If you slipped on a wet floor at a Pembroke Pines grocery store, tripped on a hazard the property owner should have fixed, or were injured on a poorly maintained walkway, the days that follow are usually confusing. The pain is real, the medical bills start arriving quickly, and the property owner's insurance company often calls before you have even seen a doctor.
Garnes Injury Law represents injured visitors and residents across Pembroke Pines, Miramar, and Miami in slip and fall and premises liability cases. We file claims within Florida's two-year statute of limitations, hold property owners accountable under §768.0755, and preserve the surveillance footage and store records that often decide these cases before the business can quietly overwrite them.
Florida's premises liability rules are demanding on the injured person. The plaintiff must prove the business knew or should have known about the hazardous condition, and the evidence trail for that proof begins to fade within days. Acting early is what protects the case.
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Talk to a Pembroke Pines Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer While the Evidence Is Still There
Surveillance video, incident reports, and inspection logs from the property have short shelf lives. A free bilingual consultation allows a law firm to review what happened, request the property's records before they are lost, and identify the legal options that may still be available.
Call 954-905-2683 to speak with our team about your Pembroke Pines slip-and-fall.
Why Choose Garnes Injury Law for Your Pembroke Pines Slip and Fall Case
A premises liability claim depends on evidence that vanishes quickly, and the firm chosen in the first weeks has a lasting effect on the outcome.
Free bilingual consultations
Every initial consultation is free and available in English or Spanish. The conversation covers the incident report, the medical timeline, the property owner's insurance situation, and the options that may still be open.
Contingency fee structure
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis. The client pays nothing upfront, and the firm collects a percentage of the recovery only if the case settles or wins at trial.
Direct attorney access
Clients work directly with the attorney handling the case rather than getting passed between assistants and case managers. Phone calls and questions go to the person making decisions on the file.
South Florida focus
Our practice is rooted in Pembroke Pines, Miramar, and Miami. Familiarity with the local businesses, the major property management companies, and the courts helps the case move efficiently from intake to resolution.
Florida premises liability knowledge
Slip and fall cases in Florida hinge on §768.0755 and the notice requirement it imposes on the injured person. We know how to build the record of actual or constructive knowledge the statute requires, and how to counter the arguments property owners typically raise.
Where Slip-and-Fall Accidents Happen in Pembroke Pines
Slip-and-fall claims can arise on almost any property, but a handful of settings account for most of the cases that come through our office.
Grocery stores and supermarkets
Publix, Winn-Dixie, Whole Foods, and other supermarkets across Pembroke Pines generate a steady stream of falls tied to produce spills, refrigerator leaks, and freshly mopped floors without adequate warning signs. Cases against these chains often turn on whether the store had enough time to notice the hazard and correct it.
Big box retailers and shopping centers
Walmart, Target, Costco, and the retail clusters at Pembroke Lakes Mall and Shops at Pembroke Gardens see frequent falls tied to spilled products, merchandise left on the floor, and wet entryways during South Florida rain. Store inspection records and surveillance footage are usually the strongest evidence.
Restaurants and hotels
Kitchen spills that spread into dining areas, freshly cleaned bathrooms, wet pool decks, and unmarked steps at hotels along Pines Boulevard and University Drive account for a large share of slip-and-fall claims. Restaurants often have limited surveillance, which raises the importance of the incident report filed at the time.
Apartments and condos
Broken stairs, poor lighting in stairwells, cracked sidewalks, and unmaintained pool decks at Pembroke Pines apartment complexes and condominiums frequently produce falls. These cases can involve both the property manager and the underlying owner.
Municipal property and public sidewalks
Falls on sidewalks maintained by the City of Pembroke Pines or Broward County follow different rules than falls on private property. The written notice requirement under §768.28 has to be met within a specific window, and shorter procedural deadlines apply.
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What to Do in the Days and Weeks After a Pembroke Pines Slip and Fall
The immediate scene is usually handled before legal questions surface. The steps below are what protect the case afterward.
Report the incident in writing
Ask the manager or property representative to complete a formal incident report before leaving, and request a copy. If none is offered, send a short written notice to the property within a day or two and keep a copy for the file. The report anchors the date, time, and location of the fall.
See a doctor as soon as possible
Adrenaline masks pain, and slip-and-fall injuries routinely surface hours or days later. A documented medical visit within the first 24 to 72 hours ties the injury to the fall and starts the medical record on a clear footing.
Preserve every photo, receipt, and detail
Photos of the hazard, the surrounding area, the clothing worn, and any visible injuries should be saved and dated. Receipts that place the injured person on the property at the time of the fall are also useful evidence.
Avoid recorded statements with the property's insurance carrier
Insurance adjusters for the property owner or the business often call within a day or two of the fall and request a recorded statement. Anything said during that call can be used to argue the injuries were minor or that the injured person was not paying attention. A short conversation with a Pembroke Pines slip and fall attorney before that call protects the record.
Florida Laws That Shape Every Pembroke Pines Slip and Fall Case
Florida's premises liability framework is stricter on plaintiffs than many other states. The rules below have the largest effect on what an injured person can recover.
The business premises statute (§768.0755)
Under §768.0755, a person injured by a slip and fall on a transitory substance at a business must prove the business had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and should have taken action to remedy it. This notice requirement is what makes the store's inspection logs, cleaning schedules, and surveillance footage so central to the case.
The two-year statute of limitations
Florida HB 837, signed into law on March 24, 2023, shortened the personal injury filing window from four years to two years. Under Florida Statute §95.11, most negligence claims arising on or after that date must be filed within two years of the injury. Missing the deadline closes the claim entirely.
Modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar
Under §768.81, an injured person found more than 50 percent at fault for the incident cannot recover damages from the property owner. A person found 50 percent or less at fault can still recover, but the award is reduced by their share of fault.
Visitor status and duty of care
Florida law recognizes three visitor categories: invitees (customers and other business guests), licensees (social guests), and trespassers. The duty of care owed by the property owner shifts by category, with invitees receiving the highest protection and trespassers the least.
Call 954-905-2683 to schedule a free bilingual consultation.
Key Slip and Fall Deadlines at a Glance
The deadlines below come from Florida statutes and the language of most property insurance policies. Missing any of them weakens or closes the related claim.
| Required Action | When It Applies | Deadline | Source |
| Report the incident to the property | Any slip and fall on business or residential property | Same day is best; written notice within 1 to 2 days | Preservation of evidence |
| Preserve surveillance footage | Falls on commercial property with cameras | Request in writing within 7 to 14 days | Standard retention cycles |
| Provide written notice to a government entity | Falls on city, county, or state property | Within 3 years (notice), 4 years (suit) | §768.28 |
| File a personal injury lawsuit | Negligence claims for incidents on or after March 24, 2023 | Within 2 years of the fall | §95.11 (per HB 837) |
| Notify the property owner's insurance carrier | Any claim against the property owner | Promptly, as defined by the policy | Policy contract terms |
A delay on any one of these deadlines often weakens the others.
FAQ for Pembroke Pines Slip and Fall Cases
How much does a Pembroke Pines slip and fall lawyer cost?
Garnes Injury Law works on a contingency fee basis. The client pays nothing upfront, and the firm collects a percentage of the recovery only if the case settles or wins at trial. The initial consultation is free.
Do I have a case if I did not see the hazard before I fell?
Not seeing the hazard is not a bar to the case. The question under §768.0755 is whether the property owner had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and should have taken action, not whether the injured person spotted it in time.
What if the business claims they did not know about the hazard?
The claim of no knowledge is common and is exactly what §768.0755 tests. Cleaning logs, inspection records, prior incident reports at the same location, and surveillance footage can all be used to show constructive knowledge, meaning the business should have known through reasonable care.
Can I still recover if I was partially at fault for the fall?
Under Florida's modified comparative negligence rule, a person found 50 percent or less at fault can still recover, with the award reduced by their share of fault. A person found more than 50 percent at fault cannot recover under HB 837.
What if the fall happened on public property?
Falls on city, county, or state property are covered by Florida's sovereign immunity statute, §768.28. Written notice must be provided to the government entity within a specific window, and separate rules apply to the amount of recoverable damages.
How long does a Pembroke Pines slip and fall case take to resolve?
Straightforward cases can settle in a few months once medical treatment is complete. Disputed liability, severe injuries, or cases that require litigation can take a year or longer. The exact timeline depends on the medical recovery and the willingness of the insurance carrier to negotiate.
Our Resources on Slip and Fall Claims
Call a Pembroke Pines Slip and Fall Lawyer Today
The two-year filing window starts the day of the fall, and the surveillance footage that often decides these cases can be gone in a matter of weeks. Injured visitors searching online for "slip and fall lawyer Pembroke Pines" after an incident usually already sense the clock is moving, and acting early protects the evidence, the medical record, and the legal options that may still be open.
Our team at Garnes Injury Law serves clients across Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Miami, and the surrounding South Florida communities, and we offer free bilingual consultations.
Call 954-905-2683 to talk through the specifics of your case.