Holding Washington property owners liable for injuries
Owners of property in the Southeast Washington region have a duty to ensure their property is safe for people of all ages. Seniors are likely to suffer severe injuries because injured body parts such as broken hips don’t heal quickly. Children are prone to injuries because they fail to recognize dangerous conditions. Construction site owners need to ensure workers, drivers, and pedestrians are warned that construction work is being done, and that the construction site is dangerous.
At Telaré Law, our Richland, WA personal injury lawyers represent anyone who has been injured in the Tri-Cities region. We understand why commercial property owners, nonprofits, and homeowners are responsible for serious injuries, and why those injuries were preventable. Some injuries such as head trauma, spinal cord injuries, amputations, burns, and dog bites require surgery and long-term therapy. Victims may live with permanent scarring and disfigurement. Our trial lawyers are skilled at trying cases in court and negotiating strong settlements with insurance companies.
Owners of property ask people to use their property for various reasons. The duty of care differs depending on the reason the person is on the property.
The highest duty of care is owed to invitees. Invitees are people the owners invite onto the property to work, shop, use services, engage in social activities, and for other reasons. A high duty of care is also owed to licensees. Licensees are people who have the right to be on the property such as people who walk on a neighbor’s sidewalk – but are not on the property to benefit the property owner.
No duty of care is owed to adults who trespass on property – have no right to be on the property. Property owners do have a duty of care to ensure the safety of their property to children in some cases.
The general duty of care of any property owner includes conducting routine inspections of the property for possible dangers, fixing known dangers, warning uses of known dangers that have not been fixed, hiring security guards, complying with building codes, and responding to complaints about the condition of the property.
Property owners owe the same duty of care to children who have a right to be on their property as they owe adults. For example, if a child is injured walking through a construction zone or buying food at a restaurant, the property owner may be liable for the child’s injuries or death.
Owners of property in Washington also owe a duty to children – even if the child doesn’t have a right to be on their property. This duty is based on the “attractive nuisance doctrine.” This doctrine essentially states that children are curious and don’t always appreciate dangers. If their curiosity causes children to explore a swimming pool, trampoline, an uncovered well, equipment, or other items on someone else’s property, the owner can be liable if the child drowns, suffers head trauma due to a fall from the trampoline, or other serious injuries.
The attractive nuisance doctrine requires that property owners take affirmative steps to ensure that a child cannot enter the property. These steps include installing fences and alarm systems. The property owner should have warning signs about known dangers. Pools should be covered when not in use. Property owners may be liable if they fail to install lights.
Our Richland premises liability injury lawyers represent children and parents when child injuries happen on the property of others.
Property owners should:
At Telaré Law, our lawyers seek records of all complaints, building code violations, repairs, and other documents that can help show the owner of property knew of a danger and failed to provide a remedy.
Our Richland premises liability lawyers represent children, seniors, and adults who are injured due to a:
Part of the skill of being a respected premises liability lawyer is to understand exactly who is responsible for your injuries or the death of a loved one. There’s a lot of skill involved in determining who is liable in a premises liability claim, and why the defendants were negligent.
Possible defendants include:
In personal injury cases, maximizing all the small details is what adds up to a large verdict or settlement. Victims of premises liability accidents in and near Richland are entitled to the following damages from liable defendants:
In some cases, we may also seek punitive damages.
If a loved one died, we file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the family of the decedent.
At Telaré Law, we conveniently serve Southeast Washington accident victims. Our Richland office is located at 1321 Columbia Park Trail, Suite B, Richland, WA. We also meet with clients in Kennewick. When necessary, we see clients at their home or a hospital.
The insurance companies have lawyers fighting for them. You need seasoned personal lawyers who aren’t afraid to go to court to fight for you. Our Richland premises liability have the experience and resources to help you obtain justice. We work with investigators, product safety experts, financial professionals, and physicians. Our lawyers settle many claims because adjusters and defense lawyers know we can persuasively argue your case before a jury.
To assert your right to compensation, call our Richland injury attorneys at (509)-737-8500 or use our contact form to arrange a free consultation. Our lawyers handle premises liability claims on a contingency fee basis. We confidently serve clients in Richland, Pasco, Walla Walla, Pullman, Othello, Moses Lake, Ritzville, and Southeast Washington.