A premises liability lawyer for your property injury

Injuries from unsafe property

You were hurt because someone else's property was unsafe. A premises liability lawyer handles that injury, and a fall is only one kind. The same law covers a railing that collapses, a shelf that falls, or a dog loose in a common area.

It also covers an attack in a dark parking lot with broken lights. Premises cases made up 11 percent of all injury trials in a 2005 federal study. Only car crashes and medical malpractice ranked higher.

What the owner owes you

The owner or business running a property must keep it reasonably safe for the people it invites in. That duty covers stores, restaurants, hotels, apartment buildings, offices and parking lots. How much care you are owed depends on why you were there.

Customers get the most care, social guests get less and trespassers get the least. Children have special rules. Colorado's jury instructions set out separate rules for each kind of visitor.

Falls, hazards and security

Falls are the largest group. Think wet floors, ice, broken steps and loose rugs. Hazard cases include falling objects, broken chairs and unmarked holes.

Negligent security cases say bad lighting, broken locks or missing guards let a crime happen. The owner had to be able to foresee that crime.

How fault is split

You must show the owner knew or should have known about the danger. Then the jury splits the blame between you and the owner.

Most states lower your award by your share of the blame. In four states, any share at all can stop your claim. Find your rule in the slip and fall laws by state.

How a premises liability lawyer is paid

A premises liability lawyer reviews your case for free. The fee comes only from a recovery, so you pay nothing if there is none. Call us today for your free case review.