File a Premises Liability Claim
When you go to a public place, you expect to be safe. Whether you are having a meal with friends or taking your family to a swimming pool, you should not have to worry about your well-being. If you have been injured in such a venue, it may owe to the negligence of the person or group who owns the premises. A Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer can help you get the compensation and justice you deserve after this kind of accident.
What Is Premises Liability?
As you recover from your accident, you should consider your options. If you are convinced that you did everything you could to keep yourself safe and that the accident was unavoidable, then you should consider pursuing a lawsuit based on premises liability. The latter refers to an owner or landlord’s legal responsibility for injuries as a result of unsafe conditions on the property. It can be applied to nearly any space, facility, or venue in which there is public traffic, and the nature of the accident may include slip and falls, falling objects, electrocution, animal attacks, and even theft and burglary due to inadequate security.
A premises liability attorney can help you build a case against the owner of the property. Indeed, you may not need to file a lawsuit immediately. The owner of the place in which the accident occurred may see the evidence for themselves and offer you a fair cash settlement. In some instances, their insurance company may offer the compensation. However, you should accept no money, sign nothing, or agree to any kind of deal until you have consulted with a lawyer.
The Consequences Of An Accident
Most people are not prepared for the kind of havoc a personal injury may cause. The more severe accidents can put you in the hospital for weeks and out of work for months. The inability to earn money when combined with the accumulation of medical and other bills will put you into serious financial difficulties.
It may not be possible for you to settle for a low amount of money because such a sum will not help you settle your bills or make up for the income you have lost. The decision to pursue a premises liability claim is not motivated by greed or a desire for revenge. You may need to pursue the lawsuit for the practical purpose of survival.
How Premises Liability Cases Work
If you have decided to sue the owner of the property on which you were injured, you should retain the services of a lawyer who specializes in premises liability law. A premises liability lawyer will possess the expertise to mount a successful case against the defendant.
Here is how your Los Angeles premises liability claim case is likely to unfold:
- Building Your Case
Your lawyer will work to prove that the person responsible for the injury owned, occupied, or leased the property, that you were harmed while on it, and the negligence of the defendant contributed substantially to that harm. - The Defendant’s Ownership or Occupation of the Property
It is important to prove that the respondent owned or was legally responsible for the property. This may sound as though it is easy to prove, but some defendants create elaborate legal instruments to insulate themselves from liability. Your property injury lawyer in Los Angeles will be able to challenge the validity of such structures and establish the person who is legally responsible for the property and thus legally responsible for ensuring the safety of all who visited it. - Proving Negligence
Your lawyer in Los Angeles will then help you prove the negligence of the owner. You will need to demonstrate that the owner failed to provide a reasonable standard of care. The law states that premises owners are obligated to warn of known dangers which you could not have reasonably discovered on your own. This obligation extends to those hazards that the defendant should have known about if they had exercised the right amount of diligence and oversight. - Prove the Severity and Impact of Your Injury
Your attorney will also prove the seriousness of your injury and the impact it has had on your life. To do this, they will rely on medical records and other documentation from your physician. They will also bring in medical specialists who will make statements that explain how you sustained the injury and why it has taken such a toll on you.
The case does not need to go to trial. Your lawyer may be able to produce enough evidence to change the attitude and strategy of the defendant. The latter may decide that a prolonged court case is not worth the trouble and hassle and will give you the compensation you deserve.