The Facts About Premises Liability in Providence
When you experience an accident, make sure you know exactly where you are and who is responsible for maintaining that location. Whether it’s a shopping mall, neighbor’s house, or a park? If the accident stemmed from the condition of the environment, then you may be able to seek compensation from the property owner.
Nearly all properties you may find yourself in, have an owner who is directly responsible for its maintenance and any incidents that take place on that property. Failure to maintain the property can include: lead paint exposure, sidewalk or road defects, poor security measures, poorly lit staircases or hallways and exposed electric wiring. Defective merchandise which the owner was aware of, unsecured animals resulting in such things as dog bites, prolonged exposure to asbestos leading to mesothelioma, etc. There are a lot of ways in which a property owner can fail to maintain their premise and place their visitors at risk of getting injured.
One obstacle that you need to consider before pressing charges is if there was any amount of negligence on your part that could have resulted in the accident. This can mean a number of things depending on the conditions that surrounded the accident. Mostly, defense attorneys will try to prove that you were partaking in unsafe activities that would have resulted in an accident regardless of if you were on the property or not. In Providence, this is called “comparative fault,” meaning that you will either receive reduced compensation or no compensation at all if the defense is able to prove that you were negligent at the time of the accident. This would include if you trespassed onto the property, meaning that the property owner did not give you the approval to be on the property in the first place and thus holds no responsibility for your injuries. Of course, if you were invited onto the property and were not sufficiently warned of the possible dangers on the property, then you will be eligible for compensation.
Having a Providence premise liability lawyer at your side will give you the best chance of receiving the most compensation possible.
