Waldorf Premises Liability Lawyers

Request a Free Consultation Today

While some accidents, such as slips, trips, and falls, can’t be prevented and are no one’s fault, other incidents could have—and should have—been prevented. In Maryland, property owners have a responsibility to take reasonable actions to prevent foreseeable accidents.

In other words, property owners should take steps to keep their premises well-maintained and reasonably safe for visitors or anyone who enters the property lawfully. If you were injured on another person’s property and you believe the property owner was negligent, we invite you to get in touch with our Waldorf premises liability lawyers today for a free case evaluation.

We can go over the details of your situation and help you understand your legal rights and options. If someone else was at fault for your injuries, you shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences on your own; our firm can help you seek fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

When Are Property Owners Liable for Accidents?

Generally speaking, property owners can be held liable for accidents that occur on their properties when those accidents were reasonably foreseeable and preventable. What does this mean?

In short, if a property owner knew that a dangerous condition existed and that this condition could potentially cause harm to others but did not do anything to fix the condition or warn others of its existence, that property owner has acted negligently.

In order to bring a premises liability claim against a property owner in Maryland, you will need to prove each of the following four elements:

The Property Owner Owed You a Duty of Care

If you were on a commercial or public property when you were injured, the owner of that property is already presumed to have owed you a duty of care. That is to say, commercial and public property owners are responsible for ensuring that their properties are reasonably safe for the public.

If you were on private property lawfully when the accident occurred, the property owner also owed you a duty of care. If, however, you were trespassing when the incident occurred, the property owner is only responsible for not engaging in reckless or dangerous behavior that could potentially cause someone else to become injured.

The Property Owner Breached the Duty of Care

Once you have established that the property owner owed you a duty of care, you will next need to show that they breached this duty of care.

This means that the property owner:

• Failed to keep the property reasonably well-maintained
• Failed to fix/repair a dangerous condition
• And/or failed to warn you of the existence of certain dangerous conditions

For example, if a retail store owner fails to fix the crumbling, uneven steps that lead up to the building’s entrance, this could be considered a breach of the duty of care.

The Breach of the Duty of Care Was the Cause of Your Accident/Injuries

You will then need to show the causality between the breach of the duty of care and your injuries. In other words, you will need to prove that you were injured because of the dangerous condition that the property owner failed to fix or warn you about.

If you slipped but were not injured or if you were injured due to factors apart from the poor property conditions, you cannot bring a premises liability claim.

You Suffered Measurable Damages

Lastly, you will need to show that you suffered measurable damages/harm as a result of the accident and/or your injuries.

“Measurable damages” are things like medical bills for treatment for your injuries, lost wages while you were out of work recovering, and non-economic losses, such as:

Whether you slipped and fell on a wet floor, were assaulted in a dark parking lot that lacked proper security, or suffered catastrophic injuries in a theme park or swimming pool accident, our firm can help you hold the negligent property owner accountable.

Call the Farmer & Klopferat (301) 265-2220or contact us onlinetoday to request your free initial consultation.