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Maryland Premises Liability Attorney

Why Choose a Maryland Premises Liability Attorney at Bob Katz Law

When dealing with a work injury, having the proper legal support can make a huge difference. Your lawyer will be able to precisely determine the worth of your claim and formulate a winning strategy for securing benefits. We believe a work injury lawyer from Bob Katz Law is your best choice due to the following reasons:

  1. Team of Trusted Legal Professionals: At Bob Katz Law, we have an experienced and dedicated legal team, so every angle of your case is covered. This ensures that you get the most thorough and effective legal strategy possible.
  2. Your Interests Come First: At our injury law firm, it’s all about you, our client. Our client-first approach means that your needs and concerns are always our top priority. We keep you informed every step of the way and make sure you understand what’s happening with your case and what to expect next. It’s about making the benefits-claim process as stress-free as possible for you.
  3. Globally Recognized Excellence: Bob Katz Law isn’t just known locally, but we’ve earned a nationwide reputation. We are part of prestigious groups like America’s Top 100 Attorneys, Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Maryland Super Lawyers. 
  4. Proven Track Record: Over the years, we have recovered over $500 million for our clients. That’s not just a number but proof of our ability to win cases and secure fair compensation. While every case is unique and may give a different outcome, this track record of proven results shows that we know how to handle a wide variety of situations and secure a fair outcome.
  5. Decades of Experience: We have several decades of combined legal experience under our belts. We know which strategies work for different cases. This knowledge helps us to confidently litigate even the most complex injury cases with skill.
  6. Multilingual Support: We aim to lift the barrier of language while pursuing justice. Our legal firm offers support in Spanish, Korean, and Chinese languages so that you can communicate effectively and understand every detail of your case. This approach ensures everyone gets quality representation regardless of language background.

At Bob Katz Law, our lawyers and support team have decades of experience and have obtained millions of dollars in recovery for our clients. If you have suffered injuries at the workplace, enlist the help of a Baltimore work injury lawyer to help you pursue justice. Your situation requires professional handling to ensure that neither your employer nor the insurance provider can take advantage of you.

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Maryland Premises Liability Attorney

Residential and commercial property owners should provide a reasonably safe environment to their visitors and invitees. This is the duty of care that owners and businesses have to protect guests and customers.

When a property owner breaches their duty of care, a dangerous condition can arise, leading to accidents and injuries. For example, slippery flooring from an unaddressed spill can cause a slip-and-fall accident and a hip fracture to a hotel guest or grocery shopper.

Property owners or companies may be liable under premises liability law when they fail to keep their premises safe. A trusted Maryland premises liability attorney from Bob Katz Law can help you pursue compensation if you or a loved one sustained an injury because of a property owner’s negligence. Contact our office today for a free consultation to learn more. 

What Constitutes Premises Liability in Maryland?

Premises liability law in Maryland holds property owners responsible for injuries to guests or customers. Property owners must make reasonable efforts to maintain a safe environment, and failure to maintain a secure environment can lead to premises liability.

Premises liability law gives obligations to property owners and provides a right of compensation to injured victims. If you sustain an injury on someone’s property and need to seek compensation, premises liability law will guide your case.

Elements of a Premises Liability Claim

Premises liability law establishes different elements of a personal injury claim. Injured victims who would like to obtain compensation from negligent property owners must demonstrate the following elements:

  • The defendant occupied or owed the property: You can file a premises liability claim against a property owner or tenant based on the circumstances. Suppose you fell and sustained an injury at a store in a shopping mall. In that case, you can file a premises liability claim against the store owner who failed to provide a safe shopping environment.
  • Defendant’s negligence: You must demonstrate the defendant’s negligence in failing to maintain the property. Their actions or omissions should fall below the required standard of care regarding property management. The relationship with the property owners also determines the standard of care.
  • You sustained an injury as a result of the defendant’s negligence: The physical harm you endured must have directly resulted from the property owner or the occupier’s failure to fulfill their obligations.
  • Damages: You must also demonstrate you incurred losses due to the injury, leading to the need for compensation.

The injured victim must present evidence to sufficiently prove the above elements of the case. Otherwise, compensation will not be available. Always have a premises liability lawyer proving the legal issues in your claim. 

Types of Premises Liability Cases We Handle

Premises liability law is mainly associated with slip-and-fall accident cases. However, many accidents also fall under premises liability law. Any personal injury claim can fall under a premises liability law as long as the property owner knows what led to the accident.

Typical situations that often give rise to premises liability lawsuits include:

  • Dog and animal bites
  • Swimming pool injuries
  • Inadequate security
  • Amusement park injuries
  • Escalator and elevator injuries
  • Injuries in restaurant and retail stores
  • Parking lot hazards

If you sustained an injury in any of the above situations, you should speak to our experienced premises liability attorneys. Our attorneys are ready to compile evidence, prove the extent of your injury, and demand compensation for your losses.

Liability Case Settlements 

2 Million Dollar Recovery For Motor Vehicle Crash Involving Defective Child Car Seat

$850,000 Settlement For Maryland Woman Injured By Unleashed Dog

$1.4 Million Dollar Recovery For Victim Who Slipped And Fell Down An Elevator Shaft

Several Million Dollar Recovery For First Documented Sick Building Case

Examples of Premises Negligence in Maryland

In Maryland, your legal status in the property affects the owner or occupier’s obligation towards you. Here are a few categories of visitors and how premises negligence may arise:

Invitee

An invitee enters someone’s property to conduct business with the owner or occupier. In return, the owner or occupier receives an economic benefit. An ideal example is a patron at a bar or restaurant.

Property owners have the highest duty of care to invitees. They should rectify and provide warnings about any warnings they knew about or should have reasonably known based on a suitable examination of the property.

Licensee

Although licensees are guests, they go to a property owner’s premises for their purpose, not to enrich the host. If you go to a friend’s house to enjoy a Sunday afternoon together, you’ll likely be viewed as a licensee.

Property owners have an intermediate duty to licensees. They should address conditions likely to create danger and warn them about a threat they’re aware of. However, they don’t have the same obligations to inspect for danger required for invitees that regularly enter their premises.

Trespasser

Trespassers are those who enter someone’s property without permission. Property owners have a duty of care to trespassers. They shouldn’t intentionally create dangerous conditions, like setting traps.

Property owners or occupiers should warn those who frequently trespass on their land about a dangerous condition.

Children

Children lack the same cognitive abilities as adults. They may not be aware they are trespassing and may be attracted to things like trampolines or swimming pools, also known as ‘attractive nuisances.’

Suppose a property owner is aware that children are likely to trespass and they own an attractive nuisance that could cause death or injury. In that case, they must mitigate danger by putting up a fence. 

They may be liable under premises liability if they fail to prevent a potentially dangerous situation.

Proving a Premises Liability Accident in Maryland

The foundation of a premises liability claim lies in a property owner’s negligence. 

There are two ways to demonstrate negligence on the part of the property owner or occupier:

Creating a Dangerous Condition

You must demonstrate that the property owner created a dangerous condition. For instance, installing a floor that is too slippery for patrons to walk may cause accidents. Alternative building steep staircases expose residents to the risk of tripping.

Failure to Fix Dangerous or Hazardous Conditions

You could also prove a premises liability claim if you demonstrate that a property owner failed to fix a hazardous condition on time. 

Suppose a restaurant owner did not mop spilled drinks on time, leading to a slip-and-fall accident. In that case, you may hold the restaurant owner liable for damages sustained by the injured victim. 

Evidence Required to Prove Premises Liability Accidents

Although you hold a right to compensation after a premises liability accident, you have the burden of proof. You must compile compelling and solid evidence demonstrating the property owner’s negligence.

Many sources of evidence can support your premises liability accident, including:

  • Video Surveillance Footage: Most commercial and private properties have security cameras that record the activities. You can request a copy of the footage from the building owner to support your case.
  • Eyewitness Statements: If a bystander witnessed the accident, inquire about their willingness to provide a statement. An eyewitness statement can establish the accident’s cause and the property owner’s negligence.
  • Photos: Images of the accident scene are vital in premises liability cases. They are essential for accidents caused by ice, snow, or debris within the property owner’s control. Capture an image immediately after the accident before the evidence is lost.
  • Maintenance Logs: An accident can occur because a property owner fails to maintain public walkways or violates state or federal building codes. Request a building maintenance log from the property owner to establish negligence.
  • Medical Records: Seeking medical attention after an accident enhances your chances of obtaining compensation for your losses. A healthcare provider will create a medical record you can rely on to prove your case.
  • Medical Bills: Compile a list of medical bills arising from medication, doctor’s fees, and an ongoing treatment plan. The medical bills related to your case will demonstrate the losses you sustained due to the injury.
  • Obtain an Incident Report: Ensure you file an incident report if injured in a commercial property. An incident report captures the date, time, location, weather factors, and activity before the accident. Obtain a copy of the incident report, which may supplement other information related to the premises liability accident.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Maryland Premises Liability

What Is Contributory Negligence?

Contributory negligence is a legal defense that applies in premises liability cases. Contributory negligence is when the injured party is partly at fault for the injury. In some jurisdictions, contributory negligence can bar the victim from recovering damages.

Maryland employs the doctrine of contributory negligence. Any person found guilty of contributory negligence may not recover any damages for their injuries, regardless of how minor their contribution to the accident might have been.

You’ll lose the claim if you’re 1% at fault for a premises liability incident that led to your injuries.

What Damages Could I Recover in a Premises Liability Lawsuit?

A premises liability lawsuit aims to obtain compensation to make you whole for the losses you experienced due to the injury. You may be entitled to different types of compensation depending on the facts and circumstances of your injury.

Here’s a breakdown of damages you can obtain in a premises liability lawsuit:

Economic Damages

Economic damages compensate for the financial losses incurred by the injured victim. Monetary damages have a direct dollar value, which makes it easy to develop a value.

Here’s a list of economic damages:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost income
  • Loss of earning capacity
  • Travel expenses to and from medical appointments
  • Specialized medical supplies and equipment
  • Cost of making structural adjustments to your home or vehicle

Non-economic Damages

Non-economic damages compensate the injured victim for the intangible losses due to the injury. You can obtain different types of non-economic damages based on your unique circumstances.

Examples of non-economic damages include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Permanent disfigurement
  • Loss of companionship

Punitive Damages

Your compensation may include punitive damages if the defendant’s action was more than merely negligent with a display of reckless disregard for your safety. The role of punitive damages is to punish the defendant for causing harm.

Punitive damages also deter the defendant and others from engaging in similar misconduct that led to the accident. 

What Needs to be Proven to Win a Premises Liability Case?

To prove negligence in a premises liability case, you must establish:

  • Duty of care
  • Breach of duty by the property owner or occupier
  • Presence of foreseeable hazard that the property owner failed to address
  • The injury occurred because of negligence by the property owner
  • You experienced losses such as medical losses as a result of the injury.

What Should I Do if I Was Involved in a Premises Liability Accident?

Take the following actions after a premises liability accident to protect your right to compensation:

  • Seek medical attention
  • File an incident report
  • Take images of the accident scene and injury
  • Note down the name and contact details of those who witnessed the accident
  • Discuss your case with an experienced premises liability attorney

Contact a Maryland Premises Liability Attorney

Suppose you sustained a severe neck injury in a slip-and-fall accident involving a negligent property owner. In that case, you’re likely to endure limited mobility or chronic pain and require physical therapy.

The premises liability attorney at Bob Katz Law can represent your personal injury claim and fight for a fair settlement value for your losses. Contact us online or at 410-576-4287 for a free consultation.

Get Help with a free Consultation

Other Personal Injury Cases We Handle:

Our Results
4.2 Million Dollar Settlement For Family Of Victim Who Died In A Train Crash In Baltimore Maryland.
4 Million Dollar Settlement For Family Of Victim Killed In Maryland Motor Vehicle Accident (Wrongful Death).
$1,250.000.00 Settlement For A Motorcyclist Who Was Wrongfully Killed In A Maryland Motorcycle Accident.
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