Safety can often feel like an illusion, especially when you get hurt in a place where you assume you should be safe. Maybe you tripped because of a loose floorboard or got lacerated by an exposed nail while shopping at your favorite boutique. These are the kinds of dangers that you shouldn’t have to worry about when out and about. But when you suffer an injury due to a hidden danger, it is just as real and painful as an injury suffered when doing something dangerous. What can you do after this type of accident? Depending on the circumstances of your case, a Harrisburg premises liability lawyer from Wapner Newman may be able to help you get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.
What Is Premises Liability?
Understanding When You Need a Harrisburg Premises Liability Lawyer
Premises liability is the legal responsibility of property owners to ensure that their premises are reasonably safe for anyone visiting the property. Judges, juries, and lawyers use this law to determine what party has liability when you are injured while on another party’s property. When determining whether you are eligible to file a lawsuit for the harm you suffered, an experienced premises liability lawyer in Harrisburg will look at factors like why you were at the property and what actions the owner took to ensure your safety.
Common Types of Incidents That Result in Premises Liability Claims
One of the things that can make premises liability law confusing is that it covers a wide variety of scenarios that seemingly have little in common. For example, you might be eligible to file a premises liability lawsuit if you slip and fall into a public swimming pool and nearly drown. Similarly, you might be eligible to file a lawsuit if an electrical outlet in your hotel room catches on fire. These are highly disparate situations that have only one element in common: the property owner failed to ensure your safety despite having a duty to do so. The following are common examples of incidents where you should contact a premises liability lawyer immediately if you are injured.
Assault Claims
When you are assaulted, you might think that the party that assaulted you is entirely at fault for the harm you suffered. However, the law doesn’t always agree with that. For example, if you are assaulted in a parking garage, the garage owner may be partially responsible if the garage has no security cameras or security guards. The owner could also be responsible if a portion of the garage was poorly lit, creating an easy opportunity for the assailant to attack you. If you are assaulted while at the property of another, after you notify the police, you should speak to a premises liability attorney at Wapner Newman.
Even when another party intentionally assaults you, the property owner of the place where you were assaulted may be liable if they didn’t act to prevent the attack.
Dog Bites
As a rule, property owners are responsible for the actions of their pets when you visit their property. If the property owner knows their dog is dangerous, they should warn you of the threat and isolate the dog so it can’t hurt you. But what if the owner doesn’t realize their dog is unsafe? You might still have a legitimate premises liability claim. Contact a premises liability lawyer in Harrisburg at Wapner Newman to discuss your case during a free consultation.
Slip and Fall Accidents
These are the types of accidents that are most often correlated with premises liability law. When a slippery and dangerous condition causes you to fall, any injuries you suffer from that fall are probably the responsibility of the premises owner. This can include situations like:
- A spill in a restaurant
- Ice or water accumulating at the entrance of a shop
- Uneven surfaces without a warning sign
- Pathways with loose dirt or sand.
The property owner is responsible for correcting any dangers as quickly as possible and providing fair warning when that isn’t possible. This is why you will often see yellow warning placards at airports when a custodian is mopping the floor. The airport doesn’t want to be liable for your slipping on the wet floor so it places warning signs in all directions to ensure that you don’t accidentally walk into the area being cleaned.
Were you seriously injured while at a property that belongs to another party? You might be eligible to get compensation for the harm you suffered. Call Wapner Newman at (215) 569-0900 today to speak with an experienced Harrisburg premises liability lawyer.
What to Do After Being Injured at Another Party’s Property
When Should You Call a Premises Liability Attorney in Harrisburg?
After being injured, you should take a few steps to increase your chances of getting appropriate compensation. By doing these things, you will best protect your health and your legal rights.
Get Medical Attention
The most important thing you can do to help your premises liability lawyer make a strong case for you is to get medical attention as soon as possible. This creates medical records, which can be used during negotiations with the insurance company or in court. Furthermore, it protects your health. Many injuries will worsen if not immediately treated. The sooner you get your injury evaluated and treated, the more likely you are to fully recover from it.
Contact Wapner Newman
The best time to contact our law firm is within minutes of getting hurt, if possible. Even if we can’t be present at the accident scene, we can walk you through the next few steps and help protect you from making common mistakes. Also, by contacting us right away, we can act as your representative in discussions with the liable party, their lawyers, and their insurance company. Typically, the earlier a client contacts us, the better the results we can obtain for them.
Preserve All Evidence
Have you ever received a bill in the mail? If so, there is a good chance that you paid it and then promptly tossed it in the garbage can. Almost everyone does this. After all, preserving financial records can be time-consuming, annoying, and cumbersome. It can be especially cumbersome if you are suffering from a serious injury. We understand how difficult this can be, but saving your records will make it easier for us to represent your claim.
Keep physical and electronic copies of bills and medical records. You should also take pictures of your injuries and the accident scene, if possible. Finally, if you can get the contact information for any witnesses, do that and provide that information to your premises liability lawyer at Wapner Newman.
Why Choose Us?
Given all of the choices available, why should you choose Wapner Newman? The best reason is quite simple: We get results. We have obtained hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients since our law firm was formed. For example, we got over $7 million for a client injured in an elevator accident. Does this mean you will get millions of dollars? Not necessarily. But it does mean we will fight to get you as much as possible.
And if that isn’t enough, we treat every case like it is our most important case. It doesn’t matter if your case is worth $10 million or $10,000. If you are our client, you will get personalized attention from Day One until your case is done.
FAQ
Want to know more before pursuing your legal options? We love answering questions from potential clients. The following are answers to some of the most common questions we get.
Can I get money if I am partially at fault for my injury?
Yes. Pennsylvania uses comparative negligence to award compensation for a personal injury claim. If you are partially responsible for your injury, any compensation you get will be reduced by an amount commensurate with how responsible you are.
How long can I wait to file a premises liability lawsuit in Harrisburg?
You can wait up to two years after getting injured to file a lawsuit. However, we recommend contacting our premises liability attorneys as soon as possible.
Will I be charged a fee if you don’t get me money?
No. At Wapner Newman, we take all cases on contingency. This means that if we don’t successfully obtain money for you, we don’t charge you for our services.
Who is responsible if I am injured at a property that is rented by another party?
Usually, the owner is responsible, but at times the party that rents or manages a property might be responsible instead. Our legal team will investigate the terms of any rental contracts to determine liability.
If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask them during your free consultation.
Contact a Harrisburg Premises Liability Attorney Today
If you were seriously injured at another party’s property, you may be able to get compensation for the harm you suffered. Call our law firm at (215) 569-0900 as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.