You have a reasonable expectation that when you are out shopping or running errands, the places where you conduct business are safe for you to visit. Whether you are running to the mall to grab new shoes for the kids or stopping by the grocery store for dinner supplies, you do not anticipate falling or becoming injured. However, the truth is that slip and fall accidents occur all the time and people sustain serious injuries as a result. In these instances, reaching out to a Suffolk, Virginia slip and fall attorney is a smart move.
Property owners and their agents in Suffolk, Virginia, have a legal duty to maintain their properties in a way that makes them safe for people who enter them—whether you are shopping, dining, or stopping by the post office to mail a letter.
Still, properties sometimes fall into a state of neglect or disrepair and hazardous conditions may develop. The onus is on the property owner to stay aware of any potential hazards that people may face when they enter their properties and to remedy said problems as fast as possible. If they do not, they can be held liable for any injuries sustained by people with legal, legitimate reasons to be on their properties. This includes public and private property, including property owned by local, state, or federal government agencies.
No venue is immune from the potential for slip and fall accidents. This includes private homes, rental homes, skilled nursing homes, shops and stores, movie theaters and other entertainment facilities, and even construction sites. If people can enter the premises, it is subject to the parameters governing slip and fall accidents.
Even falls that do not seem very serious can lead to life-changing injuries. Some of these include:
Both commercial and residential settings in Suffolk, Virginia, are vulnerable to slip and fall claims under the concept of premises liability. For claims of this nature that occur in residential properties, the injured party needs to show that:
For commercial slip and fall claims, it must be shown that the property owner was aware or should have reasonably been aware of the condition that caused the fall and failed to remedy the problem. For example, milk was spilled in an aisle of a grocery store, and it remained there long enough to cause someone to fall and become injured.
In both commercial and residential slip and fall claims, the injured party must be a lawful presence on the property. Premises liability claims give little regard to trespassers’ safety, save for provisions for attractive nuisances like swimming pools where owners owe a duty of care to children who might wander into their backyards.
If you or a loved one have been injured during a slip and fall accident, reach out to the compassionate Suffolks, Virginia slip and fall accident attorney team at Randall, Page & Bruch, P.C., to preserve your legal rights to compensation including lost wages and pain and suffering. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or by calling 757-742-6115.
