Ft Lauderdale Slip & Fall Lawyer: BP Drink Spills Near Checkout, Loose Cords & Trip Hazards — Steps to Protect Your Claim

Did you slip or trip at a BP gas station in Fort Lauderdale? Whether you fell on a drink spill, tripped over a cord, or were hurt by another hazard, you may have a valid premises liability claim. Florida law holds business owners responsible for keeping their property safe for customers. A Fort Lauderdale slip and fall lawyer from Wolfson & Leon can review your case for free.

BP gas stations in Fort Lauderdale have convenience stores, fuel areas, and checkout zones — and each area creates slip and fall risks. Common hazards include:

• Drink spills near checkout counters — beverage cups knocked off counters, leaking fountain drinks, or wet floors from rain
• Loose or tangled electrical cords near checkout, display areas, or promotional stands
• Wet floors near cooler sections where condensation builds up
• Spilled cleaning fluids or mopped floors without wet floor signs
• Uneven flooring, raised threshold strips, or damaged floor mats near entrances
• Merchandise or promotional displays that block walkways and reduce visibility

Under Florida Statute § 768.0755, a customer who slips on a liquid spill must prove the business knew about the hazard. For structural hazards like loose cords or damaged floor mats, the duty of care under § 768.0710 applies — and the owner may be liable even without prior notice if the hazard results from poor property management.

Your actions in the first hour after a fall are critical.

1. Report the fall to the store manager immediately. Get a written incident report. Ask for a copy before you leave the property.
2. Photograph the hazard — whether it is a spill, a loose cord, or a damaged floor mat. Take multiple photos before anything is cleaned up or moved.
3. Identify witnesses. Ask anyone nearby for their name and contact information.
4. Seek medical attention the same day. Some injuries — especially to the spine, hips, and knees — do not show full severity right away.
5. Keep your footwear. Do not wash or throw away the shoes you wore. They may be examined for evidence.
6. Do not give a recorded statement to the BP insurance company before consulting a Fort Lauderdale slip and fall lawyer.

BP stations and their convenience stores have security cameras. Footage is typically stored for 24 to 72 hours before being overwritten. Your attorney can send a written evidence preservation demand the same day as the accident. This demand should cover:

• All video footage of the area where you fell, for at least two hours before and after the incident
• Any footage of who was responsible for the area — employees, cleaning staff, or managers
• Prior incident logs and maintenance records for the same location
• Cleaning and inspection schedules

If the station destroys footage after your lawyer sends a demand, a court can allow the jury to hold that against the station.

Do not wait to see a doctor. Common injuries from convenience store and gas station slip and falls include:

• Knee injuries — sprains, ligament tears, or cartilage damage
• Ankle fractures and sprains
• Hip fractures — serious in older adults with reduced bone density
• Back and spinal injuries — including herniated discs
• Wrist fractures from bracing for a fall
• Head injuries — even mild concussions require medical documentation

Tell your doctor exactly how and where the fall occurred. Keep records of every appointment, prescription, and bill. Insurance adjusters use gaps in treatment as a reason to reduce or deny claims.

Avoid these common errors after a fall at a BP in Fort Lauderdale:

• Not documenting the hazard before it is cleaned or repaired
• Posting about the accident on social media
• Talking to the insurance company without a lawyer
• Missing follow-up medical visits
• Delaying medical care — each gap gives the insurer an argument
• Waiting to consult an attorney — Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a) gives you only two years from the date of injury to file

For a liquid spill, Florida Statute § 768.0755 requires you to show the business knew about it. For structural hazards like loose cords, the standard is whether the owner used reasonable care to maintain the property.

To prove either type of claim, relevant evidence includes:

• Video footage showing how long the hazard existed before the fall
• Maintenance and inspection logs with evidence of neglect
• Prior complaints or incident reports for the same area
• Photos taken at the scene before cleanup
• Medical records establishing a direct link between the fall and your injuries
• Testimony from employees, witnesses, or expert witnesses

A Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney at Wolfson & Leon can investigate and build this evidence record. Learn more about premises liability at wolfsonlawfirm.com.

Bone density determines how severely a person is hurt in a fall. This is an important factor in many slip and fall cases at convenience stores and gas stations, where the surfaces are hard tile or concrete.

The National Institutes of Health says about 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Another 44 million have low bone density. For a person with weak bones, a slip that might cause bruises in a younger adult can result in a fractured hip, wrist, vertebra, or shoulder. These injuries require surgery, extended recovery, and ongoing care.

Florida's "eggshell plaintiff" doctrine applies here. This means the property owner is responsible for all your injuries — even those made worse by weak bones. The fact that your bones were weaker does not reduce BP's liability. In some cases, it increases the value of your claim.

If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, ask your treating physician to document this in your medical records and explain how it contributed to the severity of your injuries.

A successful slip and fall claim in Fort Lauderdale may provide:

• Medical expenses — emergency care, imaging, surgery, physical therapy, follow-up visits
• Future medical costs if you need ongoing treatment
• Lost wages if your injury kept you from working
• Reduced earning capacity if the injury permanently limits your ability to work
• Pain and suffering — physical pain and emotional distress
• Permanent disability or impairment
• Home care costs during recovery

Florida's comparative fault rules apply under Florida Statute § 768.81. If you were partly at fault, your payout goes down. But you can still collect if you are less than 51% responsible.

Fighting a large fuel company and its insurance team alone is hard. Their adjusters are paid to limit payouts. An experienced Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer at Wolfson & Leon can help you through every step.

Wolfson & Leon can:

• Investigate the scene and document evidence before it disappears
• Send preservation demands for video and records right away
• Find every liable party — the franchise operator, property owner, or cleaning contractor
• Calculate the full value of your damages, including future medical needs
• Handle all communication with the insurer
• Take your case to court if a fair settlement is not offered

You owe nothing unless they recover for you. Call a Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer at Wolfson & Leon at (305) 285-1115. The firm handles all personal injury matters across Fort Lauderdale and all of Florida. Visit the car accident page for more about how the firm can help with all types of accident cases.

Come prepared with:

• Photos and video from the scene of your fall
• A copy of the incident report if you obtained one
• Medical records and bills so far
• A list of witnesses and their contact information
• The footwear you wore that day
• A written timeline of events while details are still fresh

• Florida Statute § 768.0755 — Premises liability for transitory foreign substances
• Florida Statute § 768.0710 — Duty of care for business owners
• Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a) — Personal injury statute of limitations
• Florida Statute § 768.81 — Comparative fault
• NIH — Osteoporosis overview
• Wolfson & Leon — Premises Liability
• Wolfson & Leon — Car Accidents
• Wolfson & Leon — Serious Injury
• Miami Personal Injury Attorney Blog

Since 1963, Jerome Wolfson, Esq. and the team at Wolfson & Leon have proudly served accident victims across Florida:

• Miami
• Orlando
• Tampa
• Jacksonville
• Fort Lauderdale
• West Palm Beach
• Fort Myers
• Cape Coral
• Sarasota
• Clearwater
• Tallahassee

Let us help you get back on the road to recovery. Call (305) 285-1115 today. Our team will handle your case with the personal care and attention you deserve.