Orem Slip and Fall Lawyer

Orem's fall cases follow its shoppers and its commuter students. University Place draws a steady crowd to one of Utah County's largest shopping properties, and Utah Valley University sends thousands of people across big parking lots and walkways each day. Add the apartment complexes and strip centers along State Street, and winter ice becomes the common thread.

Orem City Code 16-1-6 makes owners and occupants responsible for keeping their sidewalks clear of snow and ice, according to the city's Snow Patrol guidance. A lease can move that chore between landlord and tenant, which is one reason we read the lease early.

What an Orem Claim Needs

Falls seldom leave an official report behind. The case depends on showing a dangerous condition, that the business, landlord or school knew of it or should have caught it with reasonable care, and that the condition is what made you fall.

Get the name of the manager you told, ask for a copy of any incident report, and write down the exact time. Large retailers usually have entrance and lot cameras, but how long footage is kept is up to the business, so a written request to preserve it should go out quickly.

Who Owes What Under Utah Law

Utah measures a property owner's obligations by the visitor's purpose:

• Invited customers and residents: the owner must look for hazards and fix them or give a real warning.
• Social visitors: the host has to warn about dangers the host knows of.
• Uninvited entrants: the duty is narrow.

"You could have seen it" is the most common defense. It may reduce what you receive, but it is not a full answer when the owner should have expected shoppers or students to cross the hazard anyway.

Comparative fault. Under Utah Code § 78B-5-818, fault is divided in percentages. You can recover only if the defendants' total exceeds yours, and your own percentage comes off the award.

Time limits. Most injury lawsuits must be filed within four years. UVU is a state university and the city owns its sidewalks and parks, so a fall on public property calls for a written notice of claim within one year (§ 63G-7-402). Our deadline guide covers the others.

Orem Places Behind Fall Claims

University Place at 575 East University Parkway, where mall entrances, restaurant areas and a large surface parking field each bring their own hazards, and where a store tenant, the property owner and a maintenance contractor may share responsibility.

The UVU campus and the housing around it, where students cross lots and walk to bus stops in the dark on winter mornings. Because UVU is a public institution, the one-year notice deadline applies to a fall on its property.

Grocery stores and strip centers along State Street and 800 North, where carts, entry mats and melting snow account for many falls. If a vehicle crash was part of what happened, see our Orem car accident page; our Orem personal injury page covers other claims.

Typical Orem Hazards

Refrozen meltwater at store doors, unpainted curbs at parking-lot islands, torn or bunched entry mats, spilled produce, uneven apartment walkways and stairwells with dead bulbs.

Injuries We Hear About

Broken wrists, elbows and ankles, knee damage, concussions and spinal injuries. Timpanogos Regional Hospital on 800 North has a 24-hour emergency department, and severe trauma often goes to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo.

Recoverable Losses

• Out-of-pocket losses: medical bills, future treatment, and lost pay or earning ability.
• Personal losses: pain, distress and the activities you can no longer do.
• Future care: when a fall leaves a permanent limitation.

Arguments We Expect

The insurer may say the ice formed right before you fell, that a warning cone was out, or that your shoes were wrong for the weather. Weather history, cleaning logs, the lease and early photos respond to those claims. A case that has to be filed goes to the Fourth Judicial District Court for Utah County in Provo. Read our slip and fall guide and the Utah case steps for the full process.