When a property owner may be held liable for fall accidents

On behalf of Aiken and Aiken P.C. Personal Injury Attorneys posted in Premises Liability, on Wednesday, June 1, 2016

When a Massachusetts resident becomes injured in a slip and fall accident, they may already want to blame the proprietor. However, it can be difficult to determine who is liable for slip and fall accidents especially if the accident takes place on private property.Property owners can be held liable if they or an employee directly creates a situation that leads to a fall. Additionally, if they knew there was a fall risk but did not fix the situation in a timely manner or did not properly care for the property, the owner may also be held liable. If there are work environments that have hazards that cannot be mitigated, the owner must provide an employee-training program and a safety protocol that helps prevent potential injuries. If a person suffers a slip and fall injury on another person’s property, the compensation they may seek depends on their contribution to the accident. For example, if a person was walking in an area where he or she was not permitted to be or if the individual was involved in an activity that could have contributed to the accident in a tangible way, such as climbing fences or walking on ledges, he or she may have to defend his or her own comparative negligence.A personal injury attorney may help someone who suffered serious injuries on someone else’s property. Injuries could potentially include a concussion or even broken bones. They may help determine whether the person has a case and whether the possessor of the property was liable. If the injured person does have a case, the attorney may assist with gathering evidence to show the severity of the injuries that were suffered. Depending on where and how the accident took place, the injured person could potentially seek compensation for their medical bills and for any income they were unable to earn due to the injury.