Premises Liability Claims (Slip and Fall)
Owners and occupiers of property are often liable, or legally responsible, if you are injured while on the premises of their property.
Such injuries may include:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Injuries from falling object
- In some cases, injuries from a third party on the premises
If you have been injured while on the premises of someone else’s property contact a law firm experienced in injury lawsuits today.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents can occur in a variety of ways, places and conditions. Examples of premise liability claims based on slip and fall accidents include injuries that occur because of:
- Wet floors
- Tears in carpeting
- Broken sidewalks
- Narrow staircases
- Dim lighting
Every state has different set of laws that determine whether or not the landowner or occupier is liable for your injury. State laws also determine the timeframe in which you may bring a premise liability claim. Contact a law firm near you to discuss your state’s premise liability and slip and fall laws soon.
The Legal Duty of the Owner or Occupier
The landowner or occupier is generally responsible for injuries that occur on their premises, but their level of responsibility is different based on the status of the person injured. A trespasser, for example, will rarely succeed in a premise liability lawsuit because a landowner is not legally responsible for people who trespass onto their land.
There are 3 main classifications of people entering onto the premises of another:
- Invitee: Someone who visits the premises for a business dealing/commercial benefit or as a member of the public entering onto the premises for the purpose for which the land is held open to the public. This classification includes restaurant patrons.
- Licensee: Someone who is visiting the premises with permission or by invitation. This classification includes social guests.
- Trespasser: Someone who trespasses onto the premises without the permission of the landowner or occupier. Note the law has a special exception for some trespassers that are children.
Each category of visitor has a complicated legal significance and your visitor classification will affect the outcome of your case. Talk to an injury lawsuit attorney to learn more about the landowner’s responsibility to you and whether or not to proceed with a premise liability lawsuit.