If you've suffered an injury on someone's property due to negligent upkeep or another hazard, you have a right to recover compensation for the injuries you suffered. However, premises liability claims can be complicated as proving liability can become a nightmare with the insurance company and negligent party. A Pittston premises liability lawyer can help remedy the situation by taking on your case and navigating the legal system on your behalf.
If you or a loved one were injured on someone else's property, call Munley Law. Our Pittston personal injury lawyers can handle your claim.
Pittston Personal Injury Lawyers Handle Premises Liability Claims
Most of us will spend at least part of our day outside the comfort of our homes, whether going to work, the grocery store, or visiting with friends and family. Unfortunately, this also means we risk injury on someone else's property.
Most times, an accident like this can be handled through the insurance company. However, there are times when a legal professional may need to assist you in filing a personal injury claim for premises liability.
Types of Premises Liability Claims We Handle
Not all personal injury lawyers are equipped to handle the nuances of premises liability. Munley Law is. We handle the following forms of Pittston premises liability cases:
Negligent Security
If you are walking in a parking lot that does not have adequate lighting and get mugged, or are in an elevator without cameras and get assaulted, you may have a claim for premises liability against the property owner for negligent security.
A negligent security breach occurs when a property owner does not exercise reasonable care in protecting visitors from criminal acts or injury. To prove negligent security was the cause of your injuries, you must show that:
- The property owner knew or should have known the risks – regardless of whether a similar event had previously occurred.
- The owner did not take steps to reduce the risk of harm.
- A crime occurred, and you suffered injury as a result.
Slip and Fall Accidents
When we think of premises liability, we often think of slip and fall accidents with good reason. In 2021, falls accounted for 33 percent of all nonfatal injuries and 20 percent of fatalities in the top ten list of preventable injuries and accidents.
A slip and fall accident can happen anywhere, but most often occur due to:
- Wet or slippery floors
- Uneven sidewalks or pavement
- Potholes
- Unsafe staircases
- Uneven floors
- Clutter
- Icy or snowy walkways
- Lack of lighting
In each of these cases, it is up to the victims to prove that the property owner owed them a reasonable duty of care to protect them from dangerous conditions.
Dog Bites
Dog bites are an unfortunate accident for the pet owner and victim alike. Someone may think their pet does not have violent tendencies, but many things can cause an animal to snap.
If a dog bites a person on their owner's property, in a public space, or if it gets loose, the dog owner has a legal responsibility to the victim. Further, if the dog owner knew the dog had violent tendencies and did nothing to keep it from causing harm, like properly leashing it or having a fenced-in yard, they can be held liable.
Workplace Injuries
Workplace injuries are typically covered under workers' compensation. However, what happens if you get hurt at work but it has nothing to do with your employer? You may have a premises liability claim for your on-the-job injury if someone other than your employer caused the dangerous condition that led to your injuries.
Pool Accidents
Pools may bring summer fun, but they also have risks of drowning if not properly enclosed. Pool owners are required to have proper enclosures around their swimming pools. Under Pennsylvania law, all pools must have fencing at least 48 inches high. For above-ground pools, the sides of the pool may be considered a fence as long as it is at least 48 inches tall.
Amusement Park Accidents
In 2021, there were approximately 130 serious ride-related injuries at theme parks in the United States. Amusement parks are supposed to be fun for the entire family, but when an accident at a theme park leads to injury, you have a right to compensation.
Victims must prove that the theme park owner was aware of the dangerous conditions and did nothing to remedy the situation or had concerns for potential danger and did nothing to protect visitors.
However, you cannot recover compensation if you were trespassing at a park and got hurt.
Elements of a Pittston Premises Liability: Personal Injury Claims
Building a solid personal injury case involves working with a Pittston personal injury lawyer who understands the specifics of premises liability. The elements of a premises liability claim include:
- Duty of Care: It must be proven that the property owner or occupier was responsible to the victim. A person who is an invitee or licensee is entitled under personal injury law, but a trespasser is not in most situations.
- Breach of Duty: A breach of duty occurs when the property owner fails to meet the duty of care. This may include maintenance, not addressing hazardous conditions, or failure to provide a warning of potential dangers.
- Causation: The injury must be directly connected to the breach of duty. An existing hazard is not enough for a personal injury claim. It must be a direct cause of the injury.
- Damages: You must prove you endured actual damages because of the breach and resulting injuries.
With a personal injury lawyer, you can navigate these aspects of the claim to get the compensation you need.
Do I Need a Pittston Personal Injury Lawyer for My Premises Liability Case?
You are never required to work with a Pittston personal injury lawyer when filing a claim. But there are benefits to doing so, especially for premises liability cases.
Working with a legal team will help you through the filing process much more efficiently. We know that most personal injury cases do not go to court, but if yours did, that can become a lengthy and contentious fight.
A Pittston, PA premises liability lawyer can handle the process for you so you can focus on recovery and your health.
While there is no average settlement or verdict amount for personal injury claims, you are more likely to get higher compensation when working with a law firm.
Munley Law has helped personal injury victims secure millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for their Luzerne County claims, and we can do the same for you.
How Can a Lawyer Help Me with My Pittston Premises Liability Case?
Your lawyer will be able to help you quickly navigate your personal injury accident while you focus on recovery. They can help by collecting evidence, speaking with witnesses, reviewing footage or documentation from the accident, and negotiating on your behalf with the insurance company.
Further, if it comes to it, they can represent you in court to help you get a settlement or verdict for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Emotional distress
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
Speak to a Pittston Personal Injury Lawyer at Munley Law
When you left your house this morning, the last thing you anticipated was getting injured on someone else's property. While the property owner may claim you were clumsy or didn't realize a dangerous condition existed, you deserve to let the evidence stand for itself that you were hurt because of negligence.
Our Munley Law premises liability attorneys help victims recover compensation for injuries like:
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries and head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries and back injuries
- Dislocated joints
- Paralysis
- Internal injuries
In cases where death occurred because of the accident, we help the victim's family recover compensation for wrongful death, including funeral and burial costs.
Being injured uproots your life and can hurt you more than just physically. It can place a financial strain on you and your loved ones. But you don't have to shoulder the burden alone.
For a no-obligation, free consultation, call the Pittston premises liability lawyers of Munley Law.
