Victims who suffer an injury on someone’s property or at a business can seek help with their medical bills and other damages. Maison Law of McKinleyville represents premises liability accident victims and can hold property and business owners, as well as major corporations, liable.
We offer a free, no-obligation case consultation to all Humboldt County accident victims. It’s a no-risk way to find out how much your case is worth and how to hold an owner or operator fully responsible.
How Do I Know If I Need a Lawyer After a Premises Liability Accident?
If you are injured on someone’s property and you only suffer very minor injuries, you may not need the help of a lawyer for your case.
But when injuries are more serious, such as a broken arm or a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a lawyer can make a big difference in the support you receive. Your lawyer is a protection when insurance companies look for ways to blame you for what happened. Your lawyer also seeks to get you much more for your claim than you would hope to secure on your own.
These are just a few of the benefits of having a skilled McKinleyville premises liability lawyer handle your case:
- Your lawyer fully investigates your accident and the at-fault party’s safety record
- Gathers all evidence to build a strong case
- Fights back if an insurer tries to blame your accident on you
- Gathers your medical charts and works with your doctors to prevent insurers from downplaying your injuries
- Files your claim and handles the frustrating negotiation process, allowing you to focus on getting better
- Makes sure any settlement covers any time and income you’ve had to miss at your place of employment
- Makes sure a settlement offer leaves you with money to get medical care in the future in case an injury becomes long-term
- If a settlement offer is too small, your lawyer rejects it and demands more
- If an insurance company won’t accept full blame for what happened, your lawyer is prepared to file a lawsuit and take the insurer to court
Who Is Responsible for an Accident at a Business or Public Place?
Under California premises liability laws, owners and operators inviting the public in must show customers, clients, tenants, and any visitors a “duty of care.”
This responsibility is explained in the California Civil Code.
CCC 1714:
“(a) Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself.”
This means business owners and property owners are responsible for the safety of their visitors. They must fulfill this duty by removing hazards and monitoring for dangers that can arise.
This duty falls to grocery store owners, property management companies, and even government departments in charge of public parks and the upkeep of government offices. This might leave Humboldt County or the State of California liable for some premises liability accidents.
These are just a few of the types of accidents property owners and operators might be responsible for:
- Slip-and-falls and trip-and-falls
- Falling merchandise
- Apartment complex accidents
- Swimming pool accidents and drownings
- Amusement park and water park injuries
- Burns and electrocution on properties
- Toxic fumes or chemical exposure
- Injuries caused by a lack of security
- Injuries at County Parks (Like Mad River Beach County Park and on Public Lands
A local owner or a corporate owner of a chain of businesses can sometimes afford their own lawyers to poke holes in your case. It’s often necessary to secure your own legal protection.
A Maison Law attorney handles the frustrating negotiation process and gets aggressive when deflecting the attacks on your character. Meanwhile, you can stop how you’ll get your bills paid and focus on healing.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Premises Liability Accident?
With some larger companies, you’re going to need powerful evidence to make sure they accept blame for the hazards they created.
Maison Law builds a strong case to take on individual owners or corporate chains who put their guests, customers, clients, and tenants in harm’s way. To start, your attorney would identify the party that was responsible for an accident. That might involve more than one party.
These are just a few of the at-fault entities that may be forced to provide you with support as you heal:
- Property Owner
- Homeowner
- Business Owner
- Store owner
- Gas station owner
- Restaurant owner
- Hotel Owner
- A Corporation or retail chain
- Landlord or property management company
- A Local Organization
- Humboldt County Government, or California State Departments, Federal Agencies
In most cases, California allows victims up to two years to file a claim over a personal injury. However, victims should be aware that a case involving a government entity will usually have a much shorter statute of limitations.
Victims may only have months to file a claim. What’s more, victims may have to seek permission simply to file a claim against a parks and rec department or a forestry division. A skilled attorney can help you navigate a complex case and act within important deadlines to get the financial help you need.
How Much Is My Premises Liability Case Worth?
Arriving at an accurate estimate of what your injury is worth can prove difficult. Every case is different, and every injury runs its own course. The time it takes to heal (affecting the cost of care and the time missed at work) will play a big part in what you will get in a settlement check.
Your lawyer must hear the details of your accident and be able to investigate what happened before being able to gauge what you could earn.
Your lawyer will take care to seek compensation for every hardship you endure and will endure in the future:
- The totals for your hospital care and physical therapy expenses.
- The estimated costs for care in the years to come if you suffer a long-term injury or a permanent physical disability.
- Travel costs while making doctor’s appointments and going to see specialists. This includes the cost of shuttle services if you can’t be on your feet or drive.
- Non-economic damages such as the physical pain and emotional distress you endure. This includes depression, anxiety, and a loss of enjoyment of life due to your injuries.
- Past and future lost income while you must miss work. Estimates on your lost earning capacity if you have a permanent disability.
- Damage or destruction of property.
- Wrongful death benefits for the families of victims. After a tragic accident, close relatives can ask for support for funeral costs and remaining medical bills. They should also receive help in the future when a loved one’s guidance and income are no longer available to provide for children and a spouse. A McKinleyville Wrongful Death Lawyer can represent your family and make sure your family receives justice and adequate support.
Contact a Premises Liability Attorney Serving Humboldt County Victims
If you or a loved one is hurt in an accident at any business or public place, don’t count on insurance adjusters to treat you fairly. You’ll need to hold them accountable even when you have strong evidence showing a property owner or company’s negligence.
Having an experienced McKinleyville Premises Liability Lawyer on your side safeguards your case and helps you earn the maximum compensation available. Contact Maison Law to schedule a free and confidential case consultation to find out what your case is worth.
There’s no obligation, but if you feel we can help you earn more for your case, you don’t have to worry about having money to hire us. There are no upfront costs. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money you receive.
