Premises Liability Lawyer
Reno, NV

If you’ve been injured in an accident while on somebody else’s property, you may wonder to what extent the law supports a potential for a claim. States have different legal statutes about personal injury scenarios, so knowing what’s possible for you legally is important.

In Nevada, premises liability law involves the following basic principles:

• Property owners/managers  are responsible for keeping their property safe for anybody visiting.
• Property owners/managers are not responsible for every potential accident on their property.
• Property owners/managers must have taken reasonable actions to avoid or eliminate dangerous conditions in the event of an accident.
• Liability also depends on the visitor’s status, such as when a trespasser injures themselves while committing a crime.
• Injured persons must prove legal liability to receive compensation for an accident on somebody else’s property.
• The injured person may collect financial compensation for damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, and relationship roles and responsibilities changes.

To determine liability, a premises accident victim must prove the following:

• Dangerous conditions or unreasonable risks occurred on the property.
• The property owner knew or should have known about these conditions or risks.
• An accident happened on the property.
• The accident happened because of the established conditions or risks.
• The victim suffered injuries or damages related to the accident.

If you’ve been injured on somebody else’s property and believe the above applies to your accident, contact Coulter Harsh Law’s personal injury attorneys.

According to Nevada law, three types of guests can be subject to different legal rights in a premises liability lawsuit.

1. Invitees are guests who enter the property to benefit the owner. If you’re visiting a business as a customer, that would make you an invitee. A property owner/manager owes the highest duty of reasonable care to invitees, including identifying potential dangers and addressing them before you set foot on the premises.
2. Licensees are guests who mutually benefit alongside the owner. This could include somebody visiting a friend’s house for a pool party or a contractor performing work duties on-premises. Though the property owner still owes a duty of care to licensees, they are not required to inspect, repair, and maintain the property to the same degree as with invitees.
3. Trespassers are uninvited guests who enter a property without permission from the owner. While a property owner does not owe the same duty of care to a trespasser as a licensee or invitee, they may still have to answer to the law if they intentionally harm the trespasser or if the trespasser is a child injured while trespassing.

Nevada premises liability law includes a provision called the Attractive Nuisance Doctrine. Within this legal definition, a property owner may be held liable for injuries a child incurs while trespassing if the property contains an object appealing to a child, such as a pool, toy, or animal.

In Nevada, you have a two-year window to file a premises liability claim. While two years may seem like a long time, we recommend contacting a Reno premises liability attorney as soon as possible. After you’re released from the hospital or cleared to leave the accident scene, call Coulter Harsh Law; once the statute of limitations passes, premises liability claims can be much harder to pursue, and you may be unable to recover compensation.  Early representation helps ensure critical evidence is preserved.

The primary difference between personal and property liability, or premises liability, is that personal liability involves an individual’s negligent or reckless actions causing an accident. Conversely, premises liability relates to a property owner’s/manager’s responsibility for keeping their property reasonable safe and free from hazards that may cause an accident. For example, if another driver runs a red light and collides with your vehicle, they’d be considered personally liable for the accident. If a restaurant owner/manager fails to repair a crack in the flooring and you slip and fall, breaking your arm, this would warrant contacting a Reno premises liability lawyer. Your injury was caused by a lapse in care by the property rather than the owner’s direct actions.

After you’ve been injured on somebody else’s property, you likely have a lot on your mind. Not only do you have to worry about your physical recovery, financial repercussions, and the headaches involved in communicating with your insurance company, but understanding what’s possible legally can be completely overwhelming. You might wonder if you have a premises liability claim if you were injured at somebody’s private residence. Coulter Harsh Law can assist in assessing the viability of your claim to help with the harms and losses you suffered.

However, the location of your injury can impact the complexity of your premises liability claim. If you were injured on private property, such as a home or business, your case would involve an individual or business entity. Property owners are responsible for maintaining safe conditions on their properties; if their negligence caused your accident, they can be held liable.

If you were injured on public property, such as a state park or government building, your lawsuit may be directed at a government entity. These cases can have different legal filing requirements and deadlines, so it’s best to have a premises liability attorney on your side to ensure maximum compensation.