When a Property Owner's Negligence Puts You on the Ground, the Law Is on Your Side

Hazardous conditions on someone else's property are the property owner's responsibility — and Minnesota law holds them to that standard. If you were hurt in a slip and fall or any other premises-related accident, embarrassment is not the same as fault. We can tell you the difference.

What Minnesota Premises Liability Law Actually Requires of Property Owners

Minnesota law does not give property owners a pass because a hazard developed quickly or because they were short-staffed that day. Owners and occupiers of property have a legal duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions for people on their premises — and the scope of that duty depends on why you were there.

 

The law recognizes three categories of visitors, each carrying a different standard of care:

 

  • Invitees — customers, shoppers, and business visitors — are owed the highest duty. Property owners must actively inspect for hazards and correct them promptly.
  • Licensees — social guests and others permitted on the property — are owed a duty to warn of known dangers the visitor would not reasonably discover on their own.
  • Trespassers — individuals present without permission — are owed the lowest duty, though owners may not willfully or recklessly create danger.

 

If you were a customer at a grocery store, a shopper on Nicollet Mall, a tenant in an apartment building, or a visitor at any commercial property in Minneapolis, you were almost certainly an invitee. That classification carries the strongest legal protections available.

Wedding rings on a divorce document as a person signs it with a pen.

Minnesota's No-Fault Insurance System

Minnesota operates under a no-fault auto insurance system. After a car accident, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays for initial medical expenses and a portion of lost wages — regardless of who caused the crash. PIP benefits are capped, and they don't compensate you for pain, suffering, or the full scope of your economic losses.

Minnesota Winters Create Real Legal Exposure — and Property Owners Know It

From October through March, ice and snow accumulation on sidewalks, parking lots, building entrances, and outdoor stairs represent some of the most common — and most preventable — hazards in the state. A property owner who fails to salt, sand, or clear a walkway within a reasonable time after a storm cannot simply claim the conditions were beyond their control. Foreseeability is the legal standard, and Minnesota winters are entirely foreseeable.

 

Premises liability claims in this state arise from a wide range of conditions, including:

 

  • Ice and snow accumulation on exterior walkways, stairs, and parking lots
  • Wet or slippery floors inside retail stores, restaurants, and grocery stores
  • Defective or broken stairs, handrails, and flooring
  • Inadequate lighting in stairwells, hallways, parking structures, and building entrances
  • Security failures that allow foreseeable criminal acts on the premises
  • Unmarked hazards or conditions hidden from a reasonable visitor's view

 

Whether the hazard was seasonal or structural, the question is the same: did the property owner know, or should they have known, about the condition — and did they fail to address it within a reasonable time? That is a factual question. We know how to answer it.

Black right-pointing arrow icon on a white background

Personal injury representation for individuals injured in auto and truck accidents, construction accidents, premises liability incidents, dog bites, and product liability matters — plaintiff-side, across all licensed states

Where These Cases Happen — and Why Evidence Disappears Quickly

Premises liability claims arise at properties across the full range of commercial and residential settings — retail stores and shopping centers, restaurants and bars, grocery stores, apartment complexes, parking lots and ramps, government-owned buildings, schools, hotels, and private residences. In Minneapolis, that includes high-traffic corridors like Hennepin Avenue, downtown retail districts, Target Field and surrounding event venues, and the skyway system connecting buildings throughout the core.

 

What these locations have in common is that they generate evidence: surveillance footage, incident reports, maintenance logs, inspection records, and witness accounts. That evidence has a short shelf life. Footage gets overwritten. Reports get filed and forgotten. Witnesses move on. The property owner's legal team begins building their defense from the moment they learn of your injury.

 

We move quickly to preserve the record before it disappears — because your account combined with their own documentation is often the most powerful case you can make.

You Pay Nothing Unless We Recover Compensation

Black law scales and laurel wreath with a star below on a white background
Black heart icon on a white background
Black phone handset over an open envelope icon on a white background

Why Plaintiffs Who Hire Trial-Ready Counsel Recover More

Most premises liability cases settle before trial. But the terms of that settlement are shaped almost entirely by what the property owner and their insurer believe you are prepared to do if they refuse to offer fair value. A firm that settles every case sends a signal to defense counsel. We do not send that signal.

 

At Pattee, Tewksbury & Kerfeld, our attorneys represent both plaintiffs and major corporate defendants in civil litigation — including insurance carriers, national retailers, and self-insured entities. We know exactly how defense teams evaluate claims, what arguments they prepare, and where their exposure concerns lie. That perspective informs how we build every premises liability case we take.

 

Our approach to these cases includes:

 

  • Early evidence preservation — surveillance footage, maintenance records, and incident reports secured before they are lost or destroyed
  • Expert analysis of the hazardous condition and the applicable standard of care
  • A damages evaluation that accounts for medical costs, lost income, long-term care needs, and non-economic harm
  • Preparation for trial from day one, not as a last resort

Many California families begin planning because they own a home, have children, want to simplify future administration, or want to avoid unnecessary probate proceedings. In communities like Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, and Calabasas, real estate often represents a significant portion of family wealth, making proper planning especially important.

Two overlapping speech bubbles, one white with a question mark and one black behind it.

Premises Liability Questions We Hear From Minnesota Injury Victims

  • What is premises liability in Minnesota?

    Premises liability is the area of law that holds property owners and occupiers responsible for injuries caused by unsafe conditions on their property. In Minnesota, a property owner who knew or should have known about a hazardous condition and failed to correct it within a reasonable time can be held liable for injuries that result. The duty of care owed depends on the visitor's legal classification — invitee, licensee, or trespasser.

  • What counts as a hazardous condition under Minnesota law?

    A hazardous condition is any physical state of the property that creates an unreasonable risk of harm to visitors who exercise ordinary care for their own safety. Common examples include ice and snow accumulation, wet or slippery interior floors, broken or defective stairs and handrails, inadequate lighting, and unmarked spills or surface changes. Whether a specific condition qualifies is a factual question that depends on what the owner knew, how long the condition existed, and whether a reasonable person would have recognized it as dangerous.

  • How long do I have to file a premises liability claim in Minnesota?

    Minnesota's statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including premises liability, is generally six years from the date of injury. However, claims against government entities — such as a city-owned sidewalk or a public building — carry a much shorter notice requirement, sometimes as little as 180 days. If a government property may be involved in your injury, contact an attorney as soon as possible to avoid missing a critical deadline.

  • What should I do immediately after a slip and fall accident?

    Report the incident to the property owner or manager before you leave the premises and request a copy of any incident report they create. Photograph the hazardous condition, your injuries, and the surrounding area if you are able to do so safely. Collect the names and contact information of any witnesses. Seek medical attention promptly, even if your injuries seem minor — gaps in medical care are frequently used by defense teams to minimize claims. Do not give a recorded statement to the property owner's insurer before speaking with an attorney.

  • What if I was partly at fault for my own fall?

    Minnesota follows a modified comparative fault rule. If you were partially at fault for your injury, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault — but you can still recover as long as you were not more than 50% responsible. A property owner's insurer will often argue that you were distracted, wearing improper footwear, or otherwise contributed to the fall. We prepare for those arguments from the start and build the factual record to counter them.

Injured on Someone Else's Property? We Can Tell You Whether You Have a Claim.

You do not need to decide right now whether what happened to you was the property owner's fault. That is exactly what a case evaluation is for. We will review the facts, explain how Minnesota premises liability law applies to your situation, and give you an honest assessment of your options — at no cost and with no obligation to proceed.

 

Call us at 612-334-3399 or 800-837-9117, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also submit your information through our contact form and we will follow up promptly.