Types of Richmond Premises Liability Cases

From department store falls to accidents caused by negligent property upkeep, there are many types of Richmond premises liability claims. However, not all accidents qualify as civil claims. To determine if your accident meets the standards required to bring a claim against an allegedly negligent party, reach out to an experienced premises liability attorney.

The most common type of case handled by a premises lawyer is a slip and fall accident, sometimes called a trip and fall. It is usually the result of wet floors when a landowner negligently maintains their tile floors, especially on a commercial property.

Another typical case against a commercial entity involves rugs that curl up because people do not maintain their rugs properly and create a tripping hazard. For example, if a person leaving a building were to trip on an improperly set up rug and fall through a door, that could constitute one of the many types of Richmond premises liability cases.

As far as liability against individuals regarding a licensee rather than an invitee, if an individual is at a friend's house and something happens, that can constitute a liability case. However, these instances do not happen often.

Every case stands on its own facts. The available facts determine how a premises liability case is handled. For example, many commercial entities have cameras throughout their stores. They are used to stop theft and protect the landowner from potential civil liability. The lawyer on the plaintiff's side can use the video evidence from the cameras to show how long a spill remained on the floor before the slip and fall accident occurred.

Premises liability cases are complex and expensive. If an individual does not have significant damages, a lawyer might deny a premises liability case because they are time-consuming and resource-intensive. A rear-end auto accident could be done in three months; a premises liability case could take years.

A common reason that lawyers deny premises liability cases is when people want to sue their employer because they slipped on something at work. Virginia does not allow that. If someone is injured at work, their remedy is through a workers' compensation claim. The individual cannot sue their employer in civil court or bring a lawsuit against them the way they would against somebody who hit them with a car. The injured party must go to the Workers' Compensation Commission and file a claim.

Lastly, a lawyer's decision to decline a case depends on the facts of the case. Sometimes, a person contacts an attorney and does not describe facts that give rise to liability. In a premises case, they need to have something specific. They need to be injured by something the possessor of the land knew or should have known about.

With the numerous types of Richmond premises liability cases out there, it could be hard to determine if your accident qualifies as a civil claim. Not all accidents are the fault of others. Because of this, it is important that you reach out to an attorney who can vet your claim against others and determine if a civil claim is right for you. Call today.