Temecula Premises Liability Attorney

What Is Premises Liability?

Residential and commercial property owners have a legal responsibility to maintain reasonably safe conditions for customers and invited visitors. This responsibility is called the “duty of care.” Premises liability laws are designed to hold property owners accountable in scenarios where they negligently violate their duties of care and consequently allow unsafe conditions to harm others. If you are lawfully present on someone else’s property and are injured as a direct result of a dangerous condition, there is a good chance you have a premises liability case. 

Common types of premises liability claims include:

• Slip and fall incidents
• Dog bites
• Restaurant falls
• Grocery stores / shopping centers
• Mis-leveled sidewalks
• Inadequate security that results in avoidable injury
• Any other defective building or property element that leads to injury

Note that property owners are not the only parties that can be held in premises liability claims. Any party that leases, rents, works on, or possesses the involved property can potentially be found negligent if an injury occurs on the premises. For example, if you are injured at a store in a mall, you may need to prove the company that leases the storefront was negligent, not the property owner of the mall itself. 

What To Do After Being Injured on Someone Else’s Property

Premises liability incidents can sometimes appear embarrassing, especially if it involves a slip and fall in front of others. You may not immediately assume negligence is involved, and your gut instinct may compel you to promptly leave the scene. 

When you are injured on someone else’s property, you should always take steps to protect yourself and your future ability to recover owed compensation, including:

• Informing the property owner or on-site manager. Assuming you do not need to immediately seek medical assistance, you should request to speak to the property owner, possessor, or on-site lead and inform them of what happened.
• Securing evidence of the incident. Request a copy of any available security camera footage before you leave the scene. You should also ask that an incident report be created. Obtain a copy of this report and keep it for your records. Do not sign any statement or paperwork provided by the property owner, possessor, or on-site manager.
• Collecting relevant contact information. If there were any witnesses that saw what happened, be sure to collect their contact information, including their names, phone numbers, and addresses. You should also procure the contact information of the property owner or possessor, especially if they are not present at the time of the incident.
• Obtaining professional medical attention. Even if your injuries seem relatively minor or nonexistent, you should still seek medical attention as soon as possible. Some injuries will not be readily apparent. Your healthcare provider’s report of any injuries could prove crucial in a premises liability claim.
• Contacting a qualified legal professional from Law Office of Rob Schelling, A Professional Corporation. In the days after an incident, you may be contacted by the property owner or possessor’s insurance company. Decline to make a statement and direct them to speak to your legal representation. Our premises liability attorney can provide you with the guidance and advocacy you need.

Learn more about how our Temecula premises liability lawyer can help you by calling (951) 355-2965 or contacting us online today!