Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers Serving Washtenaw County, Michigan

A slip and fall accident happens in seconds, but the injuries can last a lifetime. Whether you slipped on black ice in an Ann Arbor parking lot, fell on a wet floor at a Ypsilanti store, or tripped on a broken sidewalk in Saline, serious injuries can result—broken bones, head trauma, spinal injuries, and permanent disability. At Logeman & Iafrate, P.C., we've spent more than 45 years fighting for slip and fall victims throughout Washtenaw County and all of Michigan.

Property owners and businesses have a legal duty to maintain safe premises. When they fail in that responsibility and you're injured as a result, they should be held accountable. We take cases others won't, and we prepare every case for trial. Our verdicts and settlements include a $108,000 settlement for an Ann Arbor apartment resident who slipped on black ice caused by a dangerous downspout condition, and a $135,000 arbitration award for a customer injured in an AutoZone slip and fall.

Understanding Property Owner Duties in Washtenaw County

Michigan law requires property owners to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition and prevent foreseeable accidents. This duty applies to businesses, landlords, homeowners, and government entities throughout Washtenaw County—from commercial properties along State Street in Ann Arbor to shopping centers in Canton Township.

The property owner's duty extends to:

• Regular inspection for hazards and dangerous conditions
• Prompt repair of defects or unsafe conditions
• Warning visitors about dangers that aren't readily observable
• Adequate snow and ice removal from walkways and parking areas
• Proper maintenance of flooring, stairs, handrails, and lighting
• Cleaning up spills and wet surfaces in reasonable time

Property owners must maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition considering the likelihood of injury, the seriousness of potential harm, and the burden of fixing the defect. However, they're not insurers of safety—and insurance companies routinely hide behind the "open and obvious" doctrine to deny legitimate claims.

The Open and Obvious Defense

The most common defense in Washtenaw County slip and fall cases is that the hazard was "open and obvious." Michigan law says property owners generally aren't liable when the dangerous condition would be apparent to an average person using ordinary intelligence upon casual inspection.

But open and obvious doesn't always mean no liability. We fight back with two powerful exceptions:

Effectively Unavoidable Hazards: When you have no reasonable way to avoid the danger, the property owner can still be liable. If an entire parking lot is covered in ice with no safe path to the entrance, that hazard is effectively unavoidable—even if it's obvious.

Unreasonably Dangerous Conditions: Some hazards are so dangerous that property owners remain liable even when they're obvious. A completely iced-over staircase with no handrail or an unguarded hole in a walkway creates such a high likelihood of serious injury that the condition is unreasonably dangerous.

Our attorneys have extensive experience proving these exceptions apply, using photographs, witness testimony, and expert analysis to show why the property owner should be held accountable despite claiming the hazard was "obvious."

Common Slip and Fall Accidents in Washtenaw County

We handle slip and fall cases throughout Washtenaw County caused by numerous hazardous conditions:

• Winter ice and snow: Black ice in parking lots, inadequate snow removal from sidewalks, ice accumulation from roof runoff or faulty drainage
• Wet and slippery floors: Spills in grocery stores, recently mopped floors without warning signs, tracked-in rain or snow near entrances
• Defective walking surfaces: Cracked or uneven sidewalks, potholes in parking lots, loose floor tiles, torn carpeting, broken stairs
• Poor lighting: Dimly lit stairwells, darkened parking structures, insufficient exterior lighting at apartment complexes
• Missing safety features: Broken handrails, lack of non-slip surfaces on stairs, inadequate warning signs
• Construction hazards: Unmarked changes in floor elevation, debris in walkways, temporary surfaces without proper warnings

Serious Injuries from Washtenaw County Slip and Falls

Don't let anyone minimize your injuries. Slip and fall accidents cause serious harm:

• Fractures: Broken hips, wrists, arms, ankles, and legs requiring surgery and lengthy rehabilitation
• Head injuries: Concussions and traumatic brain injuries with lasting cognitive effects
• Spinal injuries: Herniated discs, compression fractures, and spinal cord damage causing chronic pain or paralysis
• Shoulder injuries: Torn rotator cuffs and dislocated shoulders
• Soft tissue damage: Severe sprains, strains, and torn ligaments

These injuries often require extensive medical treatment, surgery, physical therapy, and time away from work. For older adults, a slip and fall can be devastating—a broken hip at age 70 carries very different consequences than the same injury at 30.

Compensation for Slip and Fall Victims

When property owner negligence causes your slip and fall injury in Washtenaw County, you're entitled to full compensation for:

• All medical expenses—emergency room treatment, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, future medical care
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity when injuries prevent you from working
• Pain and suffering from your injuries and recovery process
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life when injuries prevent activities you once enjoyed

Insurance companies will try to minimize your claim or deny it entirely. They'll argue you weren't watching where you were going, that the hazard was obvious, or that your injuries aren't as serious as you claim. We prepare every case for trial from these fights.

Why Property Owners and Insurers Fight Slip and Fall Claims

Slip and fall cases face more skepticism than other injury claims. Insurance companies and defense lawyers know that juries sometimes blame victims for not watching where they walk. They exploit this bias thoroughly.

Common defense tactics include:

• Claiming the hazard was open and obvious and you should have seen it
• Arguing you were distracted or not paying attention
• Suggesting your injuries are exaggerated or pre-existing
• Blaming your footwear as inappropriate for conditions
• Pointing to any gap between the fall and seeking medical treatment

These defenses don't change the basic truth: property owners who create or allow dangerous conditions should be held responsible when people are injured. We build cases that overcome skepticism—documenting the hazard, proving the owner knew or should have known about it, demonstrating your injuries are real and serious, and showing why you couldn't have avoided the danger.

What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident

The steps you take immediately after your fall can significantly affect your ability to recover compensation:

• Report the incident immediately to the property owner, manager, or business. Insist they document it in writing.
• Take photographs of the exact location where you fell and the hazard that caused your injury. Get pictures from multiple angles.
• Identify witnesses and get their contact information. Don't assume the property owner will preserve this information.
• Seek medical attention right away, even if injuries seem minor initially. Some serious conditions don't manifest symptoms immediately.
• Keep detailed records of all medical treatment, expenses, missed work, and how injuries affect your daily life.
• Don't give recorded statements to insurance companies without consulting an attorney. They'll use your words against you.
• Preserve evidence including the clothing and shoes you wore, which may be relevant to proving the hazard's severity.

Our Trial-Ready Approach to Washtenaw County Slip and Fall Cases

Insurance companies know which law firms actually prepare for trial and which ones settle every case to avoid courtroom work. When they see Logeman & Iafrate, P.C. on a case, they know we're prepared to go the distance.

Our approach includes:

• Immediate investigation to document the hazardous condition before it's repaired or altered
• Thorough review of property maintenance records, incident reports, and prior complaints
• Expert analysis from engineers, safety specialists, and medical professionals
• Comprehensive medical documentation proving the full extent of your injuries
• Aggressive negotiation backed by genuine trial preparation

We've tried cases in Washtenaw County Circuit Court and throughout Michigan. That courtroom experience translates to better settlements—because insurance companies know we're serious when we say we'll take your case to a jury.

Michigan's Statute of Limitations

You generally have three years from the date of your slip and fall to file a lawsuit in Michigan. But reach out promptly. Evidence disappears, memories fade, and hazardous conditions get repaired. The sooner we investigate, the stronger your case becomes.

Government property cases have much shorter deadlines. If you fell on property owned by the City of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, or another government entity, you may need to file a notice of claim within 120 days. Missing this deadline can destroy an otherwise valid case.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is decided on its own facts.

Frequently Asked Questions About Washtenaw County Slip and Fall Cases

What is the "open and obvious" doctrine in Michigan slip and fall cases?

A danger is considered "open and obvious" if an average person using ordinary intelligence would discover it upon casual inspection. Property owners generally aren't liable for open and obvious hazards. However, important exceptions apply when the hazard is effectively unavoidable (you have no reasonable way to avoid it) or unreasonably dangerous (so hazardous that liability exists despite being obvious). Our attorneys have extensive experience proving these exceptions apply in Washtenaw County cases.

Can I recover compensation if I fell on ice in a parking lot?

Yes, but these cases require careful analysis. Property owners must remove snow and ice within a reasonable time and can be liable when dangerous conditions like black ice, improper drainage, or roof runoff create hazards. We successfully settled a case for $108,000 for an Ann Arbor apartment resident who slipped on black ice caused by a downspout draining water onto the sidewalk. The key is proving the condition was either not obvious, unavoidable, or unreasonably dangerous.

How long do I have to file a slip and fall lawsuit in Washtenaw County?

Michigan's statute of limitations gives you three years from the date of your fall to file a lawsuit. However, cases involving government property (cities, counties, state property) require filing a notice of claim within 120 days. Missing these deadlines destroys otherwise valid claims. Contact an attorney immediately to preserve your rights and ensure critical evidence isn't lost.

What if the property owner claims I wasn't watching where I was going?

This is a common defense tactic. Michigan law requires property owners to maintain safe premises regardless of whether you were being perfectly attentive. Even if you were momentarily distracted, that doesn't eliminate the owner's duty to keep the property reasonably safe. We counter this defense by documenting the hazard's severity, proving inadequate warnings or lighting, and showing the condition wasn't reasonably observable to a careful person.

Do I need to prove the property owner knew about the dangerous condition?

You must prove the owner either had actual knowledge of the hazard or should have known about it through reasonable inspection and maintenance. Evidence includes prior complaints, incident reports, maintenance records, how long the condition existed, and whether the hazard was in a high-traffic area. Our investigation uncovers this documentation and builds the proof needed to establish the owner's knowledge.

What compensation can I recover after a slip and fall accident in Washtenaw County?

You're entitled to compensation for all medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent disability or disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. The value depends on injury severity, treatment required, impact on your ability to work, and how the injuries affect your daily activities. We work with medical experts and economists to document the full extent of your damages.

How do you prove a slip and fall case when there's no video footage?

While video can be helpful, most cases don't have it. We prove liability through photographs of the hazard, witness testimony, property maintenance records, weather reports (for ice/snow cases), expert analysis of the dangerous condition, your documented injuries, and the property owner's own statements. Our thorough investigation builds compelling evidence even without video documentation.

Can I sue if I fell at a private residence versus a business?

Yes, though the analysis differs slightly. Homeowners and landlords owe a duty to maintain safe premises just as businesses do. Common residential slip and fall cases involve inadequate snow/ice removal, defective stairs or porches, poor lighting, and dangerous conditions on rental properties. The legal principles are similar—the property owner must maintain reasonably safe conditions and can be liable when they create or allow hazards that cause injury.