18 May Slips, Trips, and Falls: Identifying Property Owner Negligence
At some point, almost everyone has slipped at a restaurant or a friend’s house, but not every fall will equal monetary compensation for you. Accidents happen, and sometimes, no matter how responsible a property owner has been, you could still be injured.
That’s why it’s important for you to learn how to identify the signs that your injury entitles you to file a personal injury claim. Filing an injury claim against a property owner isn’t about getting revenge—it’s about getting justice for the ways you’ve been affected, and it’s about recovering the losses you’ve suffered due to the owner’s negligence.
Understanding Negligence in Premises Liability Cases
In California, negligence law asserts that those who have injured you can be held accountable for the harm they’ve caused. You can be monetarily compensated for the pain of your experience and the financial expenses forced upon you because of another’s carelessness.
Negligence in premises liability has a lot to do with an owner’s duty to provide a reasonably safe environment for visitors. If property owners fail in that duty, they can be held liable. Let’s look at an example of negligence in a premises liability case:
You’re at your favorite coffee shop and realize that you need to use the restroom. When you enter the bathroom, you slip and fall on a large puddle of water caused by a leaking pipe.
The owner of the coffee shop has known about the leak for a while but hasn’t had time to get it fixed, often just toweling up the puddle every couple of hours.
Your slip caused you to suffer a head injury, necessitating emergency medical care. You have incurred extensive medical bills due to your injury, you’ve missed time at work, and you may not be able to return to work because your brain isn’t functioning the way it used to.
In the above example, you could hold the coffee shop owner accountable for your losses, including future losses like the loss of your wage-earning potential.
Common Types of Premises Liability Cases
Identifying property owner negligence often means pinpointing a dangerous hazard that was left ignored and unattended. A few types of premises liability cases are listed below:
- Slip-and-falls
- Trip-and-falls
- Being struck by a falling object
- Dog bites
- Pool accidents
- Toxic exposure
- Fires
Compensation for Your Injuries and Suffering
Once you’ve identified the hazard that injured you, a determination will need to be made as to whether negligence was involved. If you walked into a wall while looking at your phone and broke your nose at that same coffee shop discussed earlier, it’s unlikely that the owner would be held responsible for that.
If the property owner’s inaction, or failure to correct a property hazard, caused your injury, that’s when you can file an injury claim.
Below is a look at some damages you could seek in a premises liability claim:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Missed work wages and loss of earning potential
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of your enjoyment of life
- Physical rehabilitation and mental health treatment
Speak with a Sacramento Premises Liability Lawyer
Now that you have an understanding of how to identify a property owner’s negligence, you may believe you have a good case. Give Crowell Law Offices a call to speak with a premises liability attorney in Sacramento. We are happy to talk with you about your case during a free case assessment. Complete the form below or dial 916-303-2800.