Can a commercial property owner be held liable for a trip and fall over a wheel stop or pothole in a parking lot?

Yes, commercial property owners owe business invitees a duty of reasonable care to maintain parking lots and walkways in a safe condition. Unanchored, broken, or unpainted concrete wheel stops (parking blocks) frequently create camouflaged tripping hazards, especially when poorly illuminated. Likewise, asphalt potholes and crumbling pavement left unrepaired can establish owner negligence if the property had notice of the defect. While property owners often argue the hazard was visible under Florida's modified comparative negligence statute (Fla. Stat. § 768.81), Jeffrey S. Altman at The Altman Law Firm gathers evidence such as maintenance records and lighting studies to establish premises liability.