Greeley Premises Liability Lawyer
Any injury sustained on a landowner’s property may be serious. However, whether you could recover damages after injury of this nature depends, partly, on the way in which the law classifies the injured party. This legal determination, along with determinations regarding the landowner’s knowledge of hazardous conditions on the property, is central to understanding the value of an injured party’s claim.
Before filing a claim, you may benefit from consulting a Greeley premises liability lawyer. A dedicated personal injury attorney could help individuals who have been injured by a landowner’s dangerous property or negligence understand the relevant legal concepts and the potential for recovery.
Landowners’ Duties on Greeley Premises
The duty a landowner owes depends on the status of the person visiting the property, as set out in Colorado Revised Statutes § 13-21-115. For example, if the person is a trespasser who entered the land illegally, the landowner only has a duty to avoid deliberately causing injury.
Those who have a landowner’s consent to be on the property are known as invitees and licensees. An invitee is someone who enters the land for business reasons, such as customer on store property. A licensee is someone who enters the land for social reasons, such as a dinner guest.
Landowners owe different duties to invitees and licensees. If a landowner fails to exercise reasonable care to protect a licensee from known dangers, they may bear liability for injuries. However, landowners could hold liability for an invitee’s injuries if they fail to exercise reasonable care to protect the invitee from any dangers which they knew–or should have known–existed.
The classification of a person on a landowner’s property is extremely pertinent to a claim for premises liability. When injuries occur, these distinctions become important to determine whether a landowner breached their duty. During an initial consultation, a premises liability attorney in Greeley with experience handling these types of claims could provide additional information regarding someone’s legal status.
Damages in Property Liability Claims
When someone is injured due to a landowner’s breach of the duty, the landowner may bear liability for damages associated with the injuries. Depending on the state of a property, a premises liability case may involve serious, permanent, and debilitating injuries.
A dangerous condition, such as an uneven or poorly maintained sidewalk, may cause falls that can result in fractured or broken bones. The individual injured may require emergency medical services, continued treatment, and follow-up care with an orthopedist. In addition to medical expenses, if the injured individual misses time from work due to impairments from the incident, they may lose a significant portion of income. Depending on the severity of injuries, individuals may be unable to return to their previous employment or are unable to perform their job duties.
Injured people could recover their medical bills, lost wages, and other clear economic harm in an unsafe premises liability lawsuit. They may also recover damages for non-economic harm, such as pain and suffering. A well-versed Greeley premises liability attorney could quantify the level of harm sustained due to a dangerous property accident and fight for appropriate recovery.
How a Greeley Premises Liability Attorney Could Help
If you were injured on a landowner’s property, their failure to protect you could lead to a cause for legal action. If negligence led to your injuries, the mental, financial, and physical harm you suffer is of great significance. A diligent Greeley premises liability lawyer could shoulder the burden of the legal action, while you focus on getting better. Reach out to schedule an initial consultation and learn more about your potential for recovery.