When victims become seriously injured because of dangerous conditions on another person’s property, they may have the right to compensation through a premises liability lawsuit. New Mexico property owners and managers have a duty to keep their properties reasonably safe to prevent injuries. Slip-and-fall, swimming pool, and negligence security incidents are examples of premises liability accidents.
If someone else’s property has injured you, you may be entitled to compensation for your current and future medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. The personal injury attorneys at Hunt Law Firm have extensive experience representing victims of premises liability accidents. We will help you understand your legal rights and options and pursue the most compensation possible in your case.
What Is a Premises Liability Lawsuit?
In a premises liability lawsuit, the injured victim pursues compensation for damages from the property owner or manager responsible for their injuries. Under New Mexico law, property owners and managers have a legal duty to people who legally enter their premises. This duty of care requires them to maintain reasonably safe conditions on their property. If their property is dangerous, they must warn visitors of it. A property owner’s legal responsibility to someone who enters their property depends on the visitor’s status.
When an injury occurs on someone else’s commercial property, private home, or publicly owned area, the injured party can pursue compensation for their injuries. To recover compensation through a premises liability lawsuit, the victim needs to show that their injuries were directly caused by the property owner’s negligence or failure to maintain a reasonably safe environment. In doing so, the victim must establish that the property owner owed them a duty of care and breached that duty of care through negligence.
Property Owners Owe Invitees and Licensees a Duty of Care
Property owners have the highest duty of care to those invited onto their property, called invitees. Customers in a retail store or office building are the most common example of invitees. Property owners have a duty to regularly inspect their premises, address dangerous conditions promptly, and warn visitors about known dangers.
Licensees have the property owner’s permission to enter their premises but do so for their own purposes and not always for the property owner’s benefit. For example, guests invited to come over to dinner are considered licensees. Property owners owe licensees a reasonable duty of care to warn them about known dangers that aren’t immediately obvious. Property owners may need to warn trespassers about dangers on their property that could cause severe harm.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen anywhere, from commercial office space to the parking lot outside a restaurant. Property owners have an obligation to keep their floors free from liquids, debris, tripping hazards, and dangerous staircases. When a spill does happen, property owners should place a warning sign by the spill until they can clean it up. Property owners are also responsible for keeping their stairways and walkways free from dangerous icy conditions. Additionally, businesses and municipalities have an obligation to fill in cracks and concrete or asphalt that could pose a tripping hazard to pedestrians.
Dog Bite Injuries
Most dog bite injuries occur on someone’s personal property. If a dog owner has not restrained their dog, and the dog attacks another person, the owner can be held responsible for their animal in many cases. If you or your child suffered injuries from a dog bite attack at someone else’s home, you may have the right to pursue a claim through their homeowner’s insurance policy or a premises liability lawsuit.
Negligent Security
Negligence security incidents happen when a victim is assaulted and injured on another person’s property because of the property owner’s lack of security measures. Property owners have a duty to protect visitors from a foreseeable risk that another person will injure them through an assault. For example, the owners of an apartment complex in a high-crime area have a duty to take reasonable measures to prevent their renters from becoming injured by criminals. Necessary security measures can include installing high-quality lighting, fencing, security cameras, and hiring security guards.
Swimming Pool Injuries
Every year, thousands of Americans, including children, suffer injuries or deaths from swimming pool accidents. The owners of swimming pools are required to take reasonable precautions to prevent people from becoming injured. Restricting access to outside individuals, installing a fence, and hiring a lifeguard are all security practices that can keep others from becoming seriously injured or drowning.
Recovering Compensation through a Premises Liability Accident
Under New Mexico law, plaintiffs in premises liability cases can pursue compensation for their economic damages now and in the future, including their medical expenses. They can also pursue damages for their lost income and disability if they are unable to work because of their injuries. Non-economic damages include compensation for their pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
At Hunt Law Firm, we work with medical and financial experts to carefully evaluate the full value of our client’s claims. Victims of premises liability accidents generally have 3 years from the date they became injured to file a claim for compensation, so it’s important to speak to an attorney as soon as possible.
Contact Our Premises Liability Attorney in Santa Fe
If you’ve been injured because of a property owner’s negligence, the last thing on your mind may be taking legal action. However, holding the negligent property owner accountable for your injuries can help you prevent harm to other people and help you recover compensation for your injuries. Don’t hesitate to contact the skilled premises liability attorneys at Hunt Law Firm today to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation case evaluation. We represent clients in Santa Fe and throughout New Mexico.