Premises Liability Attorney in Williston, Vermont

If you’ve been hurt by a hazardous condition at a place of business or on someone else’s property in Vermont, you might be able to hold the owner or occupier accountable for the harm you’ve suffered. If the property owner, manager, or occupier should have been aware of the dangerous condition and failed to take steps to address it or warn you about it, they could be liable for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

For 30 years, Vermont premises liability lawyer David Lynch has worked to help people like you seek recovery after being injured due to someone else’s negligence. At Lynch Legal Services, PLLC, we know that it can seem complicated and intimidating to hire an attorney. Pursuing a legal claim against an individual or company on whose property you were injured can be scary. It’s understandable that you might want to avoid the conflict.

Let our law firm handle it for you. We offer a simple, down-to-earth approach and personalized attention to each of our clients so that they feel comfortable and understand their case and their rights. At the end of the day, we want you to get the fair outcome you need after your accident and injuries

If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property and it wasn’t your fault, contact our firm today for a free and confidential case evaluation to learn more about your rights.

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability refers to the kinds of personal injury cases that arise from injuries caused by unreasonably dangerous conditions on someone else’s property. In a premises liability claim, an injured person seeks compensation after being in an accident due to a hazard on someone else’s property.

The injured person asserts that the accident was due to some condition on the premises they were lawfully visiting. A patch of ice, broken or uneven walkway pavement, or a loose aggressive dog are all examples of potential dangers on a property that could result in a premises liability claim.

What Do You Have to Prove in A Vermont Premises Liability Claim?

Premises liability claims are based on a property owner, occupier, or business owner’s failure to meet their duties. They are required to keep the premises reasonably free of dangerous conditions that could injure a lawful visitor to the property. They are also required to warn visitors about hazards known (or that reasonably should be known) to the property owner, occupier, or business owner.

Most premises liability cases arise when a property owner, occupier, or business owner negligently maintained the premises. This negligence created a dangerous or hazardous condition that injured a lawful visitor. To successfully pursue a premises liability claim, you must prove that:

• You were lawfully on the premises when your injury occurred.

• You were injured by a dangerous or hazardous condition of the property.

• The condition was within the property owner, occupier, or business owner’s control.

• The property owner, occupier, or business owner failed to take reasonable steps to discover and remedy the dangerous or hazardous condition or warn visitors of its presence.

For example, if you are injured in a fall while shopping at a grocery store, you will need to show that your fall was caused by some condition of the property – a puddle of liquid, for example – and that the store failed to take reasonable efforts to clean it up, such as by conducting regular maintenance checks of the store.

Common Types of Premises Liability Cases We Handle

Slip and Fall

Slip and fall accidents frequently occur in Vermont due to the winter weather hazards like snow and ice. They also occur as a result of slipping hazards in stores, malls, bars and restaurants, hotels, and other commercial spaces. We can help you seek a recovery when a slip and fall leaves you with serious or debilitating injuries.

Trip and Fall

Although many people’s minds may automatically turn to slip and fall accidents, trip and falls occur frequently. These come from hazards such as these:

• Broken staircases

• Broken and uneven pavement

• Potholes

• Wires and cords running across the ground

• Half-steps between rooms

• Trash and debris on the floor

• Holes or divots covered up by lawns or plants

We can help you pursue compensation for your losses from the property or business owner responsible for the hazard that caused your fall.

Dog Bites

Even the most seemingly well-behaved dog can lash out and bite or attack someone without any apparent provocation. Most dog bites are committed by a dog owned by someone the victim personally knows. This makes a tough situation even more difficult.

Our firm can help you through the delicate process of seeking compensation for injuries and losses caused by a dog bite. We can help work to ensure that you are compensated by a homeowner’s or general liability insurance policy and not out of the pocket of a family member, friend, or neighbor.

How Can a Premises Liability Attorney Help?

We understand that after you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property, you may not want to create conflict by asserting a legal claim. You simply want to move on with your life. But we believe that you shouldn’t be left with the financial consequences of injuries that weren’t your fault. Sometimes it takes a legal professional to set things right.

Our Vermont premises liability attorney can help you understand your rights and pursue the recovery you need and deserve by:

• Recovering evidence from your accident through a detailed investigation

• Working with experts to help us develop persuasive arguments showing the liability of the property or business owners where your injuries occurred

• Identifying all available sources of compensation, such as insurance policies

• Filing your claim for compensation and communicating with adjusters and representatives on your behalf to arrive at a settlement that provides you with full compensation

• Preparing your case to be filed in court as a lawsuit, if necessary, and advocating for your rights all the way to trial

When you choose Lynch Legal Services, PLLC to help you with your Vermont premises liability case, you can rest assured that you will owe no fees unless and until we win your case and get you compensation for your injuries and losses. We don’t get paid until you do.

Pursuing Full Compensation After an Injury on Someone Else’s Property

If you’ve been injured due to a dangerous condition on somebody else’s property, you may be entitled to full compensation for your injuries and losses. Our Vermont premises liability lawyer can help you seek compensation for damages such as:

• Past, ongoing, and future medical expenses

• Lost wages and income

• Lost earning potential due to disabilities from your injuries that prevent you from returning to work

• Pain and suffering

• Lost enjoyment or quality of life

What to Do if You’ve Been Hurt on Someone Else’s Property

If you’ve been injured on somebody else’s property, follow these tips and steps. They can help you begin the process of recovery and protect your legal rights:

1. Notify the property or business owner of your accident and injury. Try to avoid charged emotions or making accusations or claims. Just let the property owner or business manager know that you’ve suffered an accident. If you are injured at a commercial establishment such as a store or a restaurant, the business manager may fill out an accident or incident report for the business’s owner or its insurance/risk management company. Make sure to ask for a copy of this report before you leave.

2. Get the names and contact information for anybody who may have witnessed your accident.

3. Try to take photographs of the accident scene, including whatever you think might have caused your accident and injuries. Also photograph any warning signs or safety equipment nearby, the lighting conditions and anything that may have obstructed your view, and the weather conditions outside (if applicable).

4. Preserve or take photographs of the clothing and footwear you were wearing at the time of your accident.

5. Even if you don’t feel like you were hurt at first, get checked out by your doctor or at your local emergency room or urgent care clinic. In a physical exam a doctor can diagnose injuries you suffered in your accident that may not yet be causing you pain or other symptoms.

6. Get a free case review with Lynch Legal Services to discuss your accident and injuries. Our Vermont premises liability attorney is ready to tell you more about your legal rights.

Common Places Where Property Accidents Occur

Although an accident can take place on any sort of commercial or residential property, premises liability accidents in Vermont commonly occur in places such as:

• Grocery stores and supermarkets

• Bars and restaurants

• Department stores

• Hardware stores

• Malls and shopping centers

• Hotels

• Theaters

• Parking lots and garages

• Parks and playgrounds

• Swimming pools

• Ski resorts

• Schools

• Hospitals

• Apartment or condo buildings, or townhome complexes

Time Limit on Premises Liability Claims in Vermont

If you have a premises liability claim in Vermont and want compensation, the statute of limitations generally requires you to file a lawsuit within three years of the date of your injury. Only rare and narrow circumstances can extend the deadline.

If you do not file your suit before the limitations period expires on your claim, the court will most likely dismiss your case on the other party’s motion. If that happens, you will forever lose your right to pursue compensation in court on your premises liability claim.

Talk to A Vermont Premises Liability Attorney Now

If you have been seriously injured in an accident due to a hazardous condition on somebody else’s property, don’t go it alone. Get a free, no-pressure consultation with a Vermont premises liability lawyer from Lynch Legal Services, PLLC today.

We’ll discuss your legal rights and how our firm can help you pursue a full financial recovery after being injured through no fault of your own.