Fell at a store?
Don’t sign anything.
Wet floor, broken stair, parking lot pothole — Arizona premises liability cases hinge on evidence preserved early. Free 5-minute consultation.
The store’s insurance already called.
You were walking down a grocery aisle, hotel lobby, restaurant entrance, or parking lot. Something on the floor you couldn’t see — a spilled drink, leaking refrigerator case, freshly mopped tile with no warning sign — sent you down. You broke your wrist. You hit your hip. You hit your head.
Forty-eight hours later, the store’s insurance adjuster is on the phone, asking how you’re feeling, asking for a quick statement, asking you to sign a medical authorization. They might offer to “make this go away” with a few thousand dollars. The store carries premises-liability coverage exactly for this. The adjuster’s job is to pay as little as the law allows.
What Arizona premises liability requires
To recover for an Arizona slip-and-fall, you generally have to prove four things — and the case-killer most people don’t know about is “notice.”
Duty of care
If you were a customer, business invitee, or guest, the owner owed you the highest duty: keep premises reasonably safe, warn of hidden dangers.
Notice — the case-killer
You have to prove the owner knew (or should have known) about the hazard. Insurance “loses” video footage that wasn’t formally requested in 30 days.
Causation
Defense will argue you were on your phone or wore the wrong shoes. Document everything — photos of the hazard, your shoes, witnesses.
Damages
Medical bills, lost wages, pain, future care needs. Older victims need life-care planners to quantify future surgery costs properly.
Comparative negligence
Even at 30% fault under A.R.S. § 12-2505, you still recover 70%. “You should have watched where you were going” doesn’t kill cases.
The clock
2-year statute under A.R.S. § 12-542. Government property (city park, public sidewalk) requires 180-day notice under § 12-821.01.
What to do in the first 72 hours
Get medical attention.
Adrenaline masks injuries. Hairline hip fractures, concussions, and ligament damage are routinely missed at the scene.
Photograph the hazard.
Photos of the spill, broken stair, wet floor, missing warning sign, your shoes, lighting. Hazards get cleaned up within minutes.
Preserve video — 30 day clock.
Store video gets overwritten. Without a formal preservation letter, it’s gone. Get an attorney involved immediately.
Call us.
Free 5-minute consultation. We send the video preservation letter the same day.
Wood Injury Law took over my case after another firm told me to take a low-ball settlement. They got me significantly more once they actually fought it. Worth every minute.
Questions clients ask on the first call
How much does it cost to hire Wood Injury Law?
Nothing upfront. Contingency fee, paid a percentage of recovery. If we don’t recover, you owe nothing in attorney fees.
How long do I have to file in Arizona?
Two years from the date of the wreck under A.R.S. § 12-542. Government cases require 180-day notice under A.R.S. § 12-821.01.
What if I’m partly at fault?
Arizona is a pure comparative negligence state under A.R.S. § 12-2505. You can still recover, reduced by your percentage of fault.
What if the at-fault party had no insurance?
Your own UM/UIM coverage under A.R.S. § 20-259.01 may pay your damages even when the at-fault driver carries no insurance.
What if I had a prior injury?
Arizona follows the eggshell plaintiff doctrine. A wreck that aggravated an existing condition still caused your current injury and is compensable.
How quickly should I call?
Today if you can. Earlier involvement means evidence preservation, no recorded-statement traps, and a clear strategy from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the premises liability standard in Arizona?
Property owners owe a duty of reasonable care to invitees and licensees. The duty depends on visitor status: invitees (customers) get the highest duty, licensees (social guests) a middle duty, trespassers almost none except to avoid willful harm. Slip-and-fall claims usually involve invitees.
What must I prove in a slip-and-fall case?
Four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. Specifically: the owner knew or should have known of the hazard (actual or constructive notice), failed to fix or warn, the hazard caused the fall, and you suffered provable injury. Surveillance video and prior incidents matter.
How is comparative fault handled in a slip-and-fall?
Arizona's pure comparative fault rule applies (ARS 12-2505). If a jury finds you 30% at fault for not watching the floor, your award is reduced by 30%. Open-and-obvious hazards shift more fault to you. Lighting and distractions rebut that defense.
What's the deadline to file a slip-and-fall claim in Arizona?
Two years from the date of the fall under ARS 12-542. If the fall was on government property, a 180-day notice of claim under ARS 12-821.01 applies. Commercial premises have the standard two-year window, but evidence degrades fast, act early.
What damages can I recover?
Medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future care for permanent injuries. Hip fractures and TBIs in elderly plaintiffs drive high awards. Pre-existing conditions complicate but do not bar recovery under Arizona's eggshell-plaintiff rule.