Arkansas premises liability law holds property owners accountable for slip-and-fall injuries if they fail to maintain safe conditions, but victims must prove negligence and share less than 50% fault. Compensation is possible through insurance claims or lawsuits, covering medical bills, lost wages, and pain, typically within a 3-year statute of limitations.
Fault Determination
Property owners owe a duty to keep premises reasonably safe for invitees (e.g., shoppers), warning of or fixing known hazards like spills or ice. Liability requires proving: (1) a dangerous condition existed, (2) the owner knew or should have known (actual or constructive notice), (3) they failed to act/warn, and (4) it caused your injury. Arkansas follows modified comparative negligence—if you’re 50%+ at fault (e.g., ignoring signs), no recovery; otherwise, damages reduce by your fault percentage.
Compensation Potential
Victims can seek economic (bills, wages) and non-economic (pain) damages if negligence is shown via photos, witnesses, incident reports, or surveillance. Open/known hazards (e.g., natural snow) lower owner liability unless unreasonably dangerous; businesses face higher scrutiny. Successful claims often settle via insurance; trials are rare but possible if disputed.
