Premises liability is the field of personal injury law that deals with injuries that people suffer due to someone failing to perform proper care of a building they own, or of the area immediately around the building. Together, premises liability claims constitute the single largest cause for personal injury lawsuits in the United States. But how do you know if you have a premises liability claim?
- You have slipped or tripped and fallen on someone else’s property
- Slip and fall cases, also known as trip and fall cases, are the most common form of premises liability claim, and for good reason. Slip and fall claims arise when someone slips or trips and falls as a result of poor conditions on someone else’s property. These conditions may arise naturally from accumulated rainwater, snow, or ice, or they can be the result of spilled liquids not being cleaned up. Debris left on the floor due to construction or other activities can also become tripping hazards, leading to someone falling.
- You were hit by a falling object from someone else’s property
- Another common issue is when someone is struck by an object falling from high above them. Sometimes these objects fall because they have been precariously placed on elevated platforms, such as tools and parts on construction scaffolding. Other times, they may be icicles falling from the roof, or siding from a wall falling off due to improper maintenance. All of these are considered types of premises liability.
- You were injured due to poor maintenance of another person’s building
- Speaking of poor maintenance, the inability or unwillingness of some property owners to maintain their buildings can put lives in danger. Pieces from walls and ceilings can collapse on people, damaged floorboards can trip people up or collapse under them, and exposed wiring or damaged electronics can result in electrocutions. Property owners have a responsibility to ensure their properties are safe for anyone who comes inside them, lest they become a target for a premises liability suit.
- You were the victim of a crime on someone else’s property
- Keeping people safe goes beyond ensuring there are no hazards on the property itself. It includes protecting against foreseeable criminal acts that might result in harm to someone on the property, including assault, robbery, or burglary. If a property owner does not take measures to protect against these crimes, such as by installing security cameras or having a security guard present, they may be held responsible in a premises liability case.
- You were injured by someone else’s pet
- A somewhat less common, though potentially quite dangerous, scenario involves a person’s pet, rather than their building. Many pets, particularly dogs, can be protective of their owners, but pet owners are supposed to ensure their animals are well-behaved and will not attack other people. When pet owners lose control of their pets, they can cause potentially severe injuries, resulting in a potential premises liability case.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you should seek out the personal injury lawyers at Zlotolow & Associates. Our seasoned New York personal injury attorneys bring more than two decades of trial experience to your case. We serve all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Nassau and Suffolk County. Our aggressive personal injury attorneys always demand maximum compensation. We have helped thousands of clients recover through settlements and courtroom verdicts. To schedule a consultation, you can call us at 866-800-0092, or you can visit our contact page.
