A fall at a business can mean a broken hip or wrist, a back injury, or a head injury, along with weeks of missed work. Poynter & Bucheri has a Kokomo office at 600 East Markland Ave, and slip and fall claims at businesses are a primary focus of our practice. If you were hurt in a fall in Kokomo or Howard County, call (765) 814-1000.
Where falls happen in Kokomo
Kokomo’s retail corridors, grocery stores, restaurants, and hotels serve shoppers from across north-central Indiana. Common hazards include spilled liquids and produce in aisles, wet entryways, torn or curled mats, uneven thresholds, poorly lit stairs, and potholes or broken curbs in parking lots. See our guides to store and grocery falls, parking lot falls, and restaurant falls.
Winter falls on ice and snow
Snow and ice are a fact of life in Howard County, and many falls happen at entrances, sidewalks, and parking lots from December through March. A business is not responsible for the weather, but it is expected to act reasonably once it knows, or should know, about a dangerous condition on its property. Questions that often matter include when the business last cleared or treated the area, whether it had a snow-removal contractor, and whether melting and refreezing created a hazard it should have addressed.
What Indiana premises law requires
Customers are generally treated as invitees under Indiana law, and a business owes them reasonable care to keep the premises reasonably safe (Burrell v. Meads, 1991). A fall alone does not prove a claim. Usually, the key question is whether the business knew, or should have known through reasonable inspection, about the hazard and failed to fix it or warn about it. Store video, cleaning and inspection logs, and employee statements often answer that question.
If you fell at work
If you were hurt on the job, for example at a plant or warehouse, Indiana’s worker’s compensation system usually covers the injury, and a claim against your employer is generally limited to worker’s compensation. A separate claim may be possible against someone other than your employer, such as a property owner or contractor. See work injuries and third-party claims.
Falls on public property
If you fell on a public sidewalk, in a city or county building, or on other government property, different rules apply. Written notice must be filed within 180 days for local governments, such as the City of Kokomo or Howard County, and within 270 days for the State (IC 34-13-3-8 and IC 34-13-3-6). Indiana’s comparative fault statute also does not apply to tort claims against government entities (IC 34-51-2-2), so get advice quickly.
Steps to take after a fall
- Get medical care, and tell the provider exactly how you fell.
- Report the fall to a manager and ask for a copy of the incident report.
- Photograph the hazard, the area around it, any warning signs (or the lack of them), and your shoes.
- Get the names of witnesses and employees who responded.
- Ask a lawyer to request the store’s video promptly, because many systems record over footage.
Read our full checklist: what to do after falling in a store.
Deadlines and shared fault
Most Indiana premises injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the fall (IC 34-11-2-4). If the business argues you were partly at fault, Indiana’s modified comparative fault law reduces your damages by your share of fault and bars recovery only if your fault is greater than the combined fault of everyone else (IC 34-51-2-6). See falls where you may be partly at fault.
We work on a contingency fee: if you do not win your case, you will pay no attorneys’ fees. If there is no recovery, the client owes no fee and no costs. Case costs and expenses are paid from any settlement or recovery.
Our Kokomo office is at 600 East Markland Ave, Kokomo, IN 46901 · (765) 814-1000. See also our Kokomo office page and Indiana slip and fall lawyer page.
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle slip and fall cases in Kokomo?
Yes. Our Kokomo office is at 600 East Markland Ave, Kokomo, IN 46901, phone (765) 814-1000, and we accept premises injury cases throughout Howard County and Indiana.
Is a business responsible if I slip on ice in its parking lot?
It depends. A business is not responsible for the weather, but it is expected to act reasonably once it knows, or should know, about a dangerous condition. When the area was last cleared or treated often matters.
What if I fell on a public sidewalk in Kokomo?
Claims against a city, county, or other local government require written notice within 180 days, and claims against the State within 270 days (IC 34-13-3-8 and IC 34-13-3-6). Get advice quickly.
How long do I have to file a slip and fall lawsuit in Indiana?
Most Indiana premises injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the fall (IC 34-11-2-4), with shorter notice deadlines for government property.
Sources
- IC 34-13-3-8 — official heading: “Claims against political subdivisions; notice requirement.” A tort claim against a political subdivision (such as a city or county) is barred unless written notice is filed within 180 days after the loss occurs.
- IC 34-13-3-6 — official heading: “Notice to attorney general and state agency involved.” A tort claim against the State is barred unless written notice is filed within 270 days after the loss occurs.
- IC 34-51-2-2 — official heading: “Governmental entities and public employees excepted.” The comparative fault chapter does not apply to tort claims against governmental entities or public employees.
- IC 34-11-2-4 — official heading: “Injury or forfeiture of penalty actions.” An action for injury to a person or to personal property generally must be started within two years after the cause of action accrues.
- IC 34-51-2-6 — official heading: “Barring of recovery; degree of contributory fault.” A claimant cannot recover if the claimant’s fault is greater than the fault of all persons whose fault proximately contributed to the damages.
Indiana Code links open the official chapter PDF from the Indiana General Assembly (2026 Code); federal rules link to the current eCFR text.
More official links: Indiana accident resources · Indiana crash statistics · How to get your crash report
General information only—not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different; deadlines can be shorter in some situations. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.