QUESTION
Can I sue if I slip and feel from a rooftop?
Asked on May 27th, 2013 on Personal Injury - Mississippi
More details to this question:
I was with a friend in a rooftop and I slip and feel and broke both of my legs. I also have a compression fracture in the back.
11 ANSWERS
Ronald A. Steinberg
No.
Answered on May 29th, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Why were you on the roof top?
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 4:10 PM
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney serving Syracuse, NY
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Andrew T. Velonis, P.C.
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You'd have to prove that there was something defective about the roof which caused you to fall.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 11:47 AM
That all depends on the facts and circumstances. If you fell because of a negligently maintained roof and were up there for a good reason, you may have a good case.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 11:47 AM
Auto Attorney serving Bloomfield Hills, MI
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Gregory M. Janks, P.C.
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You should consult a Michigan premises liability lawyer and discuss your situation. You don't really give enough facts to answer your question. I can say that Michigan law almost always requires you to show that the person/company you are suing was negligent or did something wrong to cause or contribute to your incident and ensuing injuries. The mere fact of an injury, without negligence on someone else's part, does not give you the basis of a claim. Further, if there are special situations, such as an incident happening during work activities, or if you were in a place without permission, then different legal rules apply. This is why you can rarely get a full and complete answer to what can be complex legal situations without a consultation with a lawyer.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 11:34 AM
John Hone
I would need more facts. If you were on the roof top helping the friend do some task on his behalf, and there was an act of negligence on his part, such as accidentally knocking you off, etc... you would have a case.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Why were you up there? What shoes were you wearing? What caused you to slip? .
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Family Law Attorney serving Bluffton, SC
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Peacock Law Group of the Lowcountry, LLC
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In SC, this all depends on the circumstances surrounding why you were on the roof, permission to be there, etc. None of these circumstances are included in your description. You may very well have a good case against the homeowner and/or your employer dependent upon these circumstances.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 10:17 AM
Commercial Contracts Attorney serving Boise, ID
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Peters Law, PLLC
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Were you on the job? Just helping out? His roof, your roof, somebody else's roof? You can probably sue, but first you have to send a letter to their insurer telling them what happened and asking them to cover it.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Airplane Crash Litigation Attorney serving Towson, MD
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Tough case as you likely assumed the risk of a fall being on the roof.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Identity Theft Attorney serving Hernando, MS
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Kittell Law Firm
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Whether you would have a valid lawsuit depends a lot on why you were on the rooftop and the law of the state where you fell. In Mississippi, where I represent victims of slip and fall injuries, whether you have a valid claim would depend on what caused you to fall and whether you were a trespasser, licensee or invitee. I suspect that you and your friend were probably trespassing on the roof, which means you would only have a claim if the property owner intentionally caused you to fall. If you had a legitimate reason to be on the roof, then whether you have a valid claim would depend on whether a dangerous condition caused you to fall and whether the property owner caused the dangerous condition to exist, knew the dangerous cognition existed but failed to correct it, or the dangerous condition had existed for so long that the property owner should have known it was there.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 9:27 AM