Funding for Slip and Fall Cases: Why They Take Longer to Settle
4 min read read
Published Apr 2, 2025
The Liability Challenge
Unlike car accidents, where a police report often clearly states who is at fault, "Slip and Fall" (Premises Liability) cases are much grayer. Just because you fell in a store doesn't automatically mean the store is responsible.
To win, your attorney must prove negligence. They have to show that the property owner knew (or should have known) about the dangerous condition—like a spill or a loose step—and failed to fix it in a reasonable time. Because this is hard to prove, insurance companies often fight these cases aggressively, leading to much longer timelines than other personal injury claims.
What We Need to Approve Funding
Because these cases are riskier, our underwriting process is stricter. To approve you for funding, we usually need to see strong evidence, such as:
1. An Incident Report: Filed with the store/property manager at the time of the fall.
2. Surveillance Video: Footage showing the fall or the hazard.
3. Witness Statements: People who saw what happened.
If your attorney has secured this evidence, we can often approve funding. If the case is still "he-said, she-said," we may have to wait until further discovery is done.
Surviving the "Denial" Phase
It is very common for insurance companies to deny liability completely at the beginning of a slip and fall case. They hope you will give up.
This is where funding becomes a strategic weapon. By securing a cash advance, you can afford to pay your bills while your attorney subpoenas maintenance records and tracks down witnesses. It gives you the staying power to fight past the initial denial and get to the real settlement negotiation.
