A premises liability lawsuit allows injured people to recover compensation for injuries suffered in a slip and fall accident. At Collins Legal Group, LLC, we understand how painful and costly such injuries can be, and we help those involved in slip and fall incidents recover the damages they deserve.

Premises Liability Lawsuit Basics

Maryland property owners have a duty to maintain a safe premises for its intended purpose, and if a dangerous condition exists on their property, they are required to correct the problem or at a minimum, post a warning of it. A premises liability lawsuit can arise from dangerous conditions present at a property – private homes, commercial businesses, or any other type of real property. However, most premises liability cases stem from incidents occurring at commercial properties because they are generally frequented by larger numbers of people. When a property owner fails to uphold their legal duty, visitors to the property who suffer injury may be entitled to file a premises liability lawsuit. In order to recover damages in a premises liability lawsuit, Maryland law requires that the injured person present facts and evidence to prove that the property owner was negligent in failing to provide a safe premises for visitors. Property owners do not owe the same duty of care to everyone who visits their property. Under Maryland law, certain types of visitors may require a higher duty of care than others:

• Invitees. Invitees visit a property for commercial reasons, either by direct invitation or because the property is open to the public. When an invitee visits a property, the owner is required to use reasonable and ordinary care to maintain safe conditions.
• Licensees by invitation. Licensees are social guests who have permission to visit the property for personal (non-commercial) reasons. When a licensee enters their property, the owner is required to use reasonable care and respond to dangers present in a reasonable manner.
• Bare licensees. Bare licensees visits a property for their own personal reasons (with the permission of the property owner). When a bare licensee enters the property, the owner has a duty to refrain from doing anything that could injure the visitor.
• Hip Fractures. Each year, nearly 300,000 older Americans are hospitalized with hip fractures. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 95 percent of all broken hips happen during falls. Hip fractures can require surgery involving an artificial hip implant, followed by hospitalization and extensive rehabilitation.

In Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., the Attractive Nuisance Doctrine holds property owners liable for a child’s injuries caused by their failure to protect the child from an attractive nuisance present on their property. Examples of attractive nuisances include swimming pools, trampolines, and playground equipment.

Contact a Knowledgeable Baltimore Premises Liability Law Firm

Collins Legal Group, LLC, is a personal injury law firm that handles premises liability lawsuits. If you sustained a slip and fall injury and need help making a claim, call us at 410-462-4529 to schedule your free initial consultation.