You are responsible if your negligence caused the dangerous condition. This means you knew or should have known about a hazard—like a broken step, icy walkway, or wet floor—and failed to fix it or warn visitors about it in a reasonable time. Simply owning the property where someone falls does not automatically make you liable. The key question is whether you acted with reasonable care to keep your property safe for guests, customers, or other expected visitors.

Comparative fault means your compensation can be reduced if you are found partly responsible for your own accident. For example, if you were distracted by your phone in a well-lit area with a visible warning sign, a court might assign you a percentage of fault. If you are deemed 30% at fault, your total compensation would be reduced by 30%. In some states, being more than 50% at fault can bar any recovery.

Liability depends on who was careless or negligent. In a car crash, it’s typically the driver who broke a traffic law or drove unsafely. For a contractor’s work, the company or worker could be liable if their faulty work or unsafe job site directly caused your injury. Sometimes, multiple parties share liability, like a driver and a vehicle manufacturer. Determining fault requires investigating the specific facts and applicable safety rules that were violated.