A Law Firm Holding Negligent Property Owners Liable For Visitor Injuries

There are many rights that come with property ownership, but there are also important responsibilities. One of those duties is to ensure that the property is reasonably safe for visitors. Unfortunately, accidents and injuries occur every day due to unaddressed hazards on residential or commercial property.

If you or someone you love was seriously injured on another persons’ property, the owner could be considered liable for your injuries. When you contact Hilbrich Law Firm, our caring and attentive attorneys will take the time to hear your story, discuss your options and help you seek compensation for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages and more.

Examples Of Property Hazards That Could Lead To An Injury Claim

There is no shortage of ways in which someone could be injured on dangerous property. Some examples include:

• Slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents in grocery or retail stores
• Injuries caused by malfunctioning elevators or escalators
• Slipping on sidewalks that haven’t been shoveled or salted in the winter
• Accidents in stairwells due to broken handrails, poor lighting or other issues
• Being assaulted by a criminal because the property owner lacked adequate security measures or security personnel
• Suffering burn injuries after being unable to escape from a building that lacked required emergency exits or had those exits blocked by other materials
• Being bitten by a dog whose owner knew of the animal’s aggressive tendencies and failed to property restrain it
• Suffering a traumatic brain injury after being struck by falling tree limbs because the property owner failed to address a hazardous tree that had been damaged by a previous storm

If you aren’t sure whether you have a case, we invite you to contact us to discuss your options. We offer free initial consultations.

When Is A Property Owner Considered Negligent?

In order to prove negligence in a premises liability claim, you must first show that a dangerous condition existed on the property and that you were injured as a result of that dangerous condition or hazard. Next, you will need to demonstrate that the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard, had the opportunity to address it, but failed to either fix it or take steps to warn others to keep away from it.

A spilled liquid in a grocery store is a good example. If another customer dropped a bottle of juice and you slipped on it immediately afterward, the store likely would not be held liable. It would be an entirely different matter, however if that same dropped bottle sat on the floor for many hours and employees neither cleaned it up or put up a barricade to prevent people from slipping on it.

A property owner owes some duty of care to anyone on their property. However, the specific obligations depend on the status of the property visitor. A retail store owes a much higher duty of care to a customer (known legally as an invitee) than a private property owner owes to someone who was trespassing on their land.

Do You Have A Claim? Speak To An Attorney For Free.

With offices in Highland, Crown Point and Portage, Hilbrich Law Firm serves clients throughout northwest Indiana. To schedule your free initial consultation, call us at 219-444-4330 or fill out our online contact form.