Premises Liability

Premises liability turns on whether a particular establishment contains a dangerous condition, whether that condition is known or should be known to the person in control of the premises, and whether there have been sufficient safe guards taken to warn or protect against the dangerous condition. Most everyone has seen the ubiquitous yellow “Wet floor” sign in a grocery store or restaurant. Is that enough protection or warning? What about these other examples of potential premises liability: used hypodermic needle left on a hospital bed, stairways that are to narrow, too inclined or poorly lit, parking lots that have insufficient or no signage for traffic flow, a “manhole” cover that is improperly placed, or the dog that charges when you are invited in. The idea is that premises liability exists everywhere a person goes. An experienced attorney should be able to identify whether the dangerous condition existed and whether appropriate measures were taken for protection against that condition.