Las Vegas Premises Liability Lawyer
Property owners have a legal duty to maintain their premises in a way that will minimize the danger to innocent people. If you or a loved one have been injured while on someone else’s property, you should talk to a lawyer as soon as possible so that you can get the compensation you deserve.
It is important to determine if the landowners were negligent in how they maintained their property. A Las Vegas premises liability attorney will be essential in investigating the case and determining compensation.
During an investigation, they will want to know whether a reasonable person would have foreseen that the conditions on the property could injure a person, and if so if they took reasonable steps to remedy the situation as quickly as they could.
Types of Hazards
If the court finds that the property owner breached their duty of care, then the door is open to a possible award of damages. Uneven sidewalks or poor lighting can cause slip and fall accidents. People can be hurt on defective stairwells. Fire hazards can lead to disastrous burns.
Another key factor is why the injured person was on those premises to begin with. During an investigation, they will want to know if that person was specifically invited onto the premises by the property owner, or even if it is a public accommodation, like a store or a restaurant, that the owner knew would be entered by a wide range of individuals.
There are several different classifications of persons in these types of cases, such as:
- Invitees
- Social guests
- Licensees
- Trespassers
Invitees and social guests are usually found to be deserving of the highest standard of care, since in both cases the premises owners specifically asked them to come onto the property.
Licensees – “persons who choose to come upon the premises solely for their own convenience without invitation either expressed or reasonably implied under the circumstances,” in the words of one court – get a lower standard of care.
Trespassers have been found to be deserving of almost no care at all, although even in such a case property owners are not allowed to inflict willful or wanton injury.
Landlords’ Responsibilities
If someone lives in an apartment complex or other type of multi-unit dwelling, the owner of the premises has a duty to provide a habitable, safe environment. That means sidewalks that are not broken, stairwells that are well-lit and clean, and so on.
Injured parties can recover damages even if they themselves were partially at fault for the accident. Under the “comparative negligence” theory, damages may be reduced to account for the share of the accident that can be attributed to the plaintiff’s carelessness. But they can still obtain damages from the defendant.
Common Kinds of Injuries
Some of the injuries a person can suffer include:
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Burns
- Broken or otherwise injured limbs
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Call a Las Vegas Premises Liability Lawyer
A person who was healthy and enjoying life may suddenly be facing huge medical bills. Such bills can easily overwhelm any insurance coverage you may have.
But medical expenses are only the beginning. If the injured party was the breadwinner for a family, then the entire family could face a reduced quality of life.
If you are facing these kinds of expenses, you do not have to fight the battle alone. A Las Vegas premises liability attorney has a strong track record of holding landowners accountable when they fail to remedy the hazards on their property. Do not wait another day before getting the advice that you need.