$600,000 Slip and Fall Settlement in Nassau County

The maintenance worker said the bathroom floor was dry. Our client walked in, trusting that assurance, and her feet went out from under her on a wet surface. She fell hard enough to require surgery — injured by a condition the property's own employee told her didn't exist.

Slip and Fall on a Wet Bathroom Floor in Nassau County

Our client was at a property in the Mineola area of Nassau County when she needed to use the bathroom. Before entering, a maintenance person employed by the property advised our client that the bathroom floor was dry. Relying on that assurance, our client entered the bathroom and stepped onto a floor that was, in fact, wet. Her feet lost traction on the wet surface, and she fell — striking the ground with enough force to cause injuries that required medical treatment and ultimately surgical intervention.

A slip and fall on a wet bathroom floor is dangerous in any circumstance, but the presence of the maintenance worker's assurance added a critical dimension to this case. Our client did not assume the risk of a wet floor — she was specifically told the floor was dry by a person who was employed to maintain the property and who had apparent authority to make that representation. The false assurance eliminated the opportunity our client would otherwise have had to exercise caution on a potentially slippery surface.

The Maintenance Worker's False Assurance and Property Liability

Property owners and their employees have a duty not only to maintain safe conditions but also to warn occupants of known hazards. When a maintenance worker affirmatively tells a person that a floor is dry — when it is not — that statement goes beyond a failure to warn. It is an affirmative misrepresentation that directly contributed to the fall by eliminating the injured person's natural caution around wet surfaces.

Our attorneys investigated the source of the water on the bathroom floor, the maintenance worker's responsibilities, and the property's cleaning and inspection protocols. The evidence established that the bathroom had a recurring water issue — whether from a leak, condensation, or cleaning — and that the maintenance worker was aware of the condition. The representation that the floor was dry was not an honest mistake; it was either a conscious misstatement or a reckless disregard for the actual conditions. Either way, the property bore liability for the fall.

"The maintenance person looked our client in the eye and said the floor was dry. She trusted that — why wouldn't you trust the person whose job it is to maintain the building? The floor was wet, she slipped, she fell, and she needed surgery. The property's own employee created the conditions for this fall by telling our client it was safe to walk on a surface that wasn't." — Andrew Levine, Founding Partner

$600,000 Settlement for a Nassau County Slip and Fall

This $600,000 settlement covers emergency treatment, surgical intervention, rehabilitation, lost wages, and the permanent physical limitations our client now manages. It holds the property owner accountable for both the wet floor condition and the maintenance worker's affirmative misrepresentation that the floor was safe to walk on.

If you slipped and fell on a wet floor at a commercial property or building, our premises liability attorneys have experience proving property negligence and are ready to review your claim.