Were you injured in a slip and fall accident at a Costco in Florida?

Trial-tested slip and fall lawyers committed to thorough preparation in every matter. Schedule a free case review with a Florida slip and fall attorney today.

Slip and fall accidents at Costco stores can occur because of hazardous conditions such as wet floors, spilled merchandise, or unsafe walkways. If you were injured at a Costco location in Florida, Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers can help. Our Florida Costco slip and fall lawyer  has more than two decades of experience handling premises liability claims and pursuing compensation for injured clients. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Slip and Fall Lawyer Florida

A slip and fall case is a premises liability claim. In plain terms, it means you were injured on someone else’s property because of a condition they knew about or should have caught, and they did nothing about it. Florida law requires owners and operators of commercial properties to keep their spaces reasonably safe for the people who walk through them. That includes inspecting for hazards, fixing problems when they appear, and putting up warnings when a hazard hasn’t been addressed yet.

Costco runs warehouse-format stores throughout Florida. These are not standard retail environments. Products move on and off the floor constantly, industrial equipment operates during business hours, and foot traffic is enormous. When a location skips an aisle inspection, leaves a spill unattended, or stacks inventory in a way that puts customers at risk, the person who gets hurt has a right to pursue compensation.

Types of Slip and Fall Cases We Handle at Costco Locations

Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers represents clients injured at Costco warehouse stores and parking areas across Florida. These are the scenarios we handle most often.

  • Falling merchandise from shelving. This hazard is what makes Costco cases different from a typical grocery store claim. Products sit on industrial racks well above head height, and when items are stacked improperly or shelves are overloaded, heavy merchandise can shift and fall onto customers. Store owner liability depends on whether Costco’s stacking and inspection practices met the standard of care.
  • Wet floor spills. Condensation dripping from refrigeration units is a constant issue in warehouse stores. So are spills near the food court and in the beverage aisles. If employees don’t clean up or place wet floor warnings within a reasonable window, the store can be held liable for injuries that result.
  • Food sample station hazards. Costco’s product demonstrations draw crowds into tight spaces. Dropped food, spilled liquids, and packaging on the floor around demo tables create fall risks that the store has a duty to monitor.
  • Pallet and equipment obstructions. Most retailers don’t operate forklifts while customers are shopping. Costco does. Pallets left in walkways, flatbed carts blocking an aisle, and equipment staged in customer paths cause trips and falls, especially where tall merchandise blocks sightlines.
  • Parking lot falls. Costco parking lots are massive. Cracked pavement, poor drainage, uneven curbing, and cart corrals in disrepair all contribute to outdoor falls. These surfaces are part of the premises Costco must maintain.
  • Restroom accidents. Standing water on tile, leaking fixtures, and missed cleaning rotations make restrooms a frequent site of fall injuries. Documenting the scene quickly matters because conditions can be cleaned or altered before you have a chance to photograph them.
  • Loading and cart area hazards. Costco customers regularly move large, heavy items from checkout to their vehicles. Uneven ramps, slick surfaces near loading zones, and missing handrails can cause falls resulting in fractures and back injuries.
  • Defective flooring conditions. Costco’s concrete warehouse floors develop cracks and uneven joints over time. Loose entry mats, transitions between surface materials, and freshly cleaned floors with no signage compound the risk. Whether your case involves a slip or a trip matters because each raises different questions about causation and fault.

Why Choose Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers as My Slip and Fall Attorney in Florida?

Results and Recognition in Premises Liability Cases

Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars for clients injured in fall incidents at commercial properties throughout Florida. That record includes a $1.5 million recovery in a premises liability matter.

Elissa Fitzmartin graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where she served on Law Review and Moot Court. She has been named to the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” list for plaintiff’s personal injury litigation and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a distinction limited to attorneys who have secured a verdict or settlement of one million dollars or more. She sits on the Board of Directors for the South Palm Beach County Bar Association. Aaron Warner holds a Juris Doctor from the same institution. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2019, is a Life Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and is listed among Florida Trend’s Legal Elite.

Every Costco slip and fall case we take is on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront. If we don’t recover compensation, you owe us nothing. If you need a slip and fall lawyer in Florida for a premises liability claim against a large commercial retailer, Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers will evaluate your case at no charge.

What Is Important to Understand About a Slip and Fall Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Slip and Fall Cases

Florida law allows you to pursue compensation for medical bills already incurred and treatment you will need going forward. You can recover lost wages if the injury keeps you from working, and if it reduces your future earning capacity, that loss is compensable too. Pain and suffering accounts for physical discomfort and the broader disruption to your daily life.

Proving liability requires showing that Costco knew about the hazard, or that it existed long enough that any reasonable operator would have found it. Lawyers call this “constructive notice.” Proving damages often comes down to whether surveillance footage was preserved, whether cleaning logs show regular inspections, and what employees saw before and after the incident. Florida’s comparative fault rule adds another layer: if you are found more than 50 percent at fault for your own fall, the law bars you from recovering anything.

What Are Important Aspects of a Slip and Fall Case?

A strong slip and fall claim requires evidence and a clear understanding of Florida liability law. Identifying them early makes a real difference.

  • Whether the hazard was something a customer could have reasonably spotted, or whether it was hidden
  • How long the condition existed before the fall, which affects the constructive notice argument
  • Whether surveillance footage and incident reports still exist or have been overwritten
  • Whether employees followed Costco’s own safety and inspection protocols before the fall
  • What comparative fault arguments the defense might use to shift blame onto you

The scale of this problem is significant. CDC injury data shows that falls send millions of people to emergency departments every year, and this isn’t limited to older adults. The National Floor Safety Institute has identified floor-related hazards as a primary driver of slip and fall injuries in commercial settings.

What Is the Slip and Fall Case Timeline?

No two cases move at exactly the same speed. But most Costco slip and fall claims in Florida follow a recognizable pattern.

  • Medical treatment, injury documentation, and incident reporting with the store happen in the first days and weeks
  • Your attorney investigates the location, sends a preservation demand for surveillance footage, and gathers maintenance records over the next one to three months
  • After treatment concludes or your doctors establish a prognosis, a formal demand is prepared and sent to the insurer
  • If the insurance company refuses a fair resolution, a lawsuit is filed, and litigation can last several additional months to over a year
  • Settlement discussions often continue during litigation, and many cases resolve before trial

Florida gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a negligence-based personal injury lawsuit. Miss that window, and the court will dismiss your case.

What Should You Bring to Your Slip and Fall Consultation?

Coming prepared to your first meeting helps us assess the validity of your case.

  • Photographs or video of the hazard and the location where you fell, including any pictures of visible injuries
  • A copy of the incident report you filed with Costco management, if one was completed
  • Medical records, imaging results, and bills from your treatment to date
  • Names and phone numbers for anyone who saw the fall happen
  • Any letters, emails, or calls you have received from Costco, its insurer, or a third-party claims administrator

Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers offers free, confidential consultations. If you were injured at a Florida grocery store or warehouse retailer, we’ll walk you through the negligence analysis and give you a candid review of your claim.

Florida statutes set the rules for premises liability and personal injury claims at Costco and other commercial properties.

  • The statute of limitations for most negligence-based personal injury claims, including slip and fall cases, is two years under Florida Statute § 95.11
  • Florida’s modified comparative negligence standard, including the 50 percent fault threshold that can bar a plaintiff’s recovery entirely, is found in Florida Statute § 768.81
  • Federal OSHA walking-working surface standards outline employer obligations for maintaining safe floor conditions, and those benchmarks are sometimes relevant when evaluating a warehouse retailer’s safety practices
  • The CPSC injury database tracks national data on consumer product-related injuries, including slip, trip, and fall incidents in commercial settings
  • Florida’s general slip and fall laws apply to all commercial premises, including warehouse clubs and membership stores

Reach Out to Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation

If you were hurt in a fall at a Florida Costco, Warner & Fitzmartin, Personal Injury Lawyers can review your claim and walk you through your options. We handle Costco slip and fall cases on a contingency basis, and you owe no fees unless we recover compensation. Your initial consultation is free and confidential. Contact us to speak with a Florida slip and fall attorney about your case. We respond to all inquiries promptly.