Lancaster Slip & Fall Attorneys

Trusted Lancaster Slip & Fall Lawyers Since 1922

Slip and fall accidents can lead to serious injuries—broken bones, brain trauma, even wrongful death. These incidents often affect older adults or people with health conditions, and they're usually preventable. Whether it's a negligent property owner or a safety failure at work, someone is often at fault.

Bad weather, poor lighting, and uneven flooring exacerbate these accidents, and determining who is responsible isn’t always straightforward. If you need a slip and fall attorney in Lancaster, our firm gathers evidence, handles insurance claims, and fights for the compensation plaintiffs deserve.

At Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC, we’ve spent over 100 years fighting for injured Pennsylvanians. We identify who’s responsible, hold them accountable, and work to recover costs like medical bills and lost income. We only get paid if you win, so there’s no risk to fighting for what you need to recover.

Call (717) 775-7579 today or request a free consultation. Se Habla Español.

Proving Fault in Lancaster Slip & Fall Cases

Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence rule means if you're over 50% at fault, you can’t recover damages. Insurance companies know this and often try to shift blame to reduce or deny claims. That’s why you need a Lancaster slip and fall lawyer with proven experience at building strong premises liability claims. We examine security footage, maintenance logs, witness accounts, and any prior complaints to prove the property owner’s negligence.

First, we establish the owner owed you a duty of care—because you were a customer, guest, employee, or someone else legally on the premises. Then we prove they knew (or should’ve known) about the hazard and didn’t fix it or provide warnings. Lastly, we connect that failure to your injury. When needed, we bring in experts to explain how safety standards were ignored. Their insights can make a powerful case for compensation.

In many cases, we'd look at how quickly the property owner responded once the danger developed, such as how long a spill remained on a grocery store floor or how many complaints were made about a broken step before your fall. We'd seek incident reports from local businesses, review any available footage from nearby properties, and coordinate with your medical providers to document the full extent of your injuries. By tying the details of what happened to your documented injuries, we provide a clear picture of how the property owner's conduct led to your losses.

Local Laws That Affect Your Claim

Lancaster slip and fall cases are shaped by both state laws and local codes—like snow removal or sidewalk maintenance regulations. These rules can play a major role in proving fault. We stay updated on Lancaster’s municipal codes so we can apply them effectively to your case.

Pennsylvania also gives you just two years from your injury to file a claim. That clock starts ticking on the day of your fall, so early legal help is key. This ensures the defendant or insurance company can’t use the clock to leverage you out of what you need.

Special notice rules and shorter deadlines could apply if your slip and fall accident occurred on government property, such as a city-owned building or a public sidewalk maintained by a local authority. Claims involving a municipality or a state agency often require formal written notice within a much shorter time frame, with damages limited by statute. We review where your fall happened, identify all potentially responsible parties, and take steps to protect your claim before these extra deadlines pass so you'll have as many recovery options as possible.

Local Hazards & Who Is Responsible for Slip & Fall Prevention

Lancaster’s historic architecture and seasonal weather pose added risks. Old buildings often have uneven stairs or floors, and winter brings icy sidewalks and entryways. Property owners must keep their premises safe, especially in dangerous weather.

When you're out, stay alert—watch for wet floors, icy walkways, or uneven pavement. Report unsafe conditions and take photos if you can. If an accident does happen, this kind of documentation can make a big difference in your claim.

In Lancaster, serious falls can happen anywhere: grocery stores, office buildings, apartment complexes, and parking lots along Route 30 or in local shopping centers. Property owners and managers have different duties depending on the type of property, lease agreements, and who controls maintenance. We sort through these relationships to pursue claims against all parties whose carelessness contributed to your injury.

How Our Lancaster Slip & Fall Attorneys Help

From the first call, we do whatever we can to let you concentrate solely on getting better. We start by hearing the details of your story and laying out your legal options. Then we outline practical next steps so you understand what to expect, like whether your case is likely to settle quickly in your favor or would need to be filed in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas.

Our Lancaster slip-and-fall lawyers deal directly with insurance companies and defense lawyers so you don't have to. We gather medical records, work with your doctors to document your limitations, and calculate both your current and future losses. When necessary, HHR consults safety professionals, economists, and medical providers to increase the likelihood of a favorable recovery.

Through it all, our team keeps you informed with regular updates and clear explanations instead of legal jargon. We also help you avoid common mistakes—such as signing broad medical releases, posting about the accident on social media, or downplaying your symptoms at appointments—that insurers can later use against you. Throughout the process, our goal is to stand between you and the entities trying to minimize your claim, using our experience in Lancaster cases to pursue a fair resolution.

FAQs About Lancaster Slip & Fall Accidents

What Should I Do After a Fall?

Get medical help right away—even if you feel fine. Some injuries take time to show up. Then, document the scene: take photos, speak to witnesses, and report the accident to the property manager. If possible, get a copy of their report.

Keep a written timeline of what happened before, during, and after the fall, including how your symptoms change over the days and weeks that follow. Save any correspondence you receive from the property owner, their insurer, or risk management company, and avoid giving a recorded statement before you have had a chance to talk with a slip and fall lawyer about your rights. Early information often becomes key evidence when the insurance company later disputes how or why you were hurt.

How Does Comparative Negligence Work?

If you're partly at fault, your compensation may be reduced by that percentage. If you’re found 30% responsible, your damages are cut by 30%. If you’re over 50% responsible, you can’t recover at all. Our attorneys help ensure the blame stays where it belongs.

Our slip-and-fall lawyers in Lancaster have often heard insurers argue that our clients were distracted, wearing the wrong shoes, or ignoring obvious warnings, all to evade responsibility. We push back by focusing on the property owner's conduct, showing how long the hazard existed, whether any warnings were actually visible, and whether reasonable safety measures were taken. By presenting clear evidence and testimony, we work to keep unfair blame off of you so that your financial recovery more accurately reflects what you have been through.

What Compensation Is Available?

You could recover costs for emergency care, rehab, lost wages, pain and suffering, or long-term home modifications if you’re disabled. Every case is different, and we work to uncover all possible damages you’re owed.

HHR examines less obvious losses, such as reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to your prior job, the cost of in-home assistance, and the impact of chronic pain on your day-to-day activities. In severe cases, we've consulted with medical and financial professionals to estimate the lifetime cost of treatment and support. The goal is building a claim that reflects your current bills and the long-term changes this injury may cause for you and your family.

What’s the Deadline to File a Claim?

You have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit. Waiting too long can hurt your case—evidence can disappear, and witnesses can move. Reach out as soon as possible to protect your rights.

Taking action early also gives us more time to locate and preserve key evidence, such as surveillance video that may be routinely deleted, maintenance logs, or incident reports. We can send preservation letters to businesses in Lancaster and work to track down witnesses while their memories are still fresh. Starting the process promptly puts you in a stronger position if negotiations stall and a lawsuit in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas becomes necessary.

What If My Condition Gets Worse?

Some injuries worsen over time. Keep detailed medical records and track any changes. If your condition worsens after your claim, we can help you update it to reflect new needs.

Follow your doctor’s treatment plan, attend all recommended appointments, and be honest about your symptoms so that your medical records accurately show how the injury is progressing. If new diagnoses arise—such as complications from surgery or the development of chronic pain—we can work with your providers to obtain updated reports that support your ongoing limitations. This documentation helps us pursue additional compensation if your long-term needs turn out to be greater than originally expected.

Call a Lancaster Slip & Fall Attorney Today

Time matters in slip and fall cases. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can begin investigating, preserving evidence, and building your case.

Many people don’t realize how helpful a good lawyer can be. We do more than file paperwork—we help recover future medical expenses, long-term care costs, and damages for life-altering changes. You focus on healing; we’ll handle the rest.

Our Lancaster slip and fall attorneys are available 24/7. Contact us today at (717) 775-7579 to get started.