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Businesses, homeowners, and landlords have a responsibility to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition for guests. When someone is injured or dies due to dangerous property conditions, the most important issue is what the owner did to protect his guests from harm. The owner of the property may be responsible if you can prove that the owner’s negligence led to the injury or death. If you’ve suffered an injury of this type, and you believe it is the result of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to file a lawsuit to recover the costs involved to pay for your medical bills, expenses (such as lost wages and earnings), and for emotional distress or permanent physical disability you may have suffered.
Examples of Defective Property: This list doesn’t cover every possible defect, but gives an idea of some of the more common cases.
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites or mauling
- Unlocked or unsupervised swimming pools – drowning
- Improper and inadequate lighting
- Improper or inadequate security in areas that have a history or crime and assaults
- Sexual assaults
- Assault and battery
- Broken sidewalks, stairs, steps and dangerous stairwells that cause trip and fall accidents
- Missing stair rails or uneven steps
- Unfilled holes
- Falling merchandise in stores
- Fires and explosions
- Wet and slippery floors that cause slip and fall injuries
- Pavement cracks and breaks
- Malfunctioning elevators and escalators
- Failure to warn of a hazardous or dangerous property condition
- Attractive nuisances that injure children
- Exposure to hazardous materials on the property
If you believe you’ve been injured because a property owner failed to properly maintain his premises, you should contact an attorney immediately. Time limits may apply to how long you have to file your claim, so the sooner you do so the better.