DC Premises Liability Lawyers

Do I have a Case?

Do I Have a Case?

Representing Clients in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia

Landowners and property managers have a responsibility to provide a reasonably safe environment for anyone using their premises. Yet every year, thousands of people in our region sustain serious personal injury due to unmaintained or dangerous premises.

After being injured on someone else’s property, you may be facing steep medical expenses and other costs. The experienced premises liability attorneys at The Cochran Firm DC have years of experience dealing with these issues and fighting for compensation for people who have been injured by unsafe premises in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.

The law in DC, Maryland, and Virginia requires property owners to keep their premises safe from needless hazards and dangers that cause injury and death. Whether the property is a restaurant, hotel, commercial building, playground, retail business, or government property, the landowner and property managers have a legal responsibility to provide a reasonably safe environment for anyone using their premises.

If You’ve Been a Victim in a Premises Liability Case:

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We can help with premises liabilities related to:

The law provides financial redress for victims who have been injured on another’s property, including accidents due to:

  • Slip and falls,
  • False imprisonment, assault, or other criminal behavior due to negligent security,
  • Drowning due to improperly staffed or maintained pools,
  • Dressing room hazards,
  • Exposure to dangerous chemicals,
  • Electrocution due to exposed wires,
  • Dog bites or other animal attacks,
  • Vehicle accidents,
  • Skiing and tubing accidents,
  • Defective sidewalks,
  • Building collapse or explosion,
  • Lead paint poisoning or toxic mold,
  • Construction site accidents,
  • Uneven floor surfaces,
  • Dangerous elevators and escalators,
  • Amusement park injuries,
  • Fires,
  • Falling objects, and
  • Parking lot accidents.

These are only some examples of premises liability. If you have been injured on someone else’s property, you should not have to deal with the consequences while your wrongdoer takes no accountability.

If a land or property owner did something to cause an injury, they should be held responsible. Victims should not be forced to pay large medical bills incurred through no fault of their own. If you or someone you know has been injured because of a land or property owner’s negligence or carelessness, contact the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia premises liability attorneys of The Cochran Firm DC at 1-800-THE-FIRM for a free consultation today.

Our experienced premises liability attorneys have a long history of obtaining large settlements and verdicts for victims who have been injured on unsafe properties. The landowner can usually avoid these accidents by exercising proper caution, including scheduled maintenance and posting adequate warnings. Unfortunately, many property owners do not maintain a reasonably safe environment for the public, and victims are left injured due to this negligent behavior.

What Legal Duty Do Business Owners, Homeowners, and Other Land Owners Have Toward the Public?

There are a variety of different legal responsibilities owed by land owners toward the public. Generally, a business owner whose establishment is open to the public has a higher duty to maintain a safe environment than a private homeowner who has invited guests to the home. During your free consultation, a seasoned injury attorney can inform you what legal duty applies to your circumstance. Our experienced lawyers are experts in the law governing premises liability in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia and have successfully litigated many premises liability cases that held property owners accountable for failing to maintain a reasonably safe environment.

Who Can be Sued for Unsafe Property?

Sometimes it can be difficult to know which party to bring a claim against in a premises liability case. Premises liability claims can be brought against all property owners, including:

  • Landlords
  • Property managers
  • Mall/shopping center owners
  • Government entities
  • Private landowners

Our experienced D.C., Maryland, and Virginia premises liability attorneys will aggressively conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of your accident and ensure the responsible property owner is held accountable.

What Needs to be Proved in Order to Win a Premises Liability Lawsuit?

Generally, the victim will have to prove that a legal duty was owed to them by the property owner, the property owner failed to carry out that legal duty, the victim was injured, and the injury was caused by the failure to carry out the legal duty. The particular legal duty owed to the victim will depend upon the specific circumstances of the injury. At The Cochran Firm DC, our team of expert premises liability lawyers will investigate the case, determine who was at fault, and formulate a robust litigation plan aimed at successfully holding the wrongdoer financially responsible.

What Legal Duties Do Land and Property Owners Owe to the Public?

With premises liability cases in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, property owners may be held responsible for failing to carry out the following legal duties and obligations:

  • Making repairs where there is a known problem or safety issue,
  • Taking reasonable steps to ensure property is reasonably safe,
  • Providing reasonable security, and
  • Warning the public about dangerous conditions that are not open and obvious.

How Soon After My Injury Should I Contact The Cochran Firm DC?

As soon as possible, if not immediately. Depending on the injury, interviews of witnesses may need to be taken. Witnesses may not want to talk to the victim or the victim’s attorney after the witness has been confronted by a property owner. Witnesses’ memories also quickly become foggy and unreliable as time since the accident expires.

In addition, photographs or videos often need to be taken of the accident site in order to demonstrate that the property was not reasonably safe. Sometimes, property owners will fix a property problem after an injury and then later deny it ever existed in order to prevent lawsuits. Safety experts may also need to quickly examine the environment of a property in order to make a finding that the landowner should be held liable for an injury.

Beyond those practical considerations, there are also time deadlines – also known as statutes of limitation – that apply to premises liability cases in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. If these deadlines are not met, the victim of an accident on dangerous property may not be able to bring a lawsuit. To gain a full understanding of the law governing your claim, schedule a free consultation with an experienced premises liability attorney with The Cochran Firm DC by calling 1-800-THE-FIRM.

What Compensation May be Recovered in a Premises Liability Lawsuit?

Potential finance damages that may be recovered in a premises liability claim include:

  • Medical bills incurred due to the injury,
  • Lost wages and income,
  • Pain and suffering,
  • Injuries caused by the premises liability accident, and
  • Long-term medical care or permanent disability.
  • What if the property owners say are not to blame for my injury on my property?

Property owners often don’t want to pay victims who are injured on their property. It may make their insurance premiums go up, or it will just cost them more than they’re willing to pay. Insurance companies may also refuse to pay or offer an unrealistically low amount of compensation for an injury. Typical insurance company objections in premises liability cases include objections to the extent of the victim’s injuries, claiming preexisting conditions caused the injuries, and accusing the victim of greed or dishonesty. An average individual may be taken aback by such tactics, but the experienced premises liability attorneys of The Cochran Firm DC are used to such strategies and know how to defend against those and similar challenges to an injured victim’s claim.

The bottom line is that a victim was injured due to a property owner’s carelessness or negligence. Our experienced team of premises liability attorneys knows the relevant law in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia inside and out and is ready to hold negligent property owners accountable. Call The Cochran Firm DC at 1-800-THE-FIRM to schedule a free initial consultation today. Our team of legal professionals regularly conduct no-cost, no-obligation case consultations.

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WASHINGTON, DC
1666 K Street NW
Suite 1150
Washington, DC 20006
1-800-THE-FIRM
202-589-1500
1-800-THE-FIRM
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The Cochran Firm handles Medical Malpractice, Catastrophic Personal Injuries, Motor Vehicle Accidents & Wrongful Death Claims for clients throughout the United States of America. The information on this website does not constitute legal advice nor form an attorney-client relationship. Please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a free consultation.
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