Property owners have a responsibility to maintain their property and keep it safe for visitors. When a property isn’t kept safe for visitors, you leave yourself exposed to a premises liability claim. When someone is injured on your property, they must prove their injury was the result of your (the property owner’s negligence.) Premises liability applies to both public and private property because own property owners have a responsibility to provide safe conditions for those who visit or occupy their property.

What Are the Most Common Types of Premise Liability Cases?

Premises liability claims are more common than you think. These types of cases are among the most frequent types of personal injury cases in the country.

Five of the most common premise liability cases include:

• Slip and Falls: One of the reasons premises liability cases represent a large portion of personal injury cases is because slip and falls are very common and the most common premises liability case by far. It may not come as a surprise that falls lead to millions of ER visits per year in the US. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, “Falls account for over 8 million hospital emergency room visits, representing the leading cause of visits (21.3%). Slips and falls account for over 1 million visits or 12% of total falls.” While all these falls didn’t happen on someone’s property due to their negligence, of the many slip and fall cases last year – it’s safe to say many of them were caused by negligence. The conditions for slip and falls accidents can happen in almost any location where people walk, from an uneven sidewalk to a wet floor in an office building. It’s important to note that not all slip and fall cases rise to the level of negligence required for premises liability claims.

• Unmaintained Property: Property owners have a legal obligation to maintain their property in a manner that prevents it from being a hazard to others. These types of premises liability cases stem from injuries to visitors because of unmaintained property, like cracked or uneven sidewalks and floors, poorly constructed spaces, and dangerous objects on the property that were not fit for usage.

• Animal Attacks: Property owners are responsible for injuries inflicted by animals on their property if an invited visitor is harmed. There could be some exceptions if the injured party was trespassing unless the trespasser was a child.

• Building Site and Construction Negligence: Construction companies have an obligation to clearly mark and identify areas where pedestrians are not safe to walk. Building workers should block construction zones, and when these conditions are not met, constructions companies can be held liable for the injuries caused by construction hazards.

• Parking Structure Accidents: Businesses are required to maintain their parking structures. Uneven walking surfaces, poor lighting, and worn directional signage can lead to serious accidents. Accidents in parking structures are open to premises liability, as are assaults in these buildings due to poor lighting, which leads to areas of opportunity for crime.

Creating Premises Liability Case Strategies

If you’ve been injured in an Idaho property due to owner negligence or failure to maintain property conditions, you could have a premises liability suit. These claims require victims to prove negligence caused their injury, which can be a difficult task if you’re inexperienced in putting together these types of cases. An Idaho personal injury attorney can listen to the details of your case and determine if you have a case. Creating a strategy in premises liability cases requires experience and legal knowledge. Contact an Idaho premise liability attorney at May Rammell and Wells for help. We offer a consultation and work on a contingency fee basis.