Injuries Sustained At Leased Locations

The Sacramento injury attorneys at The Weinberger Law Firm would like to discuss premises liability insurance claims that take place at an individual’s leased place of residence. Many Americans rent a space to live in from another, and this contract is called a lease agreement. As part of that agreement, the lessor agrees to ensure that the property will be habitable and safe. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and because of the inherent liability attributed to the property owner, the owner must carry liability insurance to cover any possible future liabilities that may arise from their care of the property in question. If you or someone else was injured or killed as a result of the habitability or safety of the property, the building owner can be deemed liable. Their liability will likely be transferred to an insurance company in the form of an insurance contract, meaning the insurance company will ultimately be deemed liable for your injuries sustained.

There is a distinct difference between injury claims and habitability claims, although both are covered by a general liability policy, which will encompass the following three types of claims:

• Property damage (PD)
• Bodily injury (BI)
• Personal injury (PI)

Premises liability claims can encompass specific instances of property damage or bodily injury, but can also consist of less tangible personal injury damages that result from continued use or inhabitance of an unsafe property.

Property Damage And Bodily Injury Claims Related To Landlord’s Premises Liability

In the same way that a landlord cannot rent an uninhabitable property, they must also address any outlying safety issues that fall outside the realm of habitability law. For example, the entrance to your apartment could have an uneven walkway that creates a trip and fall danger. This uneven walkway does not make the property uninhabitable, but it does pose an acute safety hazard. Someone could trip and fall as a result of the uneven pavement, but the uneven pavement is not preventing access to their place of residence. In some cases, an issue that is making a property uninhabitable could go unnoticed until there is a specific instance of bodily injury or property damage associated with the problem. In this case, the landlord could have two lawsuits on their hands once the underlying problem is noticed.

Common Premises Liability Claims

• Slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall – Uneven pavement, unsafe stairs or handrails, broken sprinklers or leaky pipes creating a slick surface causing an individual to fall
• Dog bites and other animal-related injuries – Landlords can be found liable for the actions of a tenants animal in certain situations
• Other instances of property damage and bodily injury – A claim can be made against a landlord for any type of property damage or bodily injury sustained as a result of unsafe conditions. The injured party will need to prove that the landlord knew about the problem and ignored it, or that the safety hazard was present because the landlord was breaking or ignoring the law.

You do not have to be a tenant in order to file a premises liability claim against an irresponsible property owner. If you used the property and were hurt as a result, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills and pain and suffering. Our personal injury attorneys in Sacramento are experts in premises liability law and fight to maintain safe living and working conditions for our community. If you have been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, or feel that the property you are renting is uninhabitable, call our personal injury lawyers for a free consultation today!

Discuss Your Premises Liability Claim With An Experienced Lawyer

Contact our office to speak with an injury lawyer about your injury claim. We offer a free initial consultation where you can get honest answers to your questions and learn more about your legal options. You can reach us by phone at 916-304-0952 or send us an email to schedule an appointment.