San Bernardino
Premises Liability Lawyer

Accidents that occur in an area or property owned and maintained by someone else are common and can be incredibly tragic. If you have experienced an accident or someone you love has been injured due to unsafe conditions in San Bernardino get in touch with a San Bernardino premises liability lawyer right away.

Premises Liability Defined

Reasonable on-site safety is the responsibility of a landowner, property manager, shopkeeper, restauranteur, business owner or another individual in control of a property. By law, that person must maintain the premises in good repair so that it does not pose a danger to guests, patrons or residents. If you get injured on property owned or controlled by someone else, you should speak with a premises liability attorney to determine whether you are entitled to reimbursement for your injury-related expenses.

Criteria for Premises Liability Cases

Any time you get hurt outside your own property, you may qualify for victim compensation. The main criteria for liability in such accidents are as follows:

• The defendant owns, leases or otherwise controls the premises
• That person has failed to fix unsafe conditions
• That person has failed to warn you of this danger
• You have been injured, or a family member has died as a direct result

Sometimes, a property owner or operator is liable because of purposeful actions that led to your injury. For example, if your landlord left the security gate ajar at your apartment complex so a repair person could get in, and an intruder entered, attacked and robbed you, the landlord is likely liable for your costs. Because of variances in jurisdiction and the nuances of the law, your best course of action is to contact a San Bernardino premises liability lawyer for legal advice.

Typical Examples of Premises Liability Cases

Accidental injuries are each unique in some ways. However, the following examples should provide you with a better understanding of what specifically may constitute a case for premises liability.

• A slip and fall on a shoveled yet icy sidewalk or entryway
• A drowning in an unfenced swimming pool
• A trip and fall in an unlit stairwell
• An attack by an unrestrained dog
• Chemical burns from an accessible, unlabeled toxin
• A fall through a rotted wood floor
• A fall on a stairway with a loose banister
• Electrocution from exposed wiring
• Burns from an electrical fire

In each example, you can see how the property owner’s negligence probably led to the accident. Sometimes, the law assigns liability due to an owner violating applicable statutes, such as failing to fence a swimming pool, which is required by law. In other cases, failure to take reasonable action for safety’s sake – such as not de-icing a sidewalk or neglecting to fix a loose banister – results in someone else’s injury. Either way, you may be legally entitled to compensation for your losses.

Injury Types and Their Implications

The type of injury you sustain in a premises liability case has a direct bearing on the amount of compensation you are due from the liable party. Some injuries are more likely to heal without further problems while others have longer lasting effects and the probability of future expense. Some of the most common injuries that result from premises liability accidents include:

• Cuts and bruises
• Sprains
• Broken bones
• Burns
• Animal bites
• Spinal injury
• Traumatic brain injury

Although you might think twice about pursuing compensation for a few cuts and bruises, certainly a serious injury, such as a blow to the head, has the potential for more far-reaching implications. That is why it’s so important to speak with a premises liability attorney, who can fairly negotiate a settlement that covers both your current and future expenses.

Why Hire an Attorney?

Proving premises liability can be difficult, and determining fair compensation is often complicated. The legalities are better handled by an experienced San Bernardino personal injury law expert who is also attuned to what you are going through. If you have been hurt on someone else’s premises due to unsafe conditions, contact our legal team at Rizio Lipinsky Heiting right away. We can help you sort out the situation and get the just compensation that you and your family are entitled to.