East Orange Premises Liability Lawyers

Over 9 million people are treated in emergency rooms because of premises liability injuries each year in the United States, largely due to slip and fall accidents. Suffering injuries on another owner’s property can result in serious injuries and even death and can leave you unable to work, suffering pain, and facing mounting medical and other expenses.

Our compassionate and experienced East Orange premises liability lawyers at Goldstein & Goldstein have over 50 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of injured clients and have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for their injuries and losses.

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability falls under personal injury law and refers to accidents and injuries on someone else’s property, such as a grocery store, shopping mall, office building, city park, or private residence. Property owners in New Jersey are responsible for ensuring their property is safe for those who enter the premises. This includes taking reasonable care to maintain the property, warn visitors of potential hazards, and address any known hazards that pose a risk of accidents and injuries in a timely manner. Property owners who fail to comply with state premises liability laws may be accountable for any injuries on the property.

What Types of Accidents Does Goldstein & Goldstein Handle?

We represent clients injured through a diverse range of premises liability accidents, including but not limited to:

• Ceiling and roof collapses
• Dangerous stairways, railings, and handrails
• Elevator and escalator accident
• Homeowner liability
• Hotel and motel accidents
• Negligent and improper maintenance
• Negligent snow and ice removal
• Playground liability
• Retail store accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Supermarket accidents
• Swimming pool and diving accidents
• Unsafe sidewalks

What Are Common Premises Liability Hazards?

New Jersey law holds property owners legally responsible for maintaining a safe premises for visitors and correcting known hazardous conditions on the premises, including but not limited to:

• Bunched or uneven flooring or carpets
• Cracked, uneven, or broken pavements or sidewalks
• Defective or lack of handrails on stairways or ramps
• Exposed electrical wiring
• Falling objects
• Faulty staircases or handrails
• Fire hazards
• Hazardous chemicals or substances
• Insufficient or poor lighting
• Lack of security
• Missing, defaced, or faded hazard warning signs
• Neglected flooring or floor tiles in disrepair
• Obstructions or debris on floors, pathways, or sidewalks
• Snow and ice accumulation
• Unmarked holes or ditches
• Unsafe elevators or escalators
• Wet or slippery floors

Who Is Responsible in Premises Liability Cases?

Property owners in New Jersey have a duty of care to maintain a safe premises for others on the property, such as visitors, owners, clients, and the like. However, the owner’s liability also depends on the status of the person who is injured on the property, as follows:

• Invitee: An invitee is anyone who has been invited onto another person’s property, such as customers, clients, friends, relatives, or public park visitors, and is owed the highest duty of care.
• Licensee: A licensee refers to anyone whose presence has been permitted but does not qualify as an invitee, such as a repair or delivery person, and is owed an intermediate duty of care.
• Trespasser: Trespassers include anyone who has entered the property unlawfully or without permission, with the exception of child trespassers, and is owed a minimal duty of care.

To prove a property owner’s negligence for injuries suffered on the premises, you need to establish negligence through the following:

• The property owner had a duty of care to maintain your safety on the premises and should have known about the dangerous condition of their property.
• The property owner had time and opportunity to address the unsafe condition but failed to do so, breaching the duty of care.
• The breach led to your accident and injuries.
• The accident and injuries caused you financial damages.

What Is Comparative Negligence?

New Jersey is a comparative negligence state, meaning you are entitled to seek damages for injuries suffered on another owner’s property, depending on your level of fault in the accident. If you are found to have less than 50 percent responsibility for the accident, you can recover compensation for your injuries and losses. If you have more than 50 percent responsibility, you cannot seek damages and may be liable to the other party, depending on the circumstances.

Your percentage of fault will be deducted from the full compensation awarded, however. This means that if you are 20 percent responsible for the accident, you can only recover 80 percent of the total compensation.

What Should I Do Following an Accident on Someone Else’s Property?

Gathering any information and evidence you can after an accident on someone else’s property can be crucial toward proving liability in premises liability claims. If you are physically able, you should:

• Report the accident and injuries to the property owner or manager.
• Exchange contact information with the property owner and the owner’s insurance information.
• Photograph the scene, your injuries, and what caused the accident.
• Ask witnesses for contact information and statements.
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible. You could have suffered an asymptomatic internal injury that can be life-threatening if left untreated. You will also need a medical report documenting your injuries for your claim.
• Maintain all medical records, communication, and expenses related to the accident and your injuries.
• Retain the services of a skilled East Orange premises liability lawyer knowledgeable in the complexities of these cases, experienced at negotiating with insurance companies, and securing maximum compensation for injured clients.

Do not delay contacting an attorney. The statute of limitations for filing a premises liability claim in New Jersey is two years from the accident or death unless the accident occurred on government-owned property, in which you only have 90 days.

What Compensation Can I Seek for My Accident Injuries?

If you suffer injuries due to a hazardous condition on another person’s property, you could be facing serious injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and a lengthy recovery process. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, compensation includes economic and non-economic damages, such as:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Emotional distress
• Lost wages and future earning capacity
• Loss of life enjoyment or consortium
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disability
• Psychological trauma
• Wrongful death

How Can Goldstein & Goldstein Help Me?

Hiring our East Orange premises liability lawyers at Goldstein & Goldstein reduces the stress of handling your claim so you can focus on your recovery. Our compassionate legal team is dedicated to holding those who caused you harm accountable and ensuring that your claim will be handled properly and your rights will be protected. We will fight to secure maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.

Our East Orange Premises Liability Lawyers at Goldstein & Goldstein Help Clients Fight Back Against Negligent Property Owners

If you have been injured on someone else’s property, our seasoned East Orange premises liability lawyers at Goldstein & Goldstein can help you secure the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. Call today at 973-675-8277 or visit us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in East Orange, New Jersey, we serve clients in the surrounding areas.