What is premises liability?
Many serious injuries occur as a result of slip and fall accidents. Dangerous premises accidents are quite common and often occur as a result of negligence by property owners or business owners. Property owners and business proprietors have a legal duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions on their premises. When you’re injured in a premises accident, you may be able to obtain compensation in a premises liability lawsuit. With the help of a skilled attorney from our firm, you can hold the negligent property owner responsible when any of the following is true:
The property owner created a dangerous or defective condition, whether deliberately or unintentionally, that led to your injury.
The property owner knew about the dangerous or defective condition that ultimately caused your injury and did nothing to repair it or provide cautionary signage.
The property owner should have known about the dangerous or defective condition that made the premises unsuitable or unsafe and that ultimately caused your injury.
Types of premises liability accident cases
Slip and fall accidents are not the only types of accidents that can lead to premises liability personal injuries. In fact, “premises liability” is the term used to describe any accident that occurs on a property that the owner has the responsibility to satisfactorily maintain. Slip and fall law also applies to you as a pedestrian or bicycle rider if you are hurt because of an unsafe construction site or if you are bitten by an unleashed dog.
Even “slip and fall” is a broad legal term that actually encompasses the following types of premises liability accidents:
Slip and fall — You’re injured slipping on water, ice, snow, grease or other slippery materials that cover a floor or walkway lacking cautionary signage.
Trip and fall — You’re injured tripping on an object left in a walkway that should be clear, such as when a product falls off the shelf in a grocery store aisle.
Stump and fall — You’re injured stumbling over uneven pavement or sidewalk or by another object dangerously jutting out of a walkway or passageway.
Step and fall — You’re injured stepping into an unmarked hole or indentation on a walkway covered by leaves, a broken stair or other area.