Was Your Property Owner Negligent?

All property owners have obligations to ensure the safety of people who use or visit their business or residence. In some cases, a property owner may even be held liable for injuries that occur on their premises. If you believe that a negligent property owner has injured you, it’s important to be aware of all your legal options. Here are three things you should do if you believe you were injured by a negligent property owner in Santa Rosa, CA.

What injuries occur due to a negligent property owner?

A negligent property owner sometimes has a track record of negligence that results in injury to others. A property owner is negligent when she doesn’t maintain a safe environment. Some common examples of property owner negligence include:

• A slip and fall caused by a store employee failing to clean up a spill
• An injury that occurs because a bar owner fails to hire security after repeated violence at her premises
• A parking lot owner who fails to install adequate lighting, leaving a customer vulnerable to criminals

How can you prove that a property owner is negligent?

There are four basic requirements to prove that a property owner is negligent, including:

• Establishing a duty of care: You must prove that the defendant owned, occupied or leased the property where you were injured. If a defendant does indeed own that property, they are responsible for keeping it safe for all visitors.
• Establishing a breach of duty: It’s not enough to determine that a defendant was responsible for providing a safe environment—you also need to show that she neglected to properly maintain the property. If a defendant had opportunity to discover and fix a hazardous condition but neglected to do so, a breach of duty has occurred.
• Proving the breach caused the injury: You need to prove that the defendant’s breach directly caused your injury. Photographic evidence, eyewitness testimony and medical records are used to prove this.
• Showing damages: You need to demonstrate that your injury caused you to suffer damages. These can be both physical and financial damages that directly result from your injury.

How can a lawyer help you?

You may be eligible to collect damages if your lawyer is able to make a direct connection between your injuries and property owner negligence in Santa Rosa, CA. Most property owners hold premises liability insurance that covers them in case an injury occurs on their property. A seasoned lawyer helps you prove all required elements of a premises liability claim so you can collect financial compensation. Your lawyer will assess all injuries and expenses, including medical bills, lost wages, mental suffering and more.

You’re entitled to damages if you or a loved one are hurt due to the actions of a negligent property owner in Santa Rosa, CA. A trusted legal expert can assist you in filing a claim for financial compensation. Don’t hesitate to rely on the team at The Law Offices of Max G. Arnold, Inc. to take care of every step of this complex process and maximize your potential compensation.

Categorised in: Personal Injury Lawyer