Steve Berman co-founded Hagens Berman in 1993 because he wanted to build a firm that fought for the rights of those unable to fight for themselves. Sadly, when you are injured at a place of business, you are often at the mercy of a much larger corporation. Their teams of lawyers and insurance agents can make you feel small and powerless. We won’t let them intimidate you. Hagens Berman will turn the tables and provide you with your own team of legal experts. Our deep bench of experienced lawyers will ensure that you have the support you’ll need to get back on your feet.

PREMISES LIABILITY DANGERS IN SEATTLE

When you step onto someone else’s property or enter a place of business, your safety might not be the first thing on your mind. However, your safety should be a property or business owner’s top priority. If you slip on a spill that the store didn’t properly clean, you could suffer a broken wrist, traumatic brain injury or other serious injuries. When this happens, the business owner should be responsible for paying for your recovery.

A business owner’s duty to care for your safety falls under premises liability laws set forth by the State of Washington. From big-box stores like Walmart and Target to gas stations and mini-marts, business owners and operators are liable for any hazards that visitors encounter while on store property.

COMMON PREMISES LIABILITY CASES

Hagens Berman has a long, successful history of earning injured victims the highest possible settlement in premises liability cases. These are just a few instances where we can help you recover what you will need to make a full recovery.

  • Slip-and-Fall and Trip-and-Fall accidents at supermarkets, malls, restaurants, gas stations and government buildings. Other locations include any property where owners are negligent in their duties to clean up spills and repair potholes, steps, flooring and other public surfaces.
  • Dangerous hazards in public places. Individuals could be hurt by exposed wiring, an elevator or escalator malfunction, or by exposure to harsh chemicals and gases. Permanent disabilities or disfigurements can result from a property owner’s failure to repair or replace a hazard.
  • Construction site accidents. Pedestrians trying to walk or bike past one of the many construction sites obstructing Seattle streets could suffer a number of injuries from falling objects, traffic collisions and tripping hazards.
  • Attacks, assaults or other security problems. Property owners must maintain appropriate levels of security, adequate lighting and other safety precautions to prevent individuals from being victimized. They can also be found liable for not issuing a warning when there’s been a rash of crime in the area.
  • Swimming Pool Accidents. Property owners must be held accountable for any injuries or tragic deaths resulting from the negligence of pool maintenance.
  • Daycare Accidents. Incidents that arise at daycare can be some of the most emotionally traumatic for both children and parents. When coupled with a severe injury, parents should be allowed to recover expenses for physical and emotional damage.
  • Recreational Accidents at theme parks, sporting events, museums, playgrounds, parks and other public attractions where owner or operator negligence caused an accident.

PREMISES LIABILITY AND FAULT IN ACCIDENTS

Premises liability exists to hold owners and operators responsible for accidents that result from their negligence. But that doesn’t mean they will gladly admit blame and immediately offer fair compensation. On the contrary, their insurance and legal representatives will do everything in their power to avoid responsibility and may even try to blame you for your injury.

Insurance adjusters may try to prove that you were distracted when you got injured, perhaps claim you were texting on a cellphone. They could also claim you ignored warning signs in place at the scene of your fall, like a yellow wet floor sign. These can be flimsy excuses for a property owner’s lack of care. A premises liability lawyer with Hagens Berman will vigorously defend your case to ensure they don’t leave you with an unfair share of the blame.

SHARED LIABILITY IN PREMISES ACCIDENTS

Even if you must accept some culpability for your injury, you don’t have to give up hope of earning financial support for your recovery.

Washington is a pure comparative negligence state. That means victims can share the blame in an accident with a company, corporation or local owner.

You could have to accept 30% of the responsibility for your fall because you weren’t paying attention at the time. The property owner could still face 70% of the liability for creating a hazard and be required to pay you for your damages. Your percentage of the blame would simply reduce your final compensation. This means that even if you were partially at fault, you could still receive a substantial award.

WHAT TO DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT AT A BUSINESS

Your priority after an injury is to look after your health and wellbeing. First, call 911 if you or someone else is hurt. The next most important task you have after getting hurt on someone else’s property is to get photos of the hazard that injured you.

Whether it’s a spill on the floor, broken pavement in the parking lot or some other obstacle, grab photos or video. That hazard will likely be fixed or cleaned up long before you or your personal injury lawyer can return to the scene.

When you aren’t physically able to take photos or are taken away by ambulance, ask someone with you or a helpful witness to take some pictures.

After you document the scene, make sure a manager or the owner knows what happened to you. Allow them to fill out an accident report for their corporate headquarters. Also, talk to all witnesses and write down their contact information. However, you should not speak to their insurance adjuster before talking to your lawyer. The adjuster might try to manipulate your story to force you to accept some of the blame.

CONTACT A SEATTLE PREMISES LAWYER FROM HAGENS BERMAN TODAY

Seeking expert legal counsel after you or a family member is injured in an accident involving premises liability can make all the difference in recovery. Knowing your medical costs are covered leaves you free to focus on healing and rebuilding your life.

Talk to the attorneys with Hagens Berman as soon as possible after an accident. When dealing with giant corporations, we take an aggressive approach to collecting evidence, lining up witness testimony and securing important documents. This thorough investigative work builds a strong case that those responsible will find hard to challenge.

Contact the attorneys at Hagens Berman for a free and confidential consultation. We will walk you through your legal options and help you best understand the premises liability claims process.