Helping Injured Victims Recover Damages
If you have been injured on someone else’s property, your medical bills and other expenses may start to add up. It’s not fair to you or your family to pay for significant expenses like these for an injury that wasn’t your fault. Fortunately, premises liability law protects injured parties by granting them compensation for injuries that were caused by negligence. Whether you were injured in an assault, a slip-and-fall, a fire, or any other accident, our team can help you recover compensation for your injuries.
A Yuma premises liability attorney on our team would be happy to review your case and determine exactly how much you could claim in damages. At Territorial Law, we understand how difficult it can be to focus on resting and recovering from your injuries while also negotiating with an insurance company and holding guilty parties liable. That’s why our personal injury law firm is here to handle the legal side of your personal injury claim. To learn more about premises liability claims and receive a free consultation, contact our office today by calling 928-955-7191.
What Are the Most Common Types of Property Injuries?
Property owners have a required duty to maintain the safety and accessibility of their properties. When properties are not maintained, accidents can occur. Unfortunately, injuries sustained from these accidents can be catastrophic, leading to severe symptoms that last years or even a lifetime.
The most common types of property injuries include the following:
- Slip-and-fall accidents. Wet floors, loose carpets, or broken stairways can cause accident victims to trip and fall, hurting themselves in the process. Property owners are legally bound to address these hazards or have signage pointing them out so people don’t hurt themselves.
- Fire or electrocution. Apartment fires and hotel fires have the potential to severely injure victims. Negligent wiring, inadequate sprinkler systems, and a lack of fire escape routes could be the fault of the property owners.
- School and playground accidents. Negligent supervision can lead to children hurting or injuring themselves at school or on the playground. Poor supervision can even lead to accidental deaths, like drowning. Our team can investigate whether the school district or management can be held responsible.
- Negligent security. Attacks like assault, sexual assault, and rape are more likely to happen in poorly lit parking lots or isolated stairways. If you were assaulted due to poor security or a lack of security measures, our team could argue that the property owner is partially to blame for your injuries.
Does a Property Owner Have a Duty of Care?
All property owners have a duty of care to maintain their properties in a safe, non-hazardous way. Even private property owners must ensure that their guests, family members, and friends are safe and not likely to encounter hazards on the property. If a property owner notices any potential hazards, they are required to address the hazard in a timely manner. If an owner cannot immediately fix the hazard, they must at least mark the area or warn individuals about the hazard.
Public and commercial property owners have a duty of care to maintain their properties for customers and those working there. Removing snow and ice from entrances and ensuring security measures are part of this maintenance. The property owner can be held liable if a serious accident occurs on a commercial or business property.
How Can I Prove Negligence in a Premises Liability Case?
When pursuing premises liability claims, it is vital to prove negligence with evidence. Visitors must be on the premises lawfully to establish negligence, meaning that trespassers who break into private property do not have a case. Neighbors, relatives, friends, and family members with permission or implied permission are typically covered under the duty of care that property owners have.
Once lawful visitor status has been established, you must then prove that the property owner breached their duty of care. This could be through a specific action, like performing subpar repairs to a building, or inaction, like failing to remove snow and ice from a public walkway.
Then, you must prove the extent of your injuries and that the accident directly caused these injuries. You must also prove the damages that you sustained due to these injuries, like medical bills, property damage repairs, lost wages, and more. You can also claim noneconomic damages, like emotional distress and trauma.
Finally, you must prove that the property owner’s negligence directly caused the damages in question. Photos, videos, and witness testimonies are integral in proving this final piece. Because personal injury claims can be so complex, it is essential to consult a team of liability lawyers to prepare your case and gather evidence. For more information about personal injury claims, contact a Yuma premises liability lawyer on our team today.
Should I Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?
After suffering an injury on someone else’s property, you may accrue bills like medical expenses, property damage repair, and more. These expenses can add up quickly, especially if you are unable to work and make up lost wages. Fortunately, by working with a team of Yuma personal injury lawyers, you can hold the property owner accountable for your injuries and recover the compensation you deserve.
At Territorial Law, we believe all our clients should be able to focus on their mental and physical health after a serious accident. That’s why we are dedicated to advocating for you in negotiations with insurance companies and in court before a judge. Please don’t feel like you must go through this challenging time alone. To talk to our team of liability lawyers, call today at 928-955-7191.