Los Angeles Premises Liability Attorney

Premises Liability Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is one of the largest and busiest cities in the world, and it is possible for unexpected injuries to happen in various ways. Vehicle accidents on I-5, workplace accidents, and acts of violence are just a few examples, but slip-and-fall accidents are more common and more damaging than many people realize. If you have been hurt this way due to a property owner’s negligence, you need to speak with a Los Angeles premises liability attorney.

Experienced Premises Liability Counsel in Los Angeles, CA

The attorneys at Duque & Price have extensive experience representing injured clients in Los Angeles and the surrounding communities of California in all types of personal injury cases. If another party is responsible for harming you or a family member, you have the right to pursue accountability and compensation for your damages. When that party is a property owner, your case falls within the purview of California’s premises liability laws.

Our team will carefully review the details of your situation and help you determine your most viable path to recovery. The National Safety Council reported that in 2022, more than 8.5 million Americans were treated in emergency rooms nationwide for slip-and-fall accidents. These accidents are a leading cause of personal injury in the home and in the workplace in the United States, and they often result in severe injuries.

Whether you were hurt visiting another person’s private residential property, after entering a store or other business establishment, or while you were working on someone else’s property, it is crucial to understand California’s premises liability laws as they apply to your case and how to recover compensation for your damages.

Understanding Fault in a Premises Liability Case

Every personal injury case hinges on an act of negligence or illegal misconduct that has resulted in a plaintiff’s claimed damages. Success with a personal injury case requires identifying the party responsible for causing the damages, proving exactly how they caused them, and then showing that the plaintiff suffered the damage claimed.

In a premises liability case, the plaintiff must show that their claimed damages resulted from the defendant’s negligent care of their property. The plaintiff needs to prove that the defendant knew or reasonably should have known about the hazard that caused their injury, but they failed to address it appropriately.

When a property owner is diligent in the care of their property and they notice anything that could potentially harm a lawful guest, customer, or other visitor, they are required to either correct the issue immediately or make sure all visitors to the property are aware of the issue. They can post a clearly visible warning sign or provide clear verbal warnings to lawful visitors about the issue if they are likely to encounter it while on the property.

Lawful is an important distinction in these cases. A property owner owes a duty of care to those with implied or express permission to enter the property for either their own purposes or for the property owner’s purposes. The property owner does not owe any duty of care to trespassers or intruders. A plaintiff in a premises liability case must prove they were lawfully present on the property when their injury occurred.

It’s possible for premises liability cases in Los Angeles to entail: 

• Slip-and-fall accidents. These may occur because of unmarked wet floors, damaged floor surfaces, tripping hazards, broken lights, and many other causes.
• Animal attacks. If a lawful visitor to a property is hurt by the property owner’s dog, the owner will likely face strict liability for the resulting damages.
• Negligent security. Owners of apartment buildings, hotels, and parking garages could be liable for damages that lawful visitors, tenants, and guests experience due to failures of building security. These cases often involve criminal acts that are able to happen due to broken surveillance cameras, poorly trained guards, broken door locking mechanisms, and other causes.

These are just a few examples of the types of premises liability cases that arise in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas of California. If you believe that a property owner is responsible for causing your recent injury, you need to hire a premises liability attorney in Los Angeles who has proven experience handling cases like yours. The right attorney can help you secure the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.

Claiming Compensation in a Premises Liability Case

The goal of a personal injury case is for the injured plaintiff to prove fault for their damages and to recover compensation for those damages so they can be as whole as possible again. This typically means claiming compensation for economic and non-economic damages the defendant caused.

After your Los Angeles premises liability attorney has helped you establish fault, they will then assist you with calculating the full extent of the damages you are eligible to claim from the defendant property owner. In most personal injury cases, injured plaintiffs can claim compensation for economic losses such as: 

• Medical bills. The injured plaintiff has the right to claim compensation for the full extent of the medical treatment costs incurred because of the defendant’s negligence. These can include emergency room bills, ambulance fees, prescription medication costs, and any costs incurred for ongoing treatment if they suffer a severe injury.
• Lost wages. When a plaintiff is unable to work due to their injury, the defendant is responsible for the income the plaintiff is unable to earn during this time.
• Lost earning power. The plaintiff may have suffered severe injuries that have caused permanent disability, diminishing their capacity to work. If this applies to your case, your attorney can help you claim compensation for the future income you otherwise would have been able to earn.

In addition to direct economic losses, you also have the right to claim compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced due to the defendant’s actions. The plaintiff in a premises liability case can seek compensation for the physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological trauma that the defendant caused, and the plaintiff’s attorney can help them determine a suitable amount that reflects the severity of the harm they suffered.

Ultimately, the aftermath of a slip and fall or other accident on someone else’s property can be confusing. These cases are sometimes complex, especially when liability is disputed or when a plaintiff has suffered catastrophic injuries. Whatever your case entails, the team at Duque & Price is confident we can help you reach a positive conclusion. Reach out to our team right away to learn more about the legal services we offer.

FAQs

How Do You Prove Fault in a Premises Liability Case?

Proving fault in a premises liability case typically requires showing that the property owner knew about the hazard that caused your injury, or that they reasonably should have known about it with diligent care of their property. The plaintiff must then prove that this negligence directly caused their claimed damages.

What Is a Premises Liability Case Worth in Los Angeles?

The value of a premises liability case in Los Angeles depends on the severity of the victim’s damages. The plaintiff has the right to claim compensation for their medical expenses, long-term medical treatment costs, lost wages, and lost future earning potential. They can also seek compensation for their pain and suffering, and the court may award punitive damages if the defendant exceeded the scope of typical negligence.

What Happens if I Share Fault for My Injury?

If you share fault for your injury, California’s pure comparative negligence rule applies to your case. You will be assigned a fault percentage, and then this percentage will be subtracted from your personal injury case award to reflect your shared liability. Your attorney can explain what to expect if this is likely to come into play for your case.

Why Should I Hire a Premises Liability Attorney?

You should hire a premises liability attorney to ensure the greatest possible chance of success with your case. Even if the fault for your injury seems apparent to you, the formal process of holding a defendant accountable for your damages is likely to be more difficult than you expect.

Your Los Angeles premises liability attorney can help you gather the evidence you need to prove fault, uncover the full extent of your claimable damages, and help you resolve your case efficiently.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Premises Liability Attorney in Los Angeles?

The cost to hire a premises liability attorney in Los Angeles depends on the total value of your case when you choose Duque & Price as your legal counsel. We do not charge upfront fees for personal injury cases. Instead, we take cases on contingency, charging our client a percentage of the total compensation we recover for them when we win their case. If there is no recovery for any reason, there is no fee.

Speak To Our Los Angeles Premises Liability Attorney

The team at Duque & Price has successfully resolved many complex personal injury cases in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas of California, including those that fall within the scope of premises liability law. You have limited time to pursue compensation, and our team is ready to guide you to a positive result in your case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Los Angeles premises liability attorney and learn how we can help.