Trusted Guidance Through Your Premises Liability Claim

Unfortunately, accidents can happen at any time and at any place. People trip and fall. Unsecured objects fall on people. Pedestrians (including postal workers and delivery persons) are victims of dog bites. If you have been wrongfully injured because of a dangerous condition of private or public property, the burden of unwanted medical expenses should not fall on your shoulders.

At Scolinos, Sheldon & Nevell LLP, our skilled premises liability attorneys have over 60 years of combined experience. We understand how a serious injury can impact your career, daily life, relationships, finances and ongoing health. Our premises liability lawyers can serve as your advocates to take care of your claim, so you only have to worry about recovering.

We can help you with all types of premises liability claims, including:

• Slip-and-fall accidents
• Trip-and-fall accidents
• Falling objects
• Amusement park and playground accidents
• Swimming pool accidents
• Dog bites
• Negligent security
• Dangerous conditions of public property

Property Owners Are Responsible For Your Safety

“Premises liability” refers to a property owner’s legal duty for the safety of individuals who visit the buildings or property he or she owns. Property owners have a legal duty to ensure their property is safe for visitors.

When hazards present themselves, property owners are required to fix them in a timely manner, or if a fix cannot be immediately addressed, they are required to warn visitors of the danger. The warning must be one that a reasonable person would recognize and understand. Property owners who breach their duty of care owed to the general public may be required to compensate those who are injured due to their negligence.

A Thorough Investigation To Establish Fault

Our experienced premises liability lawyers can launch an accident investigation to build a strong case for the recovery of all damages that you are entitled to receive under the law.

Oftentimes, we will retain an expert witness, usually an engineer, to examine the accident scene while the evidence is still fresh. When it comes to proving a case for premises liability, either against a private or public entity, or a private person, time is of the essence.

Answering Your Premises Liability Questions

Premises liability claims can be tricky. You probably have a lot of questions about the details of your case. Our premises attorneys are here to answer them for you.

How do I prove that a California property owner was negligent?

Proving premises liability relies on demonstrating that the property owner was negligent. You will need to provide evidence that:

• There was a dangerous condition on the property, such as wet and slippery floors, poor lighting, uneven surfaces, faulty maintenance or inadequate security.
• The property was owned or controlled by the defendant.
• The defendant was aware of the dangerous condition but failed to repair the issue or provide a warning.
• The dangerous condition led to your injury.

Our skilled premises liability attorneys will investigate your case thoroughly to gather evidence to prove these elements and hold the negligent owner responsible.

What are common defenses used by property owners in premises liability cases?

Understanding common defense tactics can help you and your attorney better develop a strong case to fight against them. Property owners often use the following claims:

• The dangerous condition was “open and obvious:” This defense may be used to claim that the dangerous condition was so clearly dangerous that you should have been able to observe it and, therefore, avoid it while on the property and that the defendant had no duty to warn you about it.
• You engaged in contributory negligence: This strategy may be used if there is reason to believe you were also negligent when you encountered the dangerous condition. For example, if you were texting on your phone, you may not have noticed the problem and, therefore, been partially at fault for the accident.
• The property owner was unaware of the hazard: This defense is often used if the defendant can successfully prove they had no knowledge of the dangerous condition that caused your injury and, therefore, wouldn’t have been able to provide any warnings.

No matter what strategy the defense uses, our experienced lawyers know how to fight back against their claims. We are committed to proving your story with facts and evidence to help get you the compensation you deserve.

Schedule A Free Consultation With A Premises Liability Lawyer

If you were injured in an accident, call our Pasadena office at 626-513-0958 to schedule a free case consultation. You may also contact our team online.

We recommend contacting us as soon as possible after your accident. Prompt actions allow for a thorough investigation while the evidence is still fresh. California has a two-year statute of limitations to file personal injury claims. If you file past this deadline, you may not be able to recover the compensation that you deserve.