Tacoma Premises Liability Lawyer

What happens if you’ve been seriously hurt on someone else’s property? It’s possible you have the right to seek a settlement to cover the resulting doctor bills and missed wages. However, this area of the law – known as premises liability – can be complex. The best way to navigate a claim is with an experienced Tacoma premises liability lawyer.

The team at Ladenburg Law is ready and able to help you determine if you have a case. There’s no fee for an initial case evaluation and it’s a good opportunity to learn what legal options you have.

We invite you to read on and learn more about how this area of the law works and how we might help.

Understanding Premises Liability

Just because you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property doesn’t mean you can file an injury claim.

So, when you might have a valid case? Carefully consider the following elements:

• You had a right to be on the property. Trespassers are ineligible to file a claim for compensation.
• The property owner was negligent or malicious. Property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe for guests or at the very least, warn them of hazards.
• The property owner’s negligence caused your injury. In a personal injury case, you need to be able to prove that were it not for someone else’s negligence, you wouldn’t have been hurt.
• You’ve suffered damages due to your injury. Damages encompass a range of harms, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain. If your injury was minor and didn’t require a doctor visit, you’d be unlikely to have a claim.

If you feel that each of the elements applies to your situation, we want you to call us as soon as possible. At Ladenburg Law, we offer free case reviews. In other words, we can hear what happened to you and advise if we feel you’re eligible to pursue compensation.

Examples of Property Injury Cases

Remember, one of the most crucial components in a premises liability claim is proving that the property owner was negligent. Negligence is a legal term describing how someone failed in their basic duty to keep others safe. Sometimes, this is a passive action – such as neglecting key maintenance. In other cases, it’s a willful choice – like creating a hazard with the intention to harm.

As you might imagine, there are many ways a property owner could be negligent. Here are a few examples:

• Slippery floors 
• Uneven stairs
• Inadequate lighting
• Dog bites 
• Improper swimming pool enclosures
• Chemical or toxic fume exposures
• Faulty elevators

What about a temporary defect? Property owners may be responsible here, too. For instance, according to the Tacoma Municipal Code, property owners have 24 hours to remove snow and ice from their sidewalks.

When the Property Owner Blames You

It’s not uncommon for the property owner or their insurance company to try to shift the blame on you. For instance, they may claim that it was your careless or reckless behavior that caused your injury. Or they may claim you should have noticed a hazard or known better. Sometimes, the property owner may quickly clean up the scene and deny that a hazard ever existed.

As you might imagine, there are many ways for a premises liability case to become complicated. For this reason, can we encourage you to reach out to a skilled attorney, such as one from our team? An attorney can build evidence that supports your case and holds property owners accountable.

Are you Partly to Blame?

Maybe you are partly responsible for what happened. For instance, perhaps you were running in a store when you fell, and this contributed to your injury. Or maybe you decided to leave your glasses at home that day.

Does this describe your situation? If so, call us. The state of Washington allows victims to collect a reduced settlement, even they’ve been found to be partially at fault (RCW 4.22.005). A qualified attorney can help reduce your at-fault percentage.

How Premises Liability Settlements Work

You may be hesitant to bring a claim forward, wondering how it may impact the property owner. What if that property owner is your friend or family member?

Here’s what you should know: in most cases, you’re going to file a claim against the property owner’s insurance policy, much as you would a car accident claim.

If you’re working with one of our attorneys (which we recommend), we’ll consider:

• Total cost of your medical expenses
• Impact to your work – including future earnings potential
• Impact to your quality of life
• Your pain and suffering
• Settlements in cases similar to yours
• All potential sources of funds (sometimes, there are multiple)

Armed with this information, we’ll work to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. If an offer comes in too low, we can file a lawsuit. No matter what, the decision on whether to accept an offer is yours. An attorney works for you!

How a Premises Liability Lawyer Could Help

Are you curious about whether you should work with an injury lawyer for your claim?

Here are just some of the ways a lawyer could help:

• Manage the claims process, including paperwork and deadlines
• Handle all communication with the at-fault party and their representatives
• Gather key evidence to build your case
• Work with experts as needed
• Negotiate with the insurance company
• Keep you apprised of the progress of your case and legal options

Here’s something else to consider: the property owner will likely bring their lawyer to the table. You deserve to be represented, too. With a skilled lawyer on your side, you can focus on your recovery and family.

Contact a Tacoma Premises Liability Attorney Today

Why no reach out to a Tacoma premises liability lawyer today? As we mentioned earlier, our team offers free case reviews. Plus, we only charge a fee if we’re able to win you a settlement. In other words, there’s no risk or obligation to reach out.

Chances are, you have questions about what happened. Don’t wait; get your questions answered today. We look forward to speaking with you.