If you’re at all familiar with premises liability laws, you probably know that they apply to negligent employers in slip and fall cases, but did you know that these cases represent only one small section of premises liability in Baltimore? According to the law in Maryland, if you are injured due to negligence on the part of the property owner, then they will be liable for damages associated with your injury. Cases covered by premises liability law include but are not limited to:
• Slip and fall accidents
• Defective and/or unsafe conditions of the premises
• Animal bites
• Amusement park accidents
• Elevator accidents
• Accidents caused by snow or ice
• Injuries caused by inhalation of toxic fumes
• Inadequate property security leading to assault or injury
If you have been injured while on someone else’s property under these or other negligent circumstances, you may have a case for a personal injury attorney. To understand your case, though, you should first understand how these and other tort law cases are judged.
How Fault Is Determined in Premises Liability Cases
Like all personal injury law, premises liability cases are judged under tort law. That means that fault must be proven in order for the victim to gain compensation for damages associated with the accident or incident. In premises liability cases, as the victim, you will fall into one of three categories:
• Invitee – You had an expressed or implied invitation to be on the property at the time of the accident or incident. The property owner is responsible for taking reasonable care to avoid injuries for all invitees on the property.
• Licensee – You were given implied or expressed permission to come onto the property of your own volition and for your own purposes (sales calls, etc.). The property owner is responsible for warning you about known hazardous conditions.
• Trespasser – You were on the property without either expressed or implied consent from the property owner. Trespassers are generally not owed any warning or care to avoid unsafe conditions unless the trespasser is a child. Then reasonable care must be taken to avoid allowing the child to wander into hazardous conditions (e.g., swimming pools, fire pits, etc.).
If you were an invitee or a licensee, and you can prove that the property owner did not take proper care or give you proper warning about potentially hazardous conditions, then you may have a premises liability case, and you should call a personal injury attorney in Baltimore, MD to discuss your case.
Baltimore tort laws cover victims of premises liability incidents, but it’s a good idea to have an expert in your corner. Whether the property owner is an individual or a corporation, their insurance company will likely fight the case and attempt to pay out as little as possible to appease you. To learn more about your case and what kinds of damages you may be owed, call Ingerman & Horwitz toll-free today at 1-800-776-4529 for a free consultation.
