Injury Lawyers Who Truly Care

Were You Hurt On Someone Else’s Property?

A dangerous condition in a store, office building or sidewalk can result in serious injuries or death. As the victim of this type of negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation. Such cases can involve complex factual and legal issues, so you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

At Crandall & Katt, Attorneys at Law in Roanoke, Virginia, we are strong advocates for victims of property owner negligence. When you choose our law firm, we will work hard to obtain the best possible settlement or jury award for you.

Some common questions about premises liability include the following:

What does “premises liability” mean?

Premises liability refers to the duty that a property owner owes to people who come onto a property. If the owner fails to maintain safe conditions on the property and a visitor suffers serious harm because of an unsafe condition, the owner can be held liable in a court of law.

Some common types of premises liability lawsuits involve:

  • Slip-and-fall accidents
  • Dog attacks
  • Falling objects
  • Accidents caused by defective handrails and other building equipment
  • Lack of smoke detectors that leads to injury or death
  • Swimming pool accidents

At our law firm, our lawyers vigorously represent people who have suffered serious harm as the result of property owner negligence. We will seek full compensation for you.

I was injured at a friend’s house and I certainly don’t want to sue my friend. Is there still a way for me to obtain compensation?

Yes, it may be possible. You must understand that the potential source of compensation will be your friend’s homeowner insurance policy, not your friend. That’s precisely why we buy homeowner liability insurance – to provide compensation in situations like this. You should also know that your friend’s insurance rates will not increase as a result of your suit.

What if I was injured on public property?

You may be able to obtain compensation if you were injured due to a dangerous condition on public property. However, the statute of limitations is much shorter in cases involving accidents on state, county or municipal property: in Virginia, you have only six months from the date of the occurrence to file notice of a claim. If the accident happened on federal property, you have two years in which to file notice of a claim.

Can a college or university be held liable for criminal attacks that occur on campus?

The answer is maybe. This is an emerging area of premises liability law, according to FindLaw. Some courts have found that colleges, universities, hotels, malls can be liable for attacks when they did not exercise reasonable care for the protection of victims. In general, this means the entities must provide a reasonable amount of security.

Can I sue the bank if I’m attacked at an ATM?

Historically, courts have said banks do not owe a duty to protect customers at ATMs, according to FindLaw. In some recent cases, however, plaintiffs have been able to successfully sue banks for attacks that occurred at an ATM.

Get Legal Help Today

For a free consultation about a premises liability case in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina or surrounding areas, call Crandall & Katt, Attorneys at Law at 540.342.2000, or contact us online.