Don’t get tripped up on premises liability lawsuits

When you visit someone else’s property, either as a guest, a tenant, a customer or in most any other capacity, you have the right to expect that the owner will maintain the property to such a degree that you can visit in relative safety. This applies whether the property is a private residence or apartment building, an office building, mall, on city sidewalks or in public gathering areas. The vast majority of times, you are provided a safe environment, but in a few instances, if the owner is aware of a substandard safety issue and you get hurt after the fact, you can seek damages as part of a premises liability suit.

A premises liability attorney can help you take action against a property owner in a variety of scenarios:

• You slip and fall on an icy sidewalk or stairs
• A dog bites you after it has been determined to be dangerous
• You fall down a flight of stairs due to a loose handrail or poorly maintained steps
• You nearly drown because there is no fence around a pool
• You are a burn or smoke inhalation victim after a fire due to poor electrical systems or malfunctioning appliances

The list of premises liability scenarios is endless. But the bottom line is that if a property owner knows about a substandard issue and does nothing to correct the situation which results in an injury or death, there may be a strong opportunity to sue for damages. The key in these kinds of cases is that the property owner must be made aware in advance and they must have a reasonable amount of time to correct the situation.

A seasoned premises liability attorney will be familiar with the nuances and case laws related to various kinds of premises legal actions and will be able to guide you through what can be a complicated process.

The Lemle Law Group serves clients in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Culver City, Brentwood, West Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Hills, Venice, Malibu and other nearby Southern California cities.