Robert J. DeBry and Associates has fought for injured Utahns for over four decades. Our experience, results, and reputation make us a firm Utah slip and fall victims turn to after a serious injury.
If you were injured in a slip and fall on someone else's property in Utah, you may be entitled under Utah law to recover damages when a property owner's negligence caused your fall. Robert J. DeBry and Associates helps injured Utahns pursue a fair settlement, with free consultations and no fee unless we win.
This page explains the common causes of slip and fall accidents, when a property owner is liable, what to do after a fall, the compensation that may be available for medical bills and lost wages, how Utah’s comparative fault rule and filing deadlines work, and how contingency fee representation applies.
Call Robert J. DeBry & Associates at 801-888-8888 for a free consultation. We handle slip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Slip and fall claims turn on details that other injury claims do not. These pages go deeper on the issues Utah victims ask about most.
Slip and fall cases turn on details that disappear quickly: surveillance footage gets overwritten, ice melts, spills get mopped up, and maintenance logs go unfiled. Our fall accident attorneys begin investigating the moment you contact us, collecting security camera footage and maintenance records before that evidence is gone. We review inspection schedules, prior complaints from other visitors, and weather reports to build a clear picture of how your slip and fall incident occurred, with personal injury lawyers handling these investigations from the start.
Not every fall on someone else’s property leads to a valid slip and fall claim. Under Utah premises liability law, liability depends on several specific elements.
Duty of care and visitor status. Property owners must maintain safe conditions for lawful visitors, but the level of that duty depends on why the visitor is on the property. An invitee, someone entering a business or property for a purpose that benefits the owner, is owed the highest duty of care. The property owner must inspect for hazards, repair dangerous conditions, and warn of hidden dangers. A licensee, meaning a social guest, is owed a lesser duty. Under Utah Code section 57-14-301, property owners generally owe no duty to trespassers, with limited exceptions for children exposed to artificial conditions that are dangerous.
Knowledge of the hazard. To hold a property owner liable, the injured victim must show that the owner either knew about the dangerous condition (actual knowledge) or should have known about it through reasonable inspection (constructive knowledge). Evidence of prior complaints can support negligence claims. If a grocery store’s floor had a puddle for 45 minutes without anyone checking, that period of time may establish constructive knowledge. Maintenance records can help prove a property owner’s negligence, or lack of it.
Failure to act. Even when a property owner knew about a hazard, liability requires showing they had reasonable time to repair or warn and failed to do so. A landlord may be liable when a fall caused by ignored hazards could have been prevented with reasonable action. Negligent property owners who ignore reported problems, skip inspections, or delay repairs face exposure to a slip and fall lawsuit when those failures cause injuries.
Open and obvious dangers. Utah courts recognize that if a hazard is plainly visible, a property owner may not be liable. However, courts have also clarified that even when a danger is open and obvious, property owners may still bear responsibility if they should reasonably have anticipated that visitors would be harmed despite the visibility of the hazard.
Fall accidents stem from a range of property conditions. Understanding these causes matters for determining liability and preserving the right evidence.
Ice and snow. Utah’s winters create persistent hazards on sidewalks, parking lots, and building entrances. Icy sidewalks are a frequent cause of slip and fall injuries, and property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice hazards within a reasonable time. A property owner who lets ice accumulate on a walkway for hours without salting or shoveling may be liable for a winter slip and fall. Failure to maintain walkways often results in slip and fall accidents during cold months.
Wet floors and spills. A wet floor in a restaurant, grocery store, or retail shop is one of the most common causes of indoor fall accidents. When a spill occurs and staff fail to clean it up or post warning signs, the property owner may be held liable for resulting injuries. Slippery floors without signage are a recurring issue in premises liability claims.
Uneven surfaces and broken pavement. Cracked sidewalks, potholes, raised concrete edges, and deteriorating stairs cause serious injuries, including knee injuries and broken bones. Uneven surfaces can lead to serious slip and fall injuries, particularly when they are hidden by poor lighting or debris.
Poor lighting. Dimly lit stairwells, parking structures, and walkways hide tripping hazards that would otherwise be avoidable. Poor lighting increases the risk of slip and fall incidents and is frequently cited in fall claims involving apartment buildings and commercial properties.
Interior hazards. Torn carpeting, loose rugs, unsecured mat edges, and broken handrails are common in older buildings. These defects are often documented in prior inspection reports or tenant complaints, making them strong evidence in a personal injury case.
Calculating true damages includes assessing immediate and long-term costs, starting with the injuries common to these cases. A slip and fall injury can range from a sprained wrist to traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or permanent disability. Each of those outcomes carries different financial consequences.
Medical expenses. You can recover medical expenses after a slip and fall accident, including emergency room visits, surgery, imaging, physical therapy, and prescription medications. Compensation may include costs for ongoing treatment or rehabilitation when injuries require extended care.
Lost wages and earning capacity. If your injuries keep you out of work for weeks or months, or if they permanently reduce your ability to earn, those economic losses are part of your claim. Permanent disability can lead to additional compensation in claims involving career-ending injuries such as severe head injuries or spinal cord damage.
Pain and suffering. These damages account for physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the daily burden of living with serious injuries.
What affects your claim’s value. A fall injury lawyer evaluates the severity and permanence of the injury, whether treatment is ongoing or required surgery, how the injury affects daily life and work, the percentage of fault assigned to the injured person under Utah’s comparative fault rule, and the property owner’s conduct, such as whether they ignored known hazards or conducted regular inspections. For more detail on how personal injury claims are valued, see our guide on how much to sue for personal injury.
Modified comparative negligence. Under Utah Code section 78B-5-818, an injured person can recover compensation even if they share some fault for the accident, as long as their fault is less than that of the defendant. The damage award is reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage of fault. If the injured person is 50 percent or more at fault, they cannot recover anything. For example, if a jury finds you 20 percent at fault for not watching where you walked and the property owner 80 percent at fault for an unmarked hazard, your award would be reduced by 20 percent.
Filing deadlines. In Utah, most personal injury claims, including premises liability claims, must be filed within the time period set by Utah Code section 78B-2-307. If the slip and fall accident occurred on government property, separate notice requirements apply. Under Utah Code section 63G-7-401, a written notice of claim must be filed within one year, and separate filing deadlines apply after that.
Why timing matters. Immediate evidence preservation is vital after a slip and fall accident. Surveillance video is routinely overwritten within days or weeks. Weather conditions change. Witnesses forget details. The sooner you contact a fall lawyer, the better your chances of preserving the evidence that makes or breaks your personal injury case.
The steps you take in the hours and days after a slip and fall accident directly affect your ability to recover fair compensation.
For a detailed walkthrough of these steps, see our guide on what to do after a slip and fall.
Most personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, and Robert J. DeBry & Associates is no exception. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. If your case does not result in a recovery, you owe nothing in attorney fees.
During your free case evaluation, we explain exactly how costs work. We clarify who covers litigation costs regardless of the case outcome, and we make sure you understand the fee structure before any agreement is signed. You should never be surprised by a bill.
We handle all case-related expenses during the representation, including investigation costs, expert consultations, and filing fees. Many slip and fall cases settle out of court through negotiation, but if trial is necessary, our contingency arrangement still applies.
Robert J. DeBry & Associates serves slip and fall victims from offices in Salt Lake City and Sandy, with statewide representation across Utah. Our attorneys regularly handle premises liability claims in Salt Lake City and the surrounding Wasatch Front, Utah County, including Provo and Orem, Park City and Summit County, Weber and Davis counties, and rural communities throughout the state.
We travel to clients who cannot visit our offices due to their injuries. Whether your slip and fall accident occurred at a retail store in Ogden, on an icy sidewalk in Park City, or in an apartment building in Provo, we can represent you.
Utah Code section 78B-2-307 sets the filing deadline for most personal injury claims, including slip and fall cases. If your claim involves government property, additional notice requirements under Utah Code section 63G-7-401 apply, with shorter deadlines. Missing these deadlines generally bars your claim entirely, so consulting a fall accident lawyer early is important.
Utah follows a modified comparative negligence rule under Utah Code section 78B-5-818. You can still recover compensation if your share of fault is less than 50 percent, but your award is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you cannot recover.
At Robert J. DeBry & Associates, we handle every slip and fall case on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront attorney fees. We are paid only if we recover compensation for you, and your free consultation carries no obligation.
Slip and fall cases require proving that a property owner had knowledge of a hazard and failed to address it. Useful evidence includes photographs of the hazard, weather reports, maintenance records, incident reports, witness statements, and your medical records. Our lawyers investigate by collecting security camera footage and maintenance logs to establish what the property owner knew and when.
Timelines vary depending on injury severity, the length of medical treatment, and whether the insurance company disputes liability. Some cases resolve in months through negotiation. Others, particularly those involving severe injuries or disputed fault, take longer and may require filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Yes. Property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice hazards on their property, and winter weather does not automatically shield a property owner from liability. The question is whether the owner knew or should have known about the icy or snowy condition and had reasonable time to address it. For more on winter-related fall claims, see our guide to slip and fall on ice in Utah.
If you suffered a slip and fall injury on someone else’s property in Utah, Robert J. DeBry & Associates can evaluate your case at no cost. To secure compensation, negligence must be proven, and we have the resources and experience to investigate your claim thoroughly.
Call 801-888-8888 for a free consultation. No fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Robert J. DeBry & Associates. Offices in Salt Lake City and Sandy. Serving all of Utah. This is general information, not legal advice. Contacting Robert J. DeBry & Associates or submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship.