When you hear about slip and fall claims and recovery for slip and fall injuries, you often think of grocery stores or other public places. However, it is important to be aware that if you are a guest in someone’s home and you slip and fall resulting in injuries, you may still be able to recover compensation for slip and fall injuries you incur.
If you are injured as a result of someone’s negligent maintenance of his property, then you shouldn’t get stuck with those slip and fall damages, so it is important to know the laws regarding slip and fall lawsuits in private residences.
Getting Injured in a Private Home
If someone invites you to their home, they have an obligation to you to make sure that the home is a safe place for you. This obligation exists under a body of law called premises liability law, which governs slip and fall cases and determines liability. Under the law, when you go to a public place such as a business and are there for the benefit of the business owner, you are classified as an invitee and thus owed the highest duty of care. If you go to a residence as an invited guest to have a nice afternoon with a friend, you are still offered some protection under the law, although not quite as much.
If you go to someone’s house as an invited guest for your mutual benefit, you are considered to be a licensee. This means that any activity being conducted on the land must be done with a reasonable duty of care, and that the owner of the residence must warn you about any known dangers. So, if your friend’s home has a broken step and you fall and break your ankle and your friend never warned you about that broken step, you may be able to bring a slip and fall lawsuit to recover damages for slip and fall injuries you incurred.
While you may be reluctant to sue your friend, it is important to remember that you will have to pay the medical bills and suffer the other financial costs of the injury if you don’t. In most cases, your friend’s homeowners insurance policy will assume the liability, so you will be bringing your case for slip and fall damages against that insurance company and negotiating with or suing the insurance company, not your friend… so you don’t need to feel guilt for protecting your rights in a slip and fall lawsuit in a private residence.
Getting Help for Your Slip and Fall Injuries Los Angeles
If you suffer a slip and fall injury and want to bring a slip and fall lawsuit as a result of injury in a private residence, you should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney. An experienced lawyer can help you to build your slip and fall case and to ensure you recover the damages you deserve and the compensation for your slip and fall injury that you need.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall, please contact our office to speak to an attorney and receive a FREE consultation. 1-877-702-7274
[...] not a major problem. However, cracked, jagged and uneven walkways are one of the major causes of slip and fall accidents. This means that visitors and friends coming to your home are in danger of an accident at [...]