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Slip and Fall Lawyer in Calgary
At Yanko Popovic Sidhu, our slip and fall lawyers act for people injured by unsafe conditions on someone else's property.
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As your slip and fall lawyers
Yanko Popovic Sidhu and its predecessor firms have acted for injured Albertans for more than 40 years, and have represented thousands of clients over that time — including in claims involving icy walkways, unmarked wet floors, unsafe stairs and poorly maintained premises. These claims turn on what the occupier did and what they knew, and they can carry deadlines measured in days.
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Who we act for
We act for:
-People injured in retail stores, restaurants and commercial premises
-Tenants and visitors injured in apartment and condominium buildings
-People injured on icy sidewalks, walkways and parking lots
-People injured on unsafe stairs, ramps and handrails
-Families of people killed in falls
What a slip and fall lawyer does on your claim
Establishing liabilityThe occupier owes a duty to take such care as is reasonable in the circumstances to see that visitors are reasonably safe. That is not a guarantee of safety, and proving a breach requires evidence about their systems, not just about your fall.Get in touch- Responding to blameOccupiers routinely argue the visitor was not watching where they were going, or wore inappropriate footwear, or accepted an obvious risk. Alberta apportions damages where responsibility is shared rather than barring the claim.Get in touch
- Serious injury from a fallHip fractures, wrist and shoulder injuries and head injuries from falls are frequently underestimated, particularly in older adults, where a fracture can permanently change independence.Get in touch
More than 40 years acting for injured Albertans
Municipal claims carry very short notice deadlines — and there are two of them
Where the claim is against a municipality, Alberta's Municipal Government Act imposes written notice requirements. For snow, ice or slush on a road or sidewalk, notice is required within 21 days, and liability is limited to gross negligence — a materially harder test than ordinary negligence. For failure to keep a road, public place or public work in a reasonable state of repair, notice is required within 30 days. An action can still proceed despite missed notice where there is a reasonable excuse and no prejudice, where death resulted, or where the municipality waives notice in writing — but none of that should be relied on.
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A private occupier is judged differently
A fall on private property — a store, a restaurant, an apartment building, a parking lot — is governed by the Occupiers' Liability Act and the ordinary standard of reasonable care. There is no 21-day notice requirement and no gross negligence threshold. Whether you fell on a municipal sidewalk or on adjacent private property can therefore change both the deadline and the test, which is why establishing exactly where you fell matters.
Evidence of the system, not just the hazard
Proving there was ice or a wet floor is rarely enough on its own. What usually decides these claims is the occupier's inspection and maintenance record: how often the area was checked, what was logged, what was done, and whether the hazard had been reported before. Those records exist, and they need to be requested.
Frequently Asked Questions: Slip and Fall Claims in Alberta
What do I need to prove in a slip and fall case?
That the occupier failed to take such care as was reasonable in all the circumstances to see that you would be reasonably safe on the premises, that this caused your fall, and that you suffered a loss as a result. It is not enough that you fell, and it is not enough that a hazard existed — the question is whether the occupier's response to the risk was reasonable. That usually turns on their inspection and maintenance systems.
I fell on an icy sidewalk. Who is responsible?
It depends on where exactly you fell and who was responsible for that area. Property owners and occupiers in Calgary have obligations to clear snow and ice from adjacent public sidewalks within a set time, and a breach of that obligation is relevant evidence of a failure to meet the standard of care — though it does not by itself create a claim. Where the claim is against the municipality rather than a private occupier, a 21-day notice deadline and a gross negligence standard apply. Establishing the location precisely, and quickly, is the first task.
How long do I have to start a claim in Alberta?
In most injury claims the period is two years — but it does not simply run from the date of the accident. It runs from the point at which you knew, or ought reasonably to have known, three things: that you were injured, that the injury was attributable to someone else's conduct, and that it was serious enough to warrant bringing a proceeding. A separate ten-year outer limit runs from when the claim arose, and whichever period expires first governs. Different rules apply to minors and to people under a disability, and some claims carry much shorter notice deadlines that are separate from the limitation period. Because the analysis is fact-specific, the safe course is to ask early rather than assume.
What does it cost to hire a lawyer for this?
We act on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no legal fees unless compensation is recovered. Disbursements — the out-of-pocket costs of running a file, such as medical records, expert reports and court filing fees — and applicable taxes may still apply. We will explain the arrangement in writing before you retain us.
Do you want help with your case?
Calgary, Alberta, T2E 8K4
Fri: 8 AM – 2 PM
Sat – Sun: Closed