This video will tell viewers about the typical settlement value of slip and fall cases in Maryland. Our firm, Miller & Zois, has handled countless premises liability cases against property owners. Premises liability cases are commonly referred to as “slip and fall” because a customer slipping and falling on a wet surface is sort of the prototypical premise liability case. However, premise liability cases involve much more than just simple slip and fall incidents. Premises liability covers any situation in which a property owner fails to maintain their property in a safe condition, and it results in injury. This can involve things like a collapsing ceiling, lead paint, failure to provide security or adequate lighting, and other things causing injury to individuals on the premises.
So how much are premises liability cases typically worth? Lets start by looking at some statistics. Reported verdicts and settlements in indicates that about 68% of Maryland slip and fall cases had a value somewhere between $5,000 and $50,000. By contrast, about 5% of slip and fall cases in Maryland resulted in a had a final value above $500,000.
The value of a slip and fall case will be driven by 3 primary factors. The first factor impacting the value of a slip and fall case will always be the nature and severity of the injuries. This is level of injury has the most impact on the value of the case by far. A slip and fall that results in minor injuries such as a sprained wrist or some bruising will naturally be worth much less than a case where someone slips and breaks a leg or worse.
The second factor that dictates the potential value of a slip and fall case is the extent of the property owner's negligence and resulting liability. Even when a slip and fall results in serious injury, this second factor can often render the case worthless. In most cases, the plaintiff must show that the property owner had actual or constructive knowledge of the hazardous condition in order to establish liability. For example, if a customer walks into a store and slips on a banana peel they would need to prove that: (a) the store owner or employees actually knew or under the circumstances should have known about the banana peel. If the plaintiff cannot prove this notice the case could be worth nothing.

Liability is much easier in cases where the hazardous condition was actually created by the property owner or its employees. The classic example of this is where an employee mops the storeroom floor. In this case, the plaintiff does not to prove actual or constructive knowledge of the wet floor. The property owner is the one who made the floor wet so knowledge is presumed.
The third and final factor in valuation of a slip and fall case is what jurisdiction that lawsuit is filed in. This factor is particularly important in Maryland where slip and fall cases in plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions such as Baltimore City and Prince George's County are consistently worth more than comparable cases in other counties.
If you have a possible premises liability claim for a slip and fall or another hazard on the property, call our law office today at 800-553-8082. You can find more information here: https://www.millerandzois.com/settlem...