Virginia premises liability lawyers

How do I prove a Virginia premises liability claim?

In Virginia, to recover compensation in a premises liability claim, your lawyer must prove the following:

• The property owner owed a duty of care to the injured person.
• The duty of care was breached by some action or inaction.
• The property owner was negligent by failing to fix the hazard.
• The property owner knew or should have known that the hazard existed.

GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys will conduct a thorough investigation to determine who is responsible for your injuries. Liable parties may include property owners, employees, and managers who failed to take necessary precautions to prevent an accident.

Our Virginia personal injury lawyers will build a strong case by interviewing witnesses, collecting documents, and reviewing your accident report. We’ll review company records to find out if the negligent party received any complaints about the dangerous situation before your accident happened. When our investigation is complete, GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys will file a claim or a lawsuit against anyone whose negligent actions contributed to your injuries.

What types of accidents can be caused by premises liability in Virginia?

Any injury that happened on someone else’s property may lead to a Virginia premises liability claim if the property owner was negligent. Common premises liability accidents include:

• Slip-and-fall accidents may happen due to wet or slippery floors, icy and snowy sidewalks, uneven surfaces, wrinkled carpets, and cluttered walkways.
• Swimming pool accidents can result in a tragic drowning or near-drowning injuries. These incidents often involve children. Pool owners in Virginia are required to install barriers at least 48 inches high with self-closing and self-latching gates.
• Dog bites. Dog owners in Virginia are required to make sure dogs stay on their property and follow local leash laws.
• Negligent security may result in assault and battery when businesses fail to hire enough security guards or don’t provide employees with the proper training to do provide security correctly.
• Collapsed ceilings may occur during construction or as a result of shoddy construction practices, leading to catastrophic injuries and fatalities.
• Stairway falls are caused by loose handrails and uneven or broken stairs.
• Toxic exposure. Airborne toxins cause breathing difficulty, cancer, birth defects, respiratory illnesses, heart disease, and other harmful medical conditions.
• Elevator accidents often cause fatalities or severe injuries that may include amputation. Negligent manufacturers, repair people, and inspectors may be held liable for elevator injuries.
• Escalator accidents. If escalators aren’t properly maintained, they can cause severe injuries when a rider’s clothes, shoes, or even a body part gets stuck in the mechanism and drags the victim down.

What injuries are frequent in premises liability cases?

Premises liability accidents can cause chronic pain and disabilities. For example, dog attack victims may suffer scarring, severe injuries, and emotional trauma. Slip-and-fall injuries may result in bone fractures, head injuries, broken hips, or even fatalities. A child who experiences a near-drowning may suffer brain damage or severe physical impairment.

Injuries caused by premises liability include:

• Loss of limb
• Broken bones
• Organ failure
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Neck and back injuries
• Drowning
• Paralysis
• Whiplash
• Severe burns
• Soft tissue injuries
• Nerve damage
• Electric shock

Where do premises liability accidents often occur?

Premises liability can happen to guests, employees, renters, or visitors on someone else’s property. Property owners are required to eliminate hazards that may cause reasonably foreseeable harm to others. Landlords, private businesses, and property owners in Virginia must maintain their property so it’s safe for guests, and they are required to warn people about any unsafe conditions.

Places where premises liability accidents can happen include:

• Parks with defective playground equipment, sharp edges, or lack of padding around climbing equipment
• Apartment complexes with leaky pipes, broken walkways, gas leaks, and other hazards
• Airbnbs, hotels, and motels that fail to install anti-slip shower mats, bath safety bars, and decals to prevent guests from walking into sliding glass doors
• Restaurants and bars that don’t provide adequate security or fail to remove hazards
• Grocery or other retail stores that don’t clean up spills in a timely manner or fail to post warning signs on wet floors after mopping
• Amusement parks with unsafe and poorly maintained rides, poorly trained staff, and tripping hazards
• Parking garages with insufficient lighting, lack of traffic signs and markings, and confusing directions

How can I get compensation for Virginia premises liability injuries?

At GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys, we can determine the extent of your injuries and file a claim or lawsuit to help recover the resources you need to care for yourself and your family. Damages for a premises liability accident may include:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Time missed from work
• Medications
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Reduced quality of life
• In-home nursing care
• Wheelchair ramps for your home
• Medical devices
• PTSD
• Pain and suffering
• Reduced earning capacity
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy
• Wrongful death