Johnstown Slip and Fall Lawyer

If you have suffered a slip and fall injury recently, you are not alone. More than one out of every five emergency room visits are related to a falling injury.

When this kind of injury occurs due to the negligence of the property owner, an experienced Johnstown slip and fall lawyer might be able to help a victim pursue monetary compensation for their damages. From reviewing your claim to filing a lawsuit on your behalf, the right personal injury attorney could play an essential role in your case.

What Are the Common Causes of a Slip and Fall Accidents?

No Johnstown business or residence is immune to the risk of visitors slipping and falling. Injuries can occur anywhere; however, certain factors routinely result in injury, including:

• Bunched or loose carpet
• Wet or icy sidewalks
• Uneven pavement
• Potholes
• Poor lighting
• Broken stairs or handrails

If such a hazard stems from a lack of property maintenance or awareness by a landowner or manager, there may be grounds for civil action. A skilled Johnstown slip and fall attorney could help a slip and fall victim determine whether the circumstances of their particular accident could give rise to a claim or a lawsuit.

How Are Visitors Classified in Johnstown?

The owners of businesses and private property in Johnstown must ensure their property is safe, but they owe different specific duties depending on the types of visitors on their property. There are three classes of visitors in a Johnstown slip and fall lawsuit:

• Invitees
• Licensees
• Trespassers

Invitees

These visitors are invited to the property by the owner, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the property owner. An invitee can be on the property for personal or business purposes, but either way, they are owed the highest duty of care from a property owner. Common examples of invitees include customers entering a business and contractors at a private home.

Licensees

Licensees also enter the property with an invitation, either expressed or implied. Unlike invitees, though, licensees enter the property for their own purposes—for example, a social guest attending a house party. A property owner must warn a licensee of any hazards on the premises but has no duty to address those hazards.

Trespassers

A trespasser does not have permission to enter a property, and because they were on the property illegally, the property owner rarely owes trespassers any duty to protect them from harm. However, there are some exceptions. For example, a property owner may not intentionally injure a trespasser. These exceptions are a complex area of the law, but an experienced slip and fall lawyer in Johnstown might be able to provide additional guidance on the issue. For more information, contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney.

Discuss Legal Options with a Johnston Slip and Fall Attorney

Owning a Johnstown business or residence comes with the responsibility to ensure the property is safe. While the duty a landowner owes varies from one person to another, any property held open to the public should be free of hazards.

If you suffered an injury from a fall on someone else’s land, you could have a viable claim against the property owner. To discuss the strength of your claim, contact us to speak with a Johnstown slip and fall lawyer from Marcus & Mack right away.