Personal injury lawsuits are designed to compensate those who have been injured due to someone else’s negligence or reckless behavior. When someone is hurt on another person’s property or place of business, the property owner can be held liable if an accident occurs. The following is an overview of premises liability law and how it can play a role in your personal injury lawsuit.
What Is Premises Liability?
Premises liability is designed to give people who are hurt on another person’s property a way to seek compensation through a lawsuit. Like most personal injury cases, premises liability requires the property owner to be negligent in some way. This does not mean that every injury on someone’s property will be defined as negligence, it depends on the facts surrounding the case. In order to prove negligence in a premises liability case, you must prove the owner knew a danger existed and failed to repair the situation. Property owners are also held liable for the actions of their employees, if they do not make repairs necessary to the property or if they fail to maintain the property in a safe manner.
Types of Premises Liability Accidents
Legal experts at law firms like Otorowski, Johnston, Morrow & Golden P.L.L.C. have seen many different types of premises liability accidents and injuries. Some examples of accidents that may fall into this category are dog bites, slip and falls, toxic fumes, falls in icy conditions, swimming pool accidents, theme park injuries and improperly marked hazards.
Damages
If you have been injured on someone’s property, you may be awarded certain damages if you win your case in court. Some of the damages typically awarded in premises liability cases include emergency room costs, doctor bills, hospital fees, cost of crutches, therapy fees, emotional distress, pain and suffering, emotional distress and lost income. In the event you are disabled and cannot return to work, you may also be awarded damages for future lost wages. This is compensation for the amount of money you would have earned over the course of time.
If you have been injured due to the negligence of a property or business owner, you may be able to seek compensation under premises liability guidelines. The best way to know if your case qualifies, is to seek the advice of an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area and discuss your case. A lawyer can explain all of the options available to you under the law and assist you in filing your case in court.
About the Author: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her husky Snowball. You can find her on Twitter at @LizzieWeakley and on Facebook at facebook.com/lizzie.weakley.
