California law requires that all property owners take reasonable steps to maintain the safety and security of their premises. If you or someone you know was hurt on someone else’s property due to the proprietor’s carelessness, you may be entitled to substantial compensation for your injuries. Get a legal consultation from qualified San Francisco premises liability attorneys about your legal rights.
Catastrophic premises liability accidents may cause injury victims to incur huge medical bills, loss of income from being unable to work, and pain and suffering. The law gives victims the right to recover damages for all these injuries and more. Speaking to an attorney can be an important step towards fully prosecuting these lawsuits and ensuring injury victims and their families are adequately compensated.
Property Owner Negligence
Negligence is the standard by which San Francisco premises liability lawsuits are judged. Victims must be able to show the courts defendants knew or even should have known there were hazards on the property which directly contributed to an accident, causing injury.
A premises liability lawsuit must demonstrate the property owner owed a duty to guests to keep the property safe and free of hazards. This may include maintenance and upkeep, proper signage in case of obstacles like slippery floors, ongoing construction, or adequate security.
The plaintiff’s case must establish the property owner breached his or her duty to keep visitors safe by failing to follow through with repairs and other reasonable steps to mitigate possible hazards. Again, negligence is central to making the legal argument the property owner is responsible for a victim’s injuries.
Finally, premises liability owners must show they sustained damages as the result of the property owner’s negligent breach of duty to keep visitors safe. A property owner cannot be sued simply for failure to maintain his or her premises if there were no injuries sustained or negligence was not a proximate cause of the injury.
Examples of Premises Liability Injuries
Premises liability accidents may happen any time or anywhere. Common types of premises liability injuries include:
- Slip and falls;
- Construction side accidents;
- Falling objects;
- Workplace accidents; and
- Dog bites.
Municipal governments also have a legal duty to keep public spaces safe. While city and local governments are often bound by the same premises liability laws as the public, there may be shorter time deadlines for injury victims to file claims.
Many times, injury victims seeking to filed claims against government entities must file “notice of claims” to allow the offending institution to investigate the injury and determine if a settlement will be offered. Typically in these situations, victims may proceed with formal lawsuits if no settlement is offered or is rejected by the plaintiff.
San Francisco Premises Liability Lawsuits
If you were hurt while on someone’s property due to the owner’s negligence, there are important steps you should take to ensure remedy for your injury. Documenting your injuries by visiting a doctor is perhaps the most important step. Premises liability and other lawsuits alleging negligence require the victim suffer damages from an injury.
Next, you will want to document and maintain evidence related to your accident. If possible, take photographs of the accident site, get the names and contact information of any witnesses, and take notes recounting the events leading up to the injury.
Finally, speak to a qualified San Francisco personal injury attorney about your case. Hiring a personal injury attorney may be crucial to the outcome of your case and ensuring you and your family are taken care of in cases of catastrophic injury.