If you suffer an injury on someone else’s property due to their negligence, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against them to recover compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, medical costs, lost income and other damages. This includes injuries that occur on business properties like stores, restaurants, hotels, offices, and other commercial locations.
When Can I File a Claim Against a Business?
In order to hold a business legally responsible for your injuries and eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against them, you must be able to prove they were negligent. Their negligent behavior is what caused your accident and injuries.
Some examples of business negligence may include:
– Failure to maintain safe premises – If they did not properly maintain their property and allowed dangers like uneven floors, stairs without railings, poor lighting, debris, spills, etc. to exist which caused your fall or other accident.
– Failure to warn of dangers – If they knew of a hazard on their premises but did not post warning signs, barricade it off, or otherwise alert customers.
– Lack of security – If there was inadequate security to protect customers from criminal acts of third parties.
– Serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons – If a business over-served alcohol to a customer who then injured you due to their impaired state.
– Poorly trained staff – If employees were not properly trained to operate equipment, provide services in a safe manner, or handle dangerous materials which led to your injury.
– Defective products – If you were harmed by a defective product sold or provided by the business.
The key is being able to show that the business failed to take reasonable precautions to protect your safety in some way. Their negligence resulted in your accident and subsequent damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
Each state has a statute of limitations on how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit, which is typically between 1-6 years. The clock starts ticking on the statute of limitations from the date of your injury or accident.
It is important to contact an attorney right away after any significant injury you suffer on a business’ premises so that your claim can be properly evaluated and filed before the statute of limitations expires. An experienced personal injury lawyer will handle all the negotiations with insurance companies, paperwork, evidence gathering, legal filings, and litigation needed to make a claim and get you fair compensation.
What Types of Compensation Can I Recover?
Some of the typical damages you can seek compensation for through a premises liability claim against a negligent business include:
– Medical expenses like hospital bills, ambulatory services, physical therapy, rehabilitation, prescriptions, assistive devices and in-home care
– Lost wages if you had to take time off work while recovering
– Loss of future earning capacity if disabled from working in same capacity as before
– Emotional distress
– Permanent disabilities or disfigurement
– Loss of enjoyment and quality of life
– Punitive damages in applicable cases
Consult with a qualified personal injury attorney to discuss the full value of your claim based on the unique circumstances of your accident and injuries. They can help you recover maximum compensation from the business so you can move forward with your life.
Conclusion
Businesses have a legal duty to maintain safe premises for customers. If you are injured on a business’s property due to their negligent behavior, unsafe conditions, or defective products, you may have a valid personal injury claim against them. Speak to a personal injury attorney right away so that your claim can be evaluated and filed against the business before the statute of limitations expires in your state. This allows you to recover compensation for the full extent of your accident-related damages.
