Have you suffered an injury as a result of a fall or an accident on property? For more than 30 years, our firm has handled the often complex claims for consumers injured on a commercial premises.

We can help you recover compensation if your injury was attributed to negligence, or a known or unknown hazard. Large or small department stores, food markets, chain stores and any commercial endeavor that wants customers to come in and spend their money must provide a safe environment for shoppers. If the owner of the property fails to fulfill this responsibility, he or she can be held liable – financially responsible – for the victim’s injuries. 

For assistance bringing a premises liability lawsuit in Vancouver, Washington, contact NW Injury Law Center to start with a free case consultation with an attorney.

How Hiring a Lawyer Can Help You After an Accident on Someone Else’s Property

It can be difficult to go up against a commercial enterprise in Vancouver after suffering a serious injury. These are complicated claims to navigate, especially if you are bringing a lawsuit against a powerful adversary such as a big box store or chain. As an injured accident victim, you should be able to focus on healing and moving forward rather than dealing with the legal process. Hiring an attorney can allow you to do just this. 

 Your attorney will handle the legal side of your case for you by investigating your accident, collecting evidence and filing claims forms while you concentrate on recovering. With an attorney representing your rights and interests, you have a better chance of a business’s insurance company offering fair and full financial compensation for your injuries, as well. Your lawyer will not allow an insurance company to take advantage of you during the claims process.

3 Types of Property Visitors

Understanding the responsibilities that a property owner has regarding your safety, referred to as the duty of care, requires finding out what type of visitor you were at the time of your accident.

The duty of care on behalf of a property owner depends on what category the injured person falls into. There are a few different general distinctions:

  • Invitee: As the name implies, someone who has been invited onto the property, either explicitly or implied, such as a store owner. This invitation implies that reasonable care has been taken to ensure the safety of the invitee on the property.
  • Trespasser: A trespasser enters a property without permission or an invitation, therefore doing so at their own risk. Trespassers generally receive the least duty of care, although this can become complicated if the trespasser is a child.
  • Licensee: A licensee is a person who has permission to enter the property but is visiting for a reason other than business purposes. Party guests or family friends who have permission to visit a property are usually classified as licensees. If invitees receive the highest duty of care and trespassers the lowest, then licensees are somewhere in the middle, depending on the circumstances.

Our attorneys can help you determine your classification as a visitor and understand the subsequent duties of care that were owed to you by the owner or controller of a property in Vancouver. If our investigators find that a property owner fell short of his or her duty of care, such as by ignoring a known property defect, we can help you bring a claim to financial damages.

Common Types of Premises Liability Claims

When a property owner fails to properly maintain a premises, it can lead to many hazards and defects that are dangerous for visitors. Poor property maintenance greatly increases the risk of an accident or injury on a premises. Common examples of accidents that can lead to premises liability lawsuits in Vancouver include:

  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Parking lot accidents
  • Animal attacks 
  • Airbnb accidents
  • Sidewalk accidents
  • School or playground accidents
  • Daycare accidents
  • Landscaping hazards
  • Swimming pool accidents
  • Spa accidents
  • Elevator and escalator accidents
  • Crimes related to negligent security
  • Construction site accidents
  • Amusement park accidents

These accidents can result in serious injuries suffered by victims, including broken bones, contusions, internal injuries, muscle and ligament damage, neck and back injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, burns, and crush injuries. The lawyers at NW Injury Law Center know how to help you if you’ve been diagnosed with any type of injury after an accident on commercial property in Vancouver.

Damages Available in a Premises Liability Claim

Bringing a successful lawsuit against a property owner or company for your preventable accident can help you pay for the related bills and losses that you suffered. Commercial property owners have insurance available to pay for accidents and injuries that take place due to the owner’s negligence. A settlement or judgment award could pay you for:

  • Medical bills 
  • Pain and suffering 
  • Lost wages 
  • Lost capacity to earn in the future 
  • Permanent injuries or disabilities
  • Lost quality of life
  • Property damage
  • Punitive damages, in some cases

…and more. To understand the value of your premises liability lawsuit in Vancouver, speak to one of our attorneys during an in-depth case review. While an insurance company has an incentive to take advantage of you (to save money on your payout), our attorneys want you to recover the most financial compensation possible for your serious injury. If you don’t win, we don’t win.

Contact a Vancouver Property Injury Lawyer

As can be seen from above, the distinction of the person on the premises can seriously impact liability for a property owner. If you have been injured as a result of a slip and fall, unsafe condition, or hazard at a business, call our office at (360) 695-1624 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We can help you navigate the law and see if you are entitled to compensation due to someone else’s negligence.

Let us put our 30 years of experience and understanding of the law and your rights to work for you! We are also recognized as one of the best law firms in Vancouver.