It is everyone’s responsibility to keep their premises safe for ordinary use. This aspect is specifically true for commercial property owners. So, if you are hurt on someone else’s property because of their negligence, you have the right to sue them.
What Exactly is Premises Liability?
When you are injured on someone’s property, a business, a home, or a residence – oftentimes, it is a business – any time you are on someone else’s property, these are known as premises. Mostly, it feels like the injury has been someone’s fault, as you were the one who slipped and fell and incurred a serious injury, which is why such incidents make premises liability cases.
It is the business’s obligation to keep your premises safe for visitors and invitees.
How Common Are Premises Liability Injuries?
Premises liability injuries are incredibly common. Often, people are injured on someone else’s property. The thing that is probably less common is the fact that the injuries have to be fairly severe for someone to do something about it.
Suppose you are walking down the sidewalk, you slipped, and you scraped your hands a bit. Understandably, you are not going to do anything about this. On the contrary, if you were walking on the sidewalk, you tripped due to a defect in the sidewalk that the municipality didn’t pay attention to – and you knocked out your teeth, broke your nose, or fractured your arm.
In this scenario, you have a premises liability claim, and you want to talk to a personal injury lawyer about that claim.
You Need A Serious Injury to File A Claim
Now, you know that if you want to go ahead and file a premises liability claim, then you need to be dealing with a serious injury. It would be wrong to file a case for scraped hands – but – if you have a more serious injury, such as a broken arm, and the injury is caused by a hazard that wasn’t taken care of, then you do have the right to file a claim.
When it comes to the types of cases that premises liability lawyers are more likely to take, we are essentially talking about serious injuries and the evidence of hazards.
What Happens in the Case of Traumatic Injuries?
When it comes to premises liability cases, some injuries can also be catastrophic. For instance, one might fall and fracture one’s hip. Such an injury requires immediate surgery. And if someone is in their 60s, then such injuries take a long time to heal to the point that one might have to limp for the rest of their lives.
There can also be instances where people fall and have a serious brain injury, which might be referred to as colloquial concussion. Brain injuries are typically very serious and can have a grave impact on the affected individual.
Serious Injuries Can Also Cause Death
The point is that injuries can be very serious, not only in terms of fractures or brain injuries – but – especially for elderly people. In some cases, such serious injuries can lead to the ultimate demise of elderly people. So, it wouldn’t be wrong to state that premises liability cases can be severe to the point of causing wrongful death.
You Can Also Be injured At Someone’s House
Apart from getting injured at a commercial building, you can also get injured at someone else’s house. On that note, you know that everyone is responsible for keeping their premises safe – be it for ordinary use or for commercial use. So, let us say that you are invited to someone’s house, and you get injured due to their negligence; in this case, you have a premises liability case.
Of course, you must get a premises liability lawyer on board, such as the Las Vegas Premises Liability Lawyer, if you live in Las Vegas to ensure that you win your claim. With the help of the attorney, you must ensure that you have sustained injury due to the homeowner’s negligence or neglect of care and duty.
How to Prove Your Injury?
To prove that you have suffered an injury, you must seek medical treatment first. The evidence of your injuries relies on medical expert testimony, which isn’t possible without proper medical records. If you are injured to the point that you cannot get up, it is in your best interest to call an ambulance. The ambulance will document the fact that they picked you up to be taken to the ER, which will also serve as evidence.
Then, of course, you will need to get your own testimony as well as pictures and medical records of the injury itself. Subsequently, with the help of your lawyer, you can seek damages for your medical bills. If you are working, you can also seek damages for your lost earnings, which include future earnings as well.
The Most Important Thing to Remember: Do Not Feel Embarrassed
There is one common emotion that people feel when they slip and fall on someone else’s property: they feel embarrassed. Now, it is important to remember that if you want to receive the highest settlement and you want to get coverage for your medical bills and lost wages, then you must not feel embarrassed about it.
Also, if you are falling or tripping on someone else’s property, it would be wrong to assume that it is your fault and that there is nothing you can do about it. It is a natural instinct to feel embarrassed and not want to do anything about it.
However, you must seek medical treatment first and then discuss your case with a premises liability lawyer who can establish who is and who is not in the wrong. In such cases, often, the lawyer establishes that the injured person hasn’t done anything wrong, which is why they have a case.
Final Thoughts
It is always in your best interest to speak to an attorney, and not just any attorney, but a dedicated premises liability lawyer, to make sure that your rights are protected and that your case has a higher success rate. The lawyer will not only help with gathering evidence and recording witness statements, but they will also assess the case from all angles to establish liability. They will also deal with the at-fault party’s insurance company while providing your medical record and other crucial paperwork to ensure that you get compensated for what is rightfully yours.
