Orange County Premises Liability Attorneys

Claims After Accidents on Someone Else’s Property

Were you visiting someone else’s property when you had a serious accident? Do you suspect your accident was caused directly by a defect or hazard on the property that reasonably shouldn’t have been there at all? If you answered ‘yes’ to both of these questions, then you might have a valid premises liability claim on your hands.

Call Alvandi Law Group at (800) 980-6905 to connect with our Orange County premises liability lawyers. We are always ready to start fighting for the next client. We bring reputation, power, and size to every case we take, which intimidates insurance companies from the beginning. Let’s make your premises liability claim too strong for the defense to overcome.

When you need a serious lawyer for a serious injury, start with a free consultation with the Alvandi Law Group team. We will come to you within 24 hours.

Common Property Hazards

Each property owner has a responsibility to make sure that their property is reasonably safe for guests and visitors. The basis of premises liability law is that a failure to meet reasonable safety expectations that results in the injury of a guest allows that guest to demand compensation from the property owner. This concept applies to a broad range of property defects and hazards. No matter how you were injured and by what sort of hazard, you can be confident that our law firm knows how to advance your case.

A few common examples of property hazards that lead to accidents are:

• Uplifted carpets
• Slick tile floors
• Wet floors or spills
• Loose cables and wiring
• Damaged or uneven steps
• Missing handrails
• Dimly lit walkways

Dog Bite Injury Cases

Another common type of premises liability case is a dog bite injury case. Most dog bites and animal attacks happen on a person’s private property. Therefore, if their pet hurts someone who is visiting the property, then the dog owner can be held liable.

California has a strict liability rule for dog bite cases, too. Under this rule, a dog owner can be held liable for the injuries caused by their pet, even if that pet has never shown signs of aggression before.

Negligent Security Issues

Certain property owners are required to provide adequate security to their guests and visitors. It varies depending on what type of property is in question and where it is located. For example, a nightclub in an area of town known for a high violent crime rate might be required to hire a bouncer or another form of onsite security to protect patrons.

If you were hurt by a criminal but onsite security should have helped prevent the crime, then a premises liability claim for negligent security could be in order. Our attorneys know how to handle these complicated and sensitive cases that are usually challenged immediately by the defendants.

Invitee vs. Licensee vs. Trespasser

Your relation to the property owner matters for the validity of your premises liability claim, perhaps more than you realize. In premises liability law, there are several types of guests and visitors, each who are owed different duties of care from a property owner.

The three main types of visitors under the law are:

• Invitee: If you were invited to the property for business purposes or the sole benefit of the proprietor, then you were an invitee. Property owners owe the greatest duty of care to invitees. Customers in retail stores and grocers are perhaps the most common type of invitee.
• Licensee: If you were invited to the property for social purposes or your mutual benefit, then you were a licensee. Property owners owe a moderate duty of care to licensees. For example, you are a licensee if you are visiting a friend’s home for recreation.
• Trespasser: If you were on the property without permission and were breaking the law because of your presence, then you were a trespasser. Property owners owe little to no duty of care to trespassers, so filing a claim as an injured trespasser will be highly difficult.

Choose Our Honest, Dependable Team

We should start building your case today. Our Orange County premises liability attorneys know the ins and outs of the law, so you do not need to study them yourself. We are also fully aware of insurance company tactics often used as a defense strategy, so your case can get an early advantage in the fight ahead of you.

Results matter. Reputation matters. As one of California’s largest injury firms, we have a full team of lawyers and support staff to make your case the best it can be. Call Alvandi Law Group at (800) 980-6905. We will come to you within 24 hours.

Premises Liability FAQ

• Is premises liability the same as personal liability?
  When personal liability is brought up in an injury case, it considers the wrongful actions of the defendant specifically, like a driver getting behind the wheel while drunk. The concept of premises liability is concerned with unsafe conditions on a property, not necessarily who created that hazard.
• Who pays for the damages in a premises liability case?
  When you file a premises liability case, you are not necessarily demanding that the property owner pays for your damages. Instead, you will probably file against a premises liability insurance policy that they purchased. This is important to remember if you need to file a claim after being hurt on a friend’s property.
• When does a property owner have to address or fix a property hazard?
  Typically, premises liability law requires a property owner to fix a hazard within a reasonable amount of time. What is “reasonable” depends on the situation and the hazard, though, so there is room for interpretation. For example, a grocery store should mop up a product spill within a few minutes before a customer slips on it. But a homeowner might never need to address a hazard as long as they ensure that no one else encounters it.