Pennsylvania Premises Liability Lawyer
Premises liability is an area of law that imposes a duty of care and liability for damages on a landowner, whether a person or a company, for any accident or injury that occurs on the land or property.
In short, landowners in Pennsylvania are responsible for injuries suffered by people who are on their property. The duty of care owed is based on the status of the person injured when they entered the land or premises. If you were injured on another party’s property, get in touch with a Pennsylvania premises liability lawyer. Let an experienced personal injury attorney advocate for your right to compensation.
Examples of Premises Liability Claims
A premises liability lawyer in Pennsylvania helps injured people obtain compensation for injuries that occur in the following cases:
- Slip and fall claims (failure to remove snow and ice, hills and ridges liability, slippery surfaces, defective staircases, or defective sidewalks)
- Victims of violent crimes claims (insufficient security in a nightclub, defective nighttime lighting in hallways, staircases and parking lots, malfunctioning elevators or escalators)
- Overzealous employee claims (particularly in retail settings an employee can falsely accuse a person of shoplifting, subject the person to false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, defamation, and negligent hiring, retention or supervision of employee)
- Food poisoning claims (restaurants, supermarkets, grocery stores, or other food establishments that mishandle food storage or preparation that makes patrons sick)
- Construction site accidents (falling debris or equipment, open manhole covers, open doors or windows)
Time of Entry Status
The landowner owes a duty of care to people who enter their premises based on the person’s entry status at the time of injury. These entry statuses are trespasser, licensee, and invitee.
- A person who enters or remains on land or the premises without the consent of the landowner is a trespasser. Of all the entry statuses discussed here, a trespasser is owed the lowest standard of care. When a trespasser recovers from injuries it is because the landowner is found to be guilty of wanton or willful negligence or misconduct.
- A licensee is a person who enters or remains on land or the premises with the owner’s consent. To receive compensation for injuries, the licensee must prove that (1) he or she did not know of the dangerous condition or risk AND (2) that the landowner had some knowledge of the dangerous condition AND dialed to make the land or premises safe.
- The highest standard of care is owed to an invitee, a person who is allowed to enter and remain on the land or premises for the purpose the land or premises exist. Invitees can be a public invitee or a business visitor. A public invitee, like someone who enters a public library to read or borrow books, enters and remains on land held open to the public. While a business visitor is used to describe a person who enters a private business like a restaurant. Both a diner and a food distributor are examples of people who would be considered a business visitor under the laws of Pennsylvania as invitees.
Call a Pennsylvania Premises Liability Attorney Today
You may be entitled to recover actual damages including physical injuries, medical expenses, lost pay and benefits, loss of privacy, injury to reputation, and emotional distress if you have suffered an injury while on land or premises of another. Contact a Pennsylvania premises liability lawyer now to schedule a case evaluation.
