It’s natural to feel upset if you sustain an injury due to a property owner’s carelessness. And you may find yourself wondering if the property owners should be held liable for your injuries. However, the answer is often not cut and dry because New York laws can be difficult to interpret.

To best answer the question above, it’s wise to contact a skilled personal injury attorney right away. A lawyer can listen to the details of your story and help you determine whether you have a legal case. In order to show that a property owner is at fault for your injury, you need to show three things:

1) You were legally able to be on the property

The first step in establishing a claim is to that you were permitted by law to be on the property. For instance, if your neighbor invites you to a cookout that you decide to attend, or if you are asked to perform work at a job site, then you are lawfully on that person’s property.

2) The property owner was negligent

Next, you or your lawyer must show that the property owner knew that there were unsafe conditions on their property and did nothing to address those conditions or warn you about the issues. For example, if the neighbor referenced above knows their deck is in need of repair but fails to fix the deck or warn you about the damage, then they are being negligent.

3) Your injury was caused by the property owner’s negligence

Showing that your injuries were the result of the property owner’s negligence is not always easy. For instance, if the deck referenced above collapses and a guest sustains injuries, then the homeowner would likely be found negligent if the injuries were sustained as a direct result of the deck collapse. However, if the guest already had a serious pre-existing knee condition that was not exacerbated when the deck collapsed, it would be extremely difficult to hold the property owner financially responsible for the costs of a total knee replacement.

Proving negligence

Proving negligence often requires hard work, dedication, and experience with New York’s premises liability laws. While the circumstances may logically point to a property owner’s negligence, you need to provide a compelling case to support your claim. This typically involves gathering documents such as police reports, medical records, insurance information, and photos that support your claim. These are all tasks that are best handled by an experienced lawyer.

There are many ways a property owner’s negligence can lead to physical injuries and financial devastation. However, in the world of premises liability, there is a handful of accident types that account for the overwhelming majority of claims. Here are some of the most common types of premises liability claims in New York: While the examples above represent some of the most common types of premises liability claims, there are other instances in which property owners could be held liable for another person’s trauma, injury, and death. Examples include injury due to snow and ice accidents, flooding, porch collapses, toxic fumes, or deferred maintenance.

Premises liability laws exist for your protection. But it’s not always easy to understand how those laws operate. After calling 911, the single best thing to do if you’re injured on someone else’s property is to call a premises liability lawyer. A skilled attorney will listen to your story, determine whether the property owner has been negligent, and work to ensure that you receive compensation for your injuries and suffering. You will also receive the following: We encourage you to contact us at Chaikin LaPenna, PLLC for a complimentary consultation. We have years of experience helping people who have been injured while on the premises of a store, public place, or private home. Our legal team will work tirelessly to help you win your case so you can receive the compensation you deserve. We look forward to serving as your trusted legal representative!