Newport News Premises Liability Lawyer
A serious injury or accident can be emotionally and financially devastating. Medical costs, permanent disability and rehabilitation can continue for years after the accident, while the emotional impact to the injured party can last a lifetime. Injuries that occur at a place of business or on the property of another person involve a different set of issues to auto accidents and require experienced representation to recover the maximum possible damages. If you have been injured on someone else’s premises, Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers can help. Unlike some other personal injury law firms, we have a specialized premises liability team and willingly take on these difficult cases.
Our law practice is dedicated to working with people who have suffered an injury on someone else’s property. Our Newport News premises liability and injuries at businesses attorneys, with more than 40 years of combined experience practicing personal injury law, understand the fear and uncertainty that you might be feeling in such a situation. Our accident lawyers in Newport News work to protect your rights and get you the compensation you need.
Premises Liability Cases Can Take Many Forms
Premises liability refers to the legal responsibility of landowners to make their property reasonably free of defects or dangers. This responsibility takes many forms and applies in a wide variety of scenarios, especially on commercial or rental property. Premises liability covers:
- A business owner’s obligation to make a business safe for visitors — The owner of a business property must make that property reasonably safe from defects for known or anticipated visitors. In other words, the owner of a grocery store, shopping mall, hotel, restaurant or office building may be required to compensate you for injuries that occurred on the owner’s premises.
- A landlord’s responsibility to make premises safe for tenants — Landlords can be found liable for personal injuries suffered by tenants due to a lack of proper maintenance on the property they own. If you have been hurt walking upstairs in an apartment, because of debris in a common courtyard, or elsewhere on a property for any reason as a result of a landlord’s negligence, that landlord may be responsible for your injuries. The liability extends to cooking appliances supplied by the landlord and the landlord has an obligation to protect the tenant from hazards such as carbon monoxide or mold.
- The obligation of a property owner to provide security — Business and property owners who are aware of a specific threat to public safety on their property can be found liable for injuries that happen as a result of their failure to take reasonable precautions. If a criminal act has been committed against you at a shopping center, business area or public transportation site due to the owner’s failure to secure the premises, you may be entitled to compensation for your ordeal.
Premises liability applies in a wide variety of situations. Our Newport News premises liability and injuries at businesses attorney are experienced at working on behalf of clients who were injured at a commercial location. We are adept at negotiating a settlement that gets you what you need for your injuries.
Many Situations Result in Liability For a Property Owner
Many situations result in liability for a property owner, occupier or manager. One of the most common types of injury to occur at a premises is a slip and fall. If a liquid has been spilled at a store or a floor has been waxed and no warning has been posted, you may be able to sue an owner or a building manager.
Although slip and fall accidents make up the majority of premises liability cases, the legal principle holds in a variety of situations where you sustain injuries on someone else’s property, including:
- Falling objects at big box stores
- Trips and falls at restaurants
- Injuries in parking garages
- Accidents at grocery stores or malls
- Injuries at a trampoline park
- Accidents at sport stadiums
- Construction site accidents
- Injuries at hotels or convention centers
- Injuries caused by poorly maintained stairs
- Injuries at a bounce house
The property owner in any of those situations may be found liable for your injuries if it is shown due care was not exercised in making the area safe. The owner may not be the only responsible party.
Who Can be Held Liable in a Premises Liability Case?
Knowing who to sue in a premises liability case may not be simple. An experienced Newport News premises liability and injuries at businesses attorney can find out who is at fault. Parties who may be responsible include:
- The business owner;
- The operator of the business;
- A property management company;
- A construction company;
- Vendors hired by the owner such as a landscaping company;
- Individual managers if the negligence of a specific employee caused your injury.
The Legal Duty of a Business to The Injured Person
A landowner or a business owner doesn’t owe a legal duty to everyone on the premises. For example, if a burglar suffers an injury after breaking into a business, he is unlikely to be able to successfully sue the owner. There are three classifications of legal duty in Virginia, namely:
- An Invitee – People who are invited onto a premises such as customers at a store benefit from the highest standard of protection.
- A Licensee – A licensee is someone who visits a business for his or her own purpose such as a delivery person. A licensee may be granted fewer protections if he or she is injured.’
- A Trespasser – If you are on someone’s land without permission, you are unlikely to be able to sue for your injuries. One exception can be child injuries. Landowners such as railroads have been sued over the injuries suffered by young trespassers if they have failed to adequately secure their premises, allowing children to get onto the land to play. Speak with one of our Newport News premises liability and injuries at businesses attorney to learn more about how you can recover for any serious injuries you or your children have suffered.
Contact a Newport News Premises Liability and Injuries at Businesses Attorney
If you have been injured at a business or rental property, the landowner, management company, or corporation that runs the business may be legally responsible for your injuries. Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers understand the hardships you face after a serious accident. We will not bill you until you receive compensation. If you would like to know more about how premises liability law may protect you, call and discuss your case with a Newport News premises liability and injuries at businesses attorney today.
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