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The city of Burlingame has changed over the last decade or so, welcoming new businesses and residents. What hasn’t changed is the relaxing atmosphere. Burlingame is a calm place to live, with plenty of places to go around town.

When you go out with your family, whether to the store for some grocery shopping or to the theater for some evening fun, you usually don’t think about getting into an accident. If you take your kids to the park or the playground, you expect everything to be maintained and safe.

Unfortunately, sometimes accidents happen when you are on someone else’s property. If they are caused by the property owner’s negligence, you may need a Burlingame premises liability attorney. At Allegiance Law, we are standing by to answer any questions you may have.

Wide Range

Any time you go onto someone else’s property and you have the right and expectation to be there, you also have the right to feel safe and secure. Property owners and managers have a duty to ensure that the well-being of their guests is looked after. If they don’t, they could be held liable for injuries or damages that you incur. Premises liability cases cover a wide range of possibilities. Here are a few examples:

  • You park your vehicle in a parking garage, but it is broken into. Your valuables are stolen. The owner or operator of that parking garage could be liable for your losses if they failed to provide adequate security.
  • You sit in a chair at a restaurant but it breaks. Unfortunately, you sustain a head injury that hospitalized you. If the owner of the restaurant failed to maintain their chairs, they could be liable for your injury.
  • If you slip and fall because of a poorly maintained walkway at the local park and break your leg, the property owner may be liable for your injuries.

These are just some examples of possible premises liability cases. Not only may the property owner be liable for damages, but they may have to pay more for your personal losses such as lost income if you have to miss work due to your injuries.

What Are Premises Liability Lawyers?

A premises liability attorney is a legal professional who represents victims who suffer an injury due to an unsafe environment or condition. By definition, premises liability is an owner’s duty of care or obligation that the property owner must meet to ensure the safety of their visitors. Premises liability attorneys assist victims in navigating the complex legal process.

Who is Responsible For an Injury in a Premises Liability Lawsuit?

All property owners are accountable for accidents and injuries on their property. Depending on the visitors, though, property owners are not always liable for damages on their property. In certain situations, both the property owner and the visitor may hold partial ownership for a visitor’s injury.

What is the Difference Between Premises Liability and General Liability?

The difference between premises and general liability appears to be minimal; however, that is not the case. It is crucial always to be aware of the legal context. General liability involves harm a property incurs after an accident, with premises liability that applies solely to circumstances where an owner fails to maintain their property that leads to an injury.

What Are The Premises I Might be Responsible For?

It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with what property falls under your premises. There is always the chance that you are accountable for accidents that occur on these types of premises:

  • Home
  • Vehicles
  • Land

Most of the time, people do not realize that this does not define the entire spectrum of your properties. The other examples of premises are:

  • Business owners responsible for business property
  • Contractors accountable for their worksites
  • Landlords who oversee their tenant’s living spaces

Ultimately, it comes down to this: if you own a property where an injury occurs, you are responsible for that individual’s damage. Whether or not you see the damage take place on the scene is irrelevant.

Why are Property Owners Accountable for their Premises?

Under the legal process, premises liability refers to an owner’s duty of care, which translates to an obligation that ensures safety among their visitors. Property owners always assume the risk of accidents or injuries occurring on their property. For this reason, it is essential that they meet the duty of care and at the same time provide an adequately safe property for their visitors.

Suppose you are in the process of familiarizing yourself with the legalities of premises liability. The visitor to the property determines how much responsibility the property owner takes on if they suffer an injury. In that case, you should also know that sometimes property owners are not fully liable for injuries an individual sustains on their property.

The Types of Visitors to a Property

Invitees: Someone who is welcome to conduct business with the property owner. Examples of invitees are contractors, business associates, and groundskeepers.

Licensees: An individual who is on the property for social purposes. A licensee pertains to a family, friend, or neighbor.

Trespasser: A person who enters the private property without any prior invitation from the property owner. The consequences a trespasser faces can be far greater than specific injuries.

What To Do

If a property owner’s negligence has contributed to damages or injuries you incur, you may need a premises liability attorney in Burlingame. The court will examine a number of things when determining whether or not you will be compensated. This will include whether you had a right to be on the property, whether your actions contributed to the injury, and whether the accident was foreseeable. These cases can get confusing and complicated, as the other party will not likely want to admit fault.

At Allegiance Law, we understand these cases and we will help you get the compensation you deserve. We don’t think it is right that you and your family should be negatively impacted financially because of someone else’s negligence. We will walk you through the entire case and help you gather the evidence and documents you need to proceed. You can contact us by clicking here or calling 415-404-6395.