New Orleans Slip and Fall Lawyer

Were you hurt in a slip and fall accident in New Orleans, LA?

At Kiefer & Kiefer, we have handled slip and fall and premises liability cases across Louisiana for over four decades.

If you have been hurt in a slip and fall on someone else’s property, an attorney can help you pursue compensation from the property owner, tenant, or merchant responsible for the unsafe condition. Louisiana premises liability law requires proof of the hazard, the property owner’s knowledge, and the failure to correct or warn. Filing deadlines apply, and physical evidence of the hazard can disappear within days of the incident.

Our New Orleans, LA slip and fall lawyer has represented injured people throughout Louisiana for more than four decades. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation.

Slip and Fall Lawyer New Orleans, LA

A slip and fall lawyer represents people injured on someone else’s property because of a hazardous condition. Louisiana law approaches these cases through two frameworks. The merchant liability statute applies to grocery stores, retailers, restaurants, and similar businesses and places a specific burden of proof on the injured customer. Custodial liability under the Civil Code applies to property owners and custodians outside the merchant context and depends on whether they knew or should have known of the defect.

The right framework depends on where the fall occurred, who owned or controlled the premises, and how the hazard developed. Slip and fall cases require prompt investigation, evidence preservation, and careful documentation of the injury.

Types of Slip and Fall Cases We Handle in New Orleans

Slip and fall injuries in New Orleans occur in a wide range of settings, from grocery stores and restaurants to hotels, sidewalks, parking lots, apartment buildings, and elevators. The type of premises, the party responsible, and the severity of the injury all affect how the claim is developed. Our firm handles slip and fall matters arising from the situations below.

• Wet floor and spill accidents. Grocery stores, retailers, and restaurants owe a heightened duty under the Louisiana merchant liability statute to inspect for and remove hazards. We look at cleaning schedules, inspection logs, and video footage to establish the store’s knowledge of the hazard.
• Restaurant floors and entryways. Grease, water, and dropped food are common hazards, and the store’s knowledge of the condition is often a central issue in these cases.
• Hotel and hospitality accidents. Poolside surfaces, lobby entrances, bathrooms, ballrooms, and event spaces are common sites of injury in the French Quarter and Central Business District.
• Stair and step falls. Missing handrails, uneven risers, worn treads, and inadequate lighting cause falls that lead to broken bones, head injuries, and orthopedic damage.
• Parking lot and sidewalk falls. Cracked concrete, pothole edges, drainage puddles, and unmarked height differences can create hidden trip hazards outside the store or property.
• Apartment complex and landlord accidents. Broken walkways, poorly lit stairwells, and hazardous common areas can support claims against the landlord or property management company.
• Elevator and escalator accidents. Malfunctioning equipment, sudden stops, and misleveling can cause serious falls and injuries. These claims often involve the property owner and the elevator maintenance company.
• Spinal cord injuries. Falls onto hard surfaces can cause damage to the spinal cord, resulting in loss of sensation, motor function, and long-term care needs. Life-care planning is central to these claims.
• Serious injuries. Hip fractures in elderly victims, severe traumatic brain injuries, and multi-fracture injuries can require lifelong care. We coordinate medical and financial professionals to value the loss.
• Wrongful death. When a slip and fall proves fatal, the surviving family may bring a wrongful death action against the responsible property owner or merchant.

Why Choose Kiefer & Kiefer as My Slip and Fall Lawyer in New Orleans, LA?

Kiefer & Kiefer has represented injured people in Louisiana for over four decades and has recovered millions of dollars for clients across the state. In slip and fall cases, the outcome often depends on prompt scene investigation, preservation of video and inspection records, and detailed medical documentation. We handle the scene work quickly and build the medical record with treating physicians to document the full impact of the injury. Several of our attorneys previously represented insurance defendants and property owners, and that background continues to inform how we anticipate the defense’s arguments about knowledge of the hazard and comparative fault.

New Orleans Trial Advocacy and Peer Recognition

Megan Kiefer is a partner at Kiefer & Kiefer and was named a top personal injury lawyer for litigation in New Orleans by New Orleans Magazine. She has been recognized by Super Lawyers from 2022 to 2024 and was previously named a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2017 to 2020. Megan is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and has been inducted into the Litigation Counsel of America. She serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Tulane University Law School teaching Trial Advocacy. Our work as a personal injury lawyer in New Orleans, LA includes representing clients hurt in slip and fall accidents across Orleans Parish.

What Is Important to Understand About a Slip and Fall Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Slip and Fall Cases

Louisiana slip and fall cases allow recovery from the property owner, tenant, merchant, or other party responsible for the hazardous condition. Recovery in these cases can include:

• Emergency, hospital, and follow-up medical care.
• Future medical care and rehabilitation when the injury has long-term effects.
• Wage losses during recovery and diminished earning capacity when the injury limits work.
• Pain, suffering, physical impairment, and disfigurement.
• Out-of-pocket expenses and household services during recovery.

Louisiana merchant liability requires the injured customer to prove the hazard, the merchant’s actual or constructive notice, and the failure to exercise reasonable care. Custodial liability outside the merchant context requires proof of the defect, knowledge, and the failure to correct or warn. The types of damages available depend on the setting, the party responsible, and the severity of the injury.

What Are Important Aspects of a Slip and Fall Case?

Slip and fall cases in New Orleans are shaped by evidence that can disappear within hours or days of the incident. Store video is often overwritten, cleaning logs are kept for short periods, and witness memories fade. Prompt reporting and preservation affect the strength of the claim.

• Photographs from your phone showing the hazard, the surrounding area, and the shoes you were wearing help establish the condition at the time of the fall.
• A written incident report completed at the scene should be requested from the property owner, manager, or store representative.
• Video footage from cameras at the scene should be preserved as soon as possible, before it is overwritten in the routine cycle.
• Medical records connecting the injury to the incident support the causation element and reflect the severity of the injury.
• What you post on social media can be used to argue that the injury is not as serious as claimed, so caution matters.

Louisiana applies a modified comparative fault standard for accidents on or after January 1, 2026, which can reduce or bar recovery based on the injured person’s share of fault. The defense often shifts blame to the injured person, so anticipating this matters.

What Is the Slip and Fall Case Timeline?

How long a slip and fall case takes depends on injury severity, whether liability is disputed, and the defense’s willingness to negotiate. Most matters follow this general path:

• Medical treatment and evaluation until the treating physician confirms the extent of the injury.
• Investigation of the scene, including photographs, incident reports, and video preservation requests.
• Identification of every responsible party and their insurance carrier.
• Filing suit within the two-year prescription period when a fair settlement is not offered.
• Discovery, including depositions of store employees, the injured person, and any witnesses.
• Settlement negotiations, mediation, or trial before a jury.

Resolving a case before the medical picture is fully known can leave significant future losses uncompensated.

What Should You Bring to Your Slip and Fall Consultation?

A first meeting is more useful with certain items in hand, but nothing is required to schedule the consultation. Where possible, bring:

• Any incident report you completed or received at the scene.
• Photographs and video from your phone showing the hazard, the area, and any injuries.
• Medical records, imaging studies, and receipts for treatment and prescription medications.
• Names and contact information of witnesses, store employees, and property personnel.
• Insurance information and correspondence with the property owner or its insurer.
• The clothing and footwear you were wearing at the time of the fall, if still available.

The consultation is free and provides an opportunity to review your options and understand the standards that apply to your case.

What Are Important Louisiana Legal Resources for Slip and Fall Cases?

Louisiana law governs slip and fall claims and has been updated in recent years. The materials below are the authoritative starting points for anyone reviewing the framework directly.

• Merchants such as grocery stores and retailers are held to the specific standard set out in La. R.S. 9:2800.6.
• Property owners and custodians outside the merchant context may be liable under La. C.C. Art. 2317.1 when they knew or should have known of the defect.
• The general negligence and damages framework is codified at La. C.C. Art. 2315.
• Louisiana’s comparative fault rules are set out in La. C.C. Art. 2323, and a modified 51 percent bar applies to accidents on or after January 1, 2026.
• Personal injury claims are subject to a two-year prescription period under La. C.C. Art. 3493.1, effective July 1, 2024.

Reach Out to Kiefer & Kiefer to Schedule a Consultation

If a slip and fall has left you facing medical bills, lost income, or an insurer disputing your claim, we can help you understand your legal options under Louisiana premises liability and merchant liability law. Our firm handles slip and fall matters on a contingency fee, meaning no attorney fees are owed unless we obtain a recovery. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with our New Orleans slip and fall attorney.