West Lawn Premises Liability Lawyer

Property owners must keep their premises reasonably safe for those who are legally on the property. If a hazard on the property contributed to your injuries, you may have a premise liability claim against the property owner or others who are responsible for maintaining the area.

Just being injured on someone’s property is not enough to bring a claim by itself. You have to show that the property owner breached a duty of care and that the breach directly led to your injuries and your damages from those injuries. A West Lawn premises liability lawyer can help you determine whether you have a claim and—if so—the amount of those damages. Reach out today to begin working with a trusted personal injury attorney.

The Nature of the Visit Determines Whether a Person Has a Claim

Whether an owner will be liable depends on whether they knew or should have known of the condition, how long the condition existed, whether they warned you of the dangers, and why you were on the property. State law recognizes three types of visitors to property—invitees, licensees, and trespassers.

Invitees

Invitees are people who visit the property to provide something of value to the property owner. For businesses, the classic example of an invitee is a client or a customer. For homeowners, invitees are people like delivery people who visit the property to provide something of value to the homeowner.

Licensees

Licensees are people who are on the property with permission but not for the property owner’s benefit. Instead, licensees are there for their own purposes. For example, going to a property to socialize is for the visitor’s benefit. One of the things that complicates this designation for many people is the fact that even if a homeowner extends a social invitation to a person, they are not invitees but licensees.

Trespassers

Trespassers are people who are on the property illegally and without the property owner’s permission.

Property owners owe the most significant duty to invitees, the next highest duty to licensees, and the most minor duty to trespassers. For invitees, property owners must inspect the premises for hazards. For licensees, they do not have a duty to inspect the premises, but they should know about the condition of the property. For trespassers, the duty is to not intentionally cause harm. However, even that depends on the trespasser—if the trespasser is a child, the property owner may need to take steps to protect them from attractive nuisances. A West Lawn attorney could help victims understand how their status impacts a potential premise liability claim.

Premise Liability Claims Are Fact-Specific

Because premise liability is not strict liability, it is not enough to show that an injury occurred on the property. The victim must show that the injury resulted from a hazardous condition the property knew—or should have known—existed on the property.

Some examples of situations that can lead to claims include:

  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Elevator accidents
  • Stairway, porch, and balcony accidents
  • Falling merchandise
  • Fire or smoke injuries
  • Dram shop cases
  • Negligent security
  • Dog bites and animal attacks
  • Swimming pool accidents
  • Ice or snow accidents

Sometimes, a property owner cannot remedy a hazard on time. In those cases, they must take adequate steps to warn people about the danger. A premises liability lawyer could help someone who is hurt on West Lawn property establish fault.

Meet With a West Lawn Premises Liability Attorney

When you visit someone else’s property, you expect to be safe. If there are hazards, you expect the property owner to take steps to remedy them or—at the very least—warn you of their existence. When their failure to keep their property safe leads to injuries, you may have a premise liability claim.

A West Lawn premises liability lawyer could help you understand your legal options and what damages are available. Schedule a consultation to learn more.