Racine Slip and Fall Lawyer

Were you injured in a slip and fall accident in Racine, WI?

At Hickey & Turim, S.C., we provide recognized slip and fall representation for injured clients throughout Racine.

If you were hurt in a fall on property someone else controls, an attorney can help you pursue payment for the harm that fall caused. Since 1989, our firm has represented injured people across Wisconsin. Our Racine, WI slip and fall accident lawyer from our office can examine the conditions that led to your fall, identify the owner or tenant responsible, and hold the insurer to the full value of your claim. The first meeting is a free consultation with no obligation attached. Contact our office when you are ready to review your options.

Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer Racine, WI

A slip and fall accident lawyer represents people injured when a property owner, business, or landlord allowed a dangerous condition to exist where visitors walk. These claims arise under premises liability law, which holds the party in control of a property responsible for hazardous conditions it created, had actual knowledge of, or should have discovered and corrected through reasonable inspection.

Unintentional falls sent more than 132,100 Wisconsin residents to an emergency department in 2024 and caused over 16,400 hospitalizations, according to Wisconsin DHS fall data. Insurers answer most of these claims by arguing the hazard was open and obvious, or that the injured person was not watching where they walked. A Racine slip and fall attorney meets that position with photographs, inspection logs, surveillance footage, and witness accounts.

Types of Slip and Fall Accident Cases We Handle in Racine

Falls happen on nearly every kind of surface, and the responsible party changes with the setting. Our attorneys represent Racine, WI residents hurt in the fall cases listed below, and each one calls for its own proof of who controlled the property and what they knew.

• Snow and ice falls. Lake-effect weather leaves entryways, sidewalks, and parking lots across Racine slick for days at a time. We establish when the storm ended and what was done to treat the surface, then sort out whether the owner of commercial property or a snow-removal contractor is responsible.
• Wet floor accidents. Grocery stores, restaurants, and big-box retailers deal with spills, tracked-in rain, and mopped aisles every day. How long the liquid sat before you fell often decides whether the store should have known, so we pull inspection logs and sweep schedules early.
• Stairway and handrail falls. Loose treads, missing handrails, and uneven step heights produce some of the worst injuries we see. We document the stair as it existed that day and compare it to what a careful owner would have maintained.
• Parking lot falls. Potholes, crumbling curbs, unmarked wheel stops, and burned-out lighting turn a short walk to the car into an emergency room visit. Responsibility may belong to the business, the landlord, or a maintenance contractor, and our attorneys determine which party owed the duty before the claim is filed.
• Retail store falls. Merchandise left in aisles, torn mats at the entrance, and cluttered checkout lanes injure customers in stores across Racine. We request the incident report and video promptly, because retention periods for footage are short.
• Rental property falls. Tenants and guests hurt by broken steps, leaking pipes, or dark common areas may have a claim against the landlord. A landlord’s liability for a fall inside rental property depends on prior notice of the defect. Repair requests and written complaints establish that notice.
• Uneven pavement and sidewalk trips. Raised concrete slabs, cracked walkways, and unmarked elevation changes catch a foot without warning. The city maintains a sidewalk repair request system for this exact problem, and a defect reported before your fall is strong evidence that someone knew about it.

Why Choose Hickey & Turim, S.C. as my Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer in Racine, WI?

Thirty-Seven Years on the Injured Person’s Side

David Turim was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1985 and co-founded Hickey & Turim, S.C. in 1989. His practice centers on injury and work-injury claims. He holds a law degree from Marquette University Law School and an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a member of the Wisconsin Association for Justice, a statewide organization of attorneys who represent injured people. Plaintiff work is the only work our personal injury lawyer in Racine, WI has ever done, and premises liability claims have been part of that from the beginning.

Recoveries That Fund the Case, Not the Client

Our clients have seen millions of dollars recovered through settlements and verdicts over the decades, and our firm has represented thousands of injury victims in that time. Every Racine slip and fall case we accept runs on a contingency basis. Attorney fees are paid only out of a recovery, and the first meeting carries no cost. We advance the cost of records and investigation while the claim is pending, so a family already facing medical bills does not fund the case out of pocket. Our attorneys have also earned recognition from Super Lawyers.

Understanding Slip and Fall Accident Cases

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Slip and Fall Accident Cases

Liability in a fall case means proving negligent conduct by whoever controlled the property. Once that is established, compensation is measured by the financial and personal losses the fall has caused. Medical bills come first, from the ambulance ride through surgery, therapy, and any future care a physician expects. Lost wages follow, along with reduced earning capacity when a fractured hip or a herniated disc keeps you out of your previous job.

Pain, physical limitation, and lost enjoyment of life are compensable as well, even though no receipt measures them. The way a fall happens also affects the claim, because the difference between a slip and a trip changes what the owner should have noticed and how long the hazard likely existed. When a fall proves fatal, Wisconsin’s wrongful death statute defines what surviving family members may recover.

What Are Important Aspects of a Slip and Fall Accident Case?

Notice is the decisive issue in nearly every fall claim. An owner is responsible only for a hazard they created, knew about, or should have found through reasonable inspection, so the case is built around what they knew and when. The items below tend to be the most important factors.

• Photographs of the exact spot, taken before the condition is cleaned up or repaired.
• An incident report filed with the store or landlord on the day of the fall.
• Medical treatment that begins promptly and continues without gaps.
• The footwear, lighting, and weather at the time, since insurers raise each of these.
• Names of employees and witnesses who saw the hazard or the fall itself.

Wisconsin’s comparative negligence rule stands behind every item on that list. Your recovery is reduced by whatever share of fault is assigned to you, and it is barred entirely once your share exceeds the defendant’s. Adjusters know that a distracted pedestrian or a warning cone is their best argument, which is why evidence preserved in the first few days is so impactful later.

What Is The Slip and Fall Accident Case Timeline?

How long a slip and fall case takes depends on the injuries and on whether the property owner is willing to accept responsibility. Straightforward claims can resolve in a few months. Cases involving serious injuries or contested liability often go on a year or more. Most cases move through these stages.

1. Treatment continues until your doctor can describe your lasting limitations.
2. We send preservation letters for video and maintenance records and interview witnesses.
3. A demand goes to the property owner’s liability insurer with the medical proof attached.
4. Negotiation follows, and many premises claims settle at this stage.
5. If the insurer refuses a fair figure, we file suit in Racine County Circuit Court and prepare the case for trial.

Wisconsin gives most injured people three years to file under the statute of limitations. Video and witness memory fade long before that deadline, which is one reason we’d rather hear from you early.

What Should You Bring to Your Slip and Fall Accident Consultation?

A productive first meeting starts with the right materials. Whatever you cannot locate now, we can request later.

• Photos or video of the hazard, your footwear, and your injuries.
• The incident report and the name of the manager or landlord you spoke with.
• Medical records, bills, and any work restrictions from your doctor.
• Letters, emails, or recorded calls from the property owner’s insurer.

Most Dangerous Locations for Slip and Fall Accidents in Racine, WI

Falls in Racine concentrate where foot traffic, lake weather, and deferred maintenance meet. The areas below produce many of the premises claims we see from the city.

Retail and commercial properties:

• Regency Mall on Durand Avenue, where large parking fields and multiple entrances collect ice, slush, and spilled drinks.
• The Washington Avenue retail corridor along Highway 20, lined with grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants with busy entryways.
• Durand Avenue shopping strips along Highway 11, where aging lots and curbs develop cracks and potholes.
• Downtown Main Street and Monument Square, where older buildings bring uneven thresholds and steep interior stairs.

Public walkways, parking areas, and lakefront paths:

• The lakefront pathway near Reefpoint Marina and North Beach, where spray, algae, and wind-driven ice leave surfaces slick well into spring.
• Festival Park and Pershing Park walkways during summer events, when crowds and temporary cabling create trip hazards.
• Municipal parking ramps and surface lots downtown, where dim lighting hides curbs and oil spots.
• Residential sidewalks in older neighborhoods, where heaved slabs and unshoveled walks cause winter falls.

Reach Out to Hickey & Turim, S.C. to Schedule a Consultation

A fall on someone else’s property should not leave you carrying the medical bills alone. We can review the conditions, the notice evidence, and the insurer’s position. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation. Contact us to arrange a free consultation with a Racine slip and fall accident lawyer