Slip and Fall at Reading Outlets and Santander Arena: Premises Liability Claims Against Wyomissing and Downtown Reading Venues

You went to Premium Outlets Wyomissing to shop or Santander Arena in downtown Reading to catch a show. A fall was the last thing you expected — and the injuries from a fall at a busy commercial venue can be serious. Broken bones, torn ligaments, and head trauma can keep you out of work for months and create medical costs that compound quickly.

According to the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, 74 premises liability cases were filed in Berks County in 2024. Many of those cases start the same way: a hazard that a property owner should have caught, didn’t, and someone paid for it with their health.

If you were hurt at Premium Outlets Wyomissing, Santander Arena, or any other Reading-area venue, contact Munley Law’s Reading personal injury lawyers for a free consultation.

Why High-Traffic Venues Like Premium Outlets and Santander Arena Carry Higher Slip and Fall Risk

Premium Outlets Wyomissing draws millions of shoppers to Berks County each year across more than 100 retail stores. Santander Arena in downtown Reading hosts thousands of people per event — Phantoms hockey games, concerts, family shows, and graduations pack the arena’s concourses, stairwells, and parking structures throughout the year. When that volume of foot traffic moves through a property, hazards accumulate faster than staff can address them, and property managers don’t always keep up.

Common causes of slip and fall accidents at Reading-area venues include:

• Wet floors from spills, rain tracked through entrances, or cleaning operations without wet-floor signage
• Uneven or cracked pavement in outdoor shopping corridors, parking areas, and arena walkways
• Snow and ice accumulation on sidewalks and parking areas during Berks County winters — a recurring hazard at both open-air outlet corridors and arena parking structures
• Inadequate lighting in stairwells, parking structures, and after-hours areas
• Slippery flooring materials in high-traffic zones — polished tile and treated concrete at entrances and concourse areas
• Loose carpet, broken handrails, or defective escalators in indoor retail and concourse areas

Can You Sue a Mall or Arena if You Fell in the Parking Lot?

Yes. Pennsylvania law holds property owners responsible for the entire property — not just the interior. An icy parking lot at Premium Outlets Wyomissing or a cracked walkway outside Santander Arena falls under the same duty of care as a hazard inside the building. If the owner or operator failed to maintain it safely, they can be held liable.

Liability at large commercial venues can involve more than one party. A store may be responsible for what happens inside its leased space. The mall or arena operator typically controls shared walkways, parking areas, and common spaces. A contracted cleaning company or event staffing firm may share responsibility depending on who was managing the area when the fall occurred. A Munley Law attorney will identify every party that shares fault and pursue all available coverage.

What if You Didn’t File an Incident Report at the Time of Your Fall?

Not filing an incident report makes a case harder, but it does not end it. Get medical attention immediately — your records establish what happened and when. Then contact a Reading premises liability attorney as soon as possible. Security footage at venues like Premium Outlets and Santander Arena is typically overwritten on short cycles. Maintenance logs and inspection records can disappear. Early legal involvement gives your attorney the best chance to preserve that evidence before it is gone.

Do not give a recorded statement to the venue’s insurance carrier before speaking with an attorney. Early statements are routinely used to limit or deny claims.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Slip and Fall at a Reading Venue?

Pennsylvania law allows slip and fall victims to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering. For detailed information on how Pennsylvania calculates damages in premises liability cases, including the modified comparative negligence rule that applies when fault is shared, see our Reading premises liability page.

The short version: under 42 Pa. C.S. § 7102, you can still recover even if you were partly at fault — as long as your share of responsibility is 50 percent or less. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Questions About Slip and Fall Claims in Reading

How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim in Pennsylvania?

Under 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524, you have two years from the date of injury to file. Missing that deadline permanently bars your right to compensation. Contact a Reading slip and fall attorney as soon as possible — evidence like surveillance footage and incident reports may not be available for long.

What if the hazard was temporary, like a spill?

Property owners can still be held liable if a spill or temporary hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have found it. The question is not whether the hazard was permanent, but whether the owner had enough time to discover and address it.

Does a venue’s liability waiver or event ticket agreement affect my right to sue?

Not necessarily. Pennsylvania courts examine liability waivers carefully. Waivers that are overly broad, ambiguous, or purport to cover gross negligence may not be enforceable. If you signed any agreement before entering Premium Outlets or attending a Santander Arena event, an attorney can assess whether it affects your claim.

Contact Our Reading Slip and Fall Lawyers at Munley Law for a Free Consultation

If you were hurt at Premium Outlets Wyomissing, Santander Arena, or any other Berks County venue, contact Munley Law for a free consultation. There are no attorney fees unless we win.

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
606 Court St., Reading, PA 19601
Phone: (610) 831-4234