A Simple Visit Shouldn’t End in the Emergency Room
You should be able to shop, visit friends, go to work, or walk through an apartment complex in Delaware County without worrying that a hidden hazard will send you to the hospital. Yet many people end up injured each year because a business or landlord ignored basic maintenance or safety rules.
Maybe you slipped on water that had been pooling near a store entrance for hours. Maybe you tripped over broken concrete outside an office, or fell down a poorly lit stairwell in an apartment building. These are not just “accidents.” When someone in charge of the property knew or should have known about a danger and failed to fix it or warn you, the law may hold them responsible.
A premises liability lawyer in Delaware County, PA helps injured visitors and tenants sort out what went wrong, identify who is legally responsible, and pursue compensation to cover medical care, missed income, and the impact on everyday life.
The Basics of Premises Liability in Pennsylvania
Premises liability is the legal concept that property owners and occupiers have a duty to keep their property reasonably safe for people who are allowed to be there. That duty covers not only the inside of a building, but also parking lots, sidewalks the owner controls, stairways, hallways, and common areas.
Reasonable safety does not mean every surface must be perfect at every moment. It does mean that owners should inspect their property, fix hazards, and warn visitors about dangers that cannot be fixed immediately. When owners cut corners or ignore complaints, and a visitor gets hurt as a result, they can be held financially responsible.
Common Hazardous Conditions Behind Premises Claims
Many premises liability cases arise from the same types of hazards. Wet or freshly mopped floors without warning signs cause many slip and fall cases, especially near store entrances, coolers, and restrooms. Worn or torn carpeting, loose tiles, and hidden changes in floor level can also cause falls.
Outside, broken sidewalks, potholes, poorly placed wheel stops, and icy or snowy surfaces that are not treated in a timely manner can lead to serious injuries. In stairwells, missing handrails, uneven steps, and poor lighting are frequent problems.
Some claims involve negligent security. If a property owner knows about prior assaults, robberies, or break-ins and still fails to provide basic lighting, secure locks, or reasonable monitoring, a person who is attacked on the property may have a claim for the owner’s failure to act.
Other dangers include falling merchandise from high shelves, unstable display racks, loose ceiling tiles, open holes or pits, unsafe balconies, and poorly maintained common areas in rental properties.
Why the Owner’s Knowledge and Actions Matter
To hold a property owner accountable, it is important to show not just that a hazard existed, but that the owner either created it, knew about it, or should have discovered it through normal care. If a spill was on the floor long enough that employees should have seen and cleaned it, or if tenants had complained about a broken step for weeks before your fall, that information can be powerful proof of negligence.
Owners also have duties that match the type of visitor. Customers and clients are usually owed the highest level of care. Owners should take active steps to find and fix hazards that might injure them. Social guests are still owed warnings about known dangers that are not obvious. Trespassers get less protection, though owners generally cannot set traps or act in ways that intentionally cause harm.
A premises liability lawyer in Media, PA will look for maintenance records, prior incident reports, security footage, complaint histories, and witness statements to show what the owner knew and how they responded.
Injuries Caused by Dangerous Property
Property-related accidents can cause severe injuries that linger long after the fall or event. Broken hips, wrists, arms, ankles, and ribs are common after hard impacts. These injuries often require surgery, casting, or long periods in a brace.
Head injuries can range from mild concussions to serious traumatic brain injuries. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, memory problems, mood changes, and light sensitivity. These issues can make it hard to return to work or school.
Back and neck injuries, such as herniated discs, muscle tears, and nerve damage, can lead to chronic pain, tingling, or weakness in the arms or legs. Knee, shoulder, and ankle injuries often involve torn ligaments or tendons, which may take months to heal even with surgery and therapy.
Cuts, bruises, and scars may not sound serious to others, but deep lacerations, facial injuries, and visible scars can change how a person feels about their appearance and lead to emotional distress.
What to Do After Being Hurt on Someone Else’s Property
The steps you take after getting hurt can help protect your health and your claim. First, get medical care as quickly as possible. Even if you can still walk, pain and stiffness often grow worse in the days after a fall, and an early exam helps connect your injuries to the incident.
Tell the property owner, manager, or a responsible employee what happened and where it occurred. Ask that they create an incident report, and request a copy if you can.
If your condition allows, take photos or video of the area, including the hazard, surrounding surfaces, lighting, and any warning signs or lack of them. Try to do this before the owner has a chance to clean, repair, or change the scene.
Collect names and contact information for any witnesses. Their memory of what they saw can be crucial months later.
Finally, talk with a premises liability lawyer in Delaware County, PA before you speak in detail with an insurance adjuster. Adjusters are trained to ask questions in a way that may shift blame onto you or minimize your injuries. A lawyer can handle those conversations and protect your rights.
Types of Compensation Available in a Premises Liability Case
If a property owner’s carelessness caused your injury, you may be able to recover money for several kinds of loss. This can include emergency care, doctor visits, surgery, physical therapy, medication, and any future medical treatment you are expected to need.
If you missed work because of your injuries, you can seek payment for lost wages. If your injuries prevent you from returning to the same job or limit your ability to work full time, your claim may also include reduced earning capacity.
You may also pursue compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the ways your injury affects sleep, hobbies, family activities, and relationships. In some cases, out of pocket costs such as transportation to medical appointments or the need to hire help for household tasks can be part of the claim.
Why a Delaware County Premises Liability Lawyer Is Important
Property owners and their insurance companies often respond to injury claims with denial, delay, or low offers. They may argue that they had no time to fix the hazard, that you were not watching where you were going, or that your injuries are not as serious as you claim.
A premises liability lawyer in Delaware County, PA knows these tactics and prepares for them. Your lawyer can visit the scene, preserve evidence before it disappears, work with experts when needed, and present a clear explanation of how the property owner’s actions or inaction caused your injuries.
Most premises liability attorneys work on a contingency fee, which means you do not pay an attorney fee unless they recover money for you through a settlement or verdict. That allows injured people to pursue fair compensation even when the accident itself has already strained their finances.
If you were hurt on dangerous property in Media or anywhere in Delaware County, you do not have to handle the claim on your own. A local premises liability lawyer can explain your rights, manage the insurance process, and fight for the recovery you need to move forward.
