Are slip and fall cases heard in civil or criminal court?

In Massachusetts, slip and fall cases are heard in civil court. Slip and fall cases are considered a type of personal injury lawsuit, which are civil cases. This means that a slip and fall case is between two parties, the plaintiff and defendant, with the plaintiff trying to seek damages from the defendant. Slip and fall cases are primarily associated with premises liability, which is the legal responsibility of a property owner to maintain a safe environment for people who come onto the property. In the event that a property owner fails to appropriately maintain a safe environment, the injured party may sue for damages due to the negligence of the property owner. In order to be successful in a slip and fall case, the plaintiff must prove that the property owner knew, or should have known, that a hazard was present on the property and the property owner failed to take reasonable steps to address the hazard. Since slip and fall cases are private civil matters, the decisions in slip and fall cases are determined by a judge and/or jury. The outcome of the case could result in the defendant paying monetary damages to the plaintiff. Therefore, slip and fall cases are generally heard in civil court.

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Are slip and fall cases heard in civil or criminal court?

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