercial property
- A subcontractor who left hazardous debris behind at the construction site where you were working when you fell
Regardless of who was responsible for the area where you slipped or tripped and fell, you should ideally get legal advice as soon as possible. Your medical needs should be your top priority, but legal counsel can help ensure that you will be able to claim all available compensation from all appropriate sources.
See our Personal Injury FAQ to learn more.
How A Slip-And-Fall Case Unfolds In St. Petersburg, Florida: A Realistic Scenario
Slip-and-fall cases can be surprisingly complex and are typically contested by the negligent party. Below is one scenario of how a premises liability case, such as a slip-and-fall accident, may develop.
Christine, a 50-year-old woman, is in a grocery store when she slips on an unmarked spill, falls and breaks her ankle. She is taken by ambulance to the hospital, where she has to have surgery to repair the break. She is in a leg cast for two months, a boot for six weeks and a brace for another six weeks. During this time, she is unable to work at her job as a waitress.
When she tries to get the grocery store to cover her medical costs and lost income, their insurance company denies her claim. Worried and frustrated, she searches for a St. Petersburg personal injury attorney to help her. After speaking with a few lawyers, she chooses one who demonstrates care and concern about her situation, and who has the experience and knowledge to pursue the case.
The Personal Injury Process
Christine’s lawyer investigates the accident and gathers evidence, including witness statements and video evidence from the store as well as medical records from the hospital and subsequent doctors’ appointments. He also calculates her lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and additional related economic and noneconomic damages.
Her lawyer sends a demand letter to the grocery store’s insurance carrier, requesting the compensation that she deserves. The insurance company lawyers review the claim and offer Christine a lowball settlement that covers only a portion of her medical bills.
She and her attorney discuss the offer and decide not to accept it. Her attorney has strong evidence of the store’s negligence in not cleaning up or marking off the area where the spill happened. They begin negotiations with the insurance company lawyers.
Negotiating With The Insurance Company
Christine’s lawyer handles the negotiations with the insurance company while keeping her updated on the status of the case. He presents every offer to her and they talk it over together. Negotiations with the grocery store’s insurance company last for nearly six months, but do not produce the results Christine is looking for. She and her lawyer decide to take the case to court to hold the store accountable for her injury and financial losses.
After being served with the complaint and summons, the insurance company lawyers come to the conclusion that Christine and her lawyer are not going away and that they are not intimidated by their defense tactics. Because her attorney has presented a well-crafted case for compensation, they finally present an offer that Christine accepts.
The Settlement Offer
With the severity of the broken ankle, the surgery and some lingering issues with mobility, Christine receives more than $100,000 from the store’s insurance company for her medical bills and lost wages. She also receives $15,000 for the pain and suffering the injury caused.
This compensation allows her to pay her medical expenses and cover the income she missed out on when she was unable to work because of the injury.
Types Of Damages You May Recover In A Personal Injury Suit
The compensation people receive in a personal injury case typically include economic (financial) losses and noneconomic (personal) losses. Economic losses may include:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Lost income and benefits (past and future)
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of contributions to the household
Noneconomic losses can cover:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
It is important to remember that each case is unique, and the results will vary depending on the specific circumstances of the case.
How An Attorney Can Help In A Slip-And-Fall Lawsuit
If you or a family member has suffered a Florida slip-and-fall injury due to another party’s negligence, a personal injury attorney will use their experience to protect your right to seek full and fair compensation for your losses. Whether you slipped and fell on residential property or commercial property, your lawyer will work hard to build a case that shows the property owner’s negligence.
Why It Is So Important To Get Help From A Slip-And-Fall Lawyer Right Away
It is common for site managers and property owners to make changes at the site of a slip-and-fall accident shortly after someone gets injured. It may then be difficult or impossible to get clear evidence such as photos showing what the scene was like when you fell. It is important to get legal representation as soon as possible after a slip-and-fall injury that results in serious or catastrophic injuries.
“I am personal injury attorney John R. Mathias. If you are the spouse, parent or child of someone who was injured by falling in or near St. Petersburg, I urge you to contact me right away even if your loved one is unconscious or in too much pain to talk. I may be able to get video surveillance footage and valuable eyewitness testimonies to support your premises liability claim if we act in time.”
Contact Our Law Office For A Free Consultation
I am attorney John R. Mathias, a caring and experienced personal injury lawyer in St. Petersburg. I look forward to hearing from you so I can share how I can help you now and in the long term after a slip-and-fall injury that caused serious injuries.
Call my law office at 727-362-2122 or send an email inquiry to schedule a free consultation.