Long Island Premises Liability Attorney
Premises Liability Accident Lawyers Representing Clients in Long Island, NY
Property owners are responsible for the safety of people that lawfully enter their property. That means that a property owner must maintain his or her property in a reasonably safe condition. If a property owner should fail to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition and a guest suffers an injury as a result, the property owner will be responsible for the injuries suffered. A dangerous condition on a property can present itself in many different forms. Some common examples of dangerous conditions include broken walkways, ice and snow, spilled liquids, broken handrails, and uneven steps.
A slip and fall is the most common type of accident that occurs as a result of a dangerous condition on another’s property. A slip and fall happens when a person’s foot makes contact with a dangerous condition causing the person to slip and fall. Trips and falls are another common type of premises liability case and involves the foot stumbling on an obstruction. Other types of common accidents that result from dangerous property conditions include burns from exposed heating elements and lacerations from broken glass. Palermo Law is a Long Island Personal Injury Law Firm dedicated to representing individuals that have suffered serious injuries as a result of a property owner’s negligence.
When to consult with a Long Island Premises Liability Lawyer
Not all accidents require the assistance of an accident attorney. But if you have suffered an injury as the result of a fall, it’s a good idea to speak to an attorney before discussing your case with the representative from the property owner. Often, a personal injury attorney can protect your legal rights, recoup compensation for lost wages and medical bills and obtain a settlement for your pain and suffering.
Common injuries in slip and fall accidents and trip and fall accidents:
- Fractures.
- Back and neck injuries.
- Torn ligaments and tendons.
- Sprains and strains.
How Much Is My Premises Liability Case Worth?
The value of an injury suffered in a slip and fall accident or a trip and fall accident is an accumulation of several different factors. These include any accident-related economic expenses such as lost wages, as well as non-economic losses such as pain and suffering. At Palermo Law, our experience in handling thousands of accident cases allows us to accurately assess the value of your case to determine the fairest settlement or jury award. In cases of long-term injuries, we partner with experts in the fields of medicine and economics to make sure that your compensation is adjusted for future inflation. This allows you peace of mind knowing that you will be compensated for years to come.
Premises Liability FAQs
How Do I Prove the Property Owner is Responsible For My Injury?
Property owners are obligated to maintain a certain level of safety for all patrons on their premises. When a premises liability claim is made, it must be proven that the property owner was negligent in keeping you safe from getting injured. In order to do this, three things need to be established.
The condition was considered unsafe. This is where documenting the scene of the accident is so important. Your personal injury lawyer has to prove that it was a dangerous or unsafe condition that caused your accident.
There was prior knowledge of the condition. The attorney would then prove that the property owner must have known about the unsafe condition. This can be established in two different ways. If the property owner has been physically told about the condition, that is considered “actual” knowledge. This means there is clear proof that the owner knew about the condition and neglected to do anything about it. On the other hand, if it was likely that they should have known about the condition, this is called “constructive” prior knowledge, meaning the condition was noticeable and visible for a long enough period of time for the property owner to have noticed and corrected the hazardous area.
Finally, it needs to be proven that the unsafe condition could have been remedied. This means that the owner had a reasonable amount of time to fix the problem, but neglected to do so. For example, if someone slipped on someone’s driveway immediately after a blizzard, they may not be found negligent because they didn’t have sufficient time to shovel their driveway. But if days had passed and it still happened, then they did have sufficient time to make it safe.
What Should I Do If I’m Injured On Another Party’s Property?
First, Seek Medical Attention. It’s important to do this right away, as well as document your injuries and begin the appropriate treatment.
Second, document the condition that caused the injury. Take a picture of whatever it was that made you fall, whether it be a crack on a walkway or a slippery floor. Also, take pictures of the scene. The goal is to make it clear in the photo where you were when you fell.
Third, collect the names of any witnesses and their contact information. Often, people will stay around and offer to help. Ask for their contact information right away because once they leave the scene of the accident their identity may be lost forever.
Finally, contact an experienced premises liability lawyer right away. Insurance company representatives will try to get statements from you to protect their own liability. Make sure you have a qualified premises liability attorney representing you to ensure that these companies do not minimize the compensation owed to you.
What Should I Look For In A Personal Injury Attorney?
First, experience is important. The right personal injury attorney for your case will have a long track history of handling cases similar to yours in the jurisdiction where your accident happened. For example, if you were injured in Suffolk County, you would want to find an experienced Suffolk County premises liability lawyer because that lawyer will not only be fully familiar with the law with respect to premises liability, but also the lawyer will also understand the Judges, Court System, and Jurors.
Second, having a good reputation is important. In terms of the personal injury legal community, Suffolk County is a small place. Often, we deal with the same insurance adjusters, defense attorneys, and judges. Also, in today’s information age attorney reviews are easy to find. Most Suffolk County accident attorneys will have many reviews on various websites. Google, Avvo, Lawyers.com, Yelp, and Facebook all list attorney reviews. It is worth the time to read them to see how the attorney that you are considering for your injury case has a good reputation.
Finally, an attorney’s prior results are very important. If your attorney doesn’t have a track record of recovering large verdicts and settlements how can you be sure they will get you the most compensation possible? Most attorneys will list their results online. Sometimes you may find successful verdicts for cases similar to the circumstances surrounding your injury. Take a few minutes to read them.
I Hurt Myself at a Friends House, Can I Get My Medical Bills Paid for Without Suing them?
A serious injury at a friend or relative’s home often presents an uncomfortable situation for friends or neighbors. However, it’s important to realize that homeowner’s insurance often covers all the expenses associated with an injury in someone’s home. Further, an attorney can resolve many claims of this type amicably without the need for legal action. Additionally, an attorney will never pursue legal action if you are not comfortable with it, but you may still have a free consultation so you can examine your options to get your medical bills paid for, and then make a decision on your next steps moving forward.
What should I bring to our initial consultation?
You are not required to bring anything to your initial consultation. However, if you have certain information with you it will make it easier to fully evaluate your case and discuss it in more detail. The items that might be helpful are the following:
- Accident Report
- Photos of your injuries
- Photos of the scene of the accident
- Insurance information
- Identification
- Witness names and contact information
If you do not have some, or even any, of these things, don’t stress. Our Premises Liability law firm can gather the information for you. We have a full staff that includes an investigator that can obtain this information at no extra cost.
Do I Still Have A Case if I Didn’t Immediately Seek Medical Attention?
This is a very common situation. Many people do not feel pain from an accident immediately. When you are in an accident, adrenaline can often cause you to not feel or notice the pain right away. Therefore, the real pain develops in the hours, and even days, following an accident. It is never too late to seek medical treatment. However, the sooner that you seek necessary medical treatment the better off you are for several reasons. First, medical treatment will help in diagnosing injuries and provide relief of pain. Second, it is easier to prove that the injury was caused by the accident, if you receive treatment close to the time of the accident.
What Should I Expect Once I Hire Your Law Firm?
The first thing that my law firm will do is complete a full investigation of your accident which includes gathering all insurance information from the responsible parties, gathering evidence and witness statements, and gathering all medical evidence of your injuries.
Once the investigation is complete, we will proceed with initiating a lawsuit against the responsible parties and litigate the case in court by conducting discovery. Once discovery is complete, we will work towards obtaining a trial date. Finally, if the insurance company of the responsible party is unwilling to pay a fair amount of compensation for your injuries, we will try the case and attempt to get a verdict that adequately compensates you for the injuries that you suffered from slipping and falling or tripping and falling. Click here for our full process.
Will My Premises Liability Case Go to Trial?
There may be a stigma that all personal injury cases will end up in trial. You may imagine yourself having to continually be in court where a jury will determine the fate of your case over a potentially extended period. But for the most part, this isn’t true. The majority of personal injury cases do not require trial at all. Many cases are settled through negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations. It’s also important to note that there’s no one particular type of case that ends up in trial. So a premises liability case may or may not go to trial depending on the circumstances surrounding your specific case.
If you have a personal injury claim against a property owner, your personal injury attorney may be able to negotiate a settlement with their insurer over the phone. If it’s obvious that you weren’t at fault for your injuries, it can be proven that the property owner was negligent and that you are actively pursuing treatment, insurance companies will likely agree to a fair settlement that covers your injury-related expenses.
It’s also important to note that trial is expensive. If you hire a personal injury attorney who has a lot of experience, they will have a well-defined idea of how your case may play out in trial. If they feel you may end up with less compensation by taking your case to trial, and that the settlement the insurance company is offering you is fair, they may suggest you take that settlement. Mediation and arbitration are also becoming an extremely popular alternative to trial as well. It’s a much less expensive and less time-consuming process than trial. A mediator will try to help facilitate an agreement on a settlement. However, decisions made in mediation are not binding. If an individual feels that the decision made in their mediation is not fair, they can still choose to reject the settlement offer and go to trial.
Sometimes, however, your case may require going to trial. Sometimes the responsible party will deny being responsible for the accident, and will not want to compensate suitably. If an agreement cannot be made on liability, your case may require trial, as well. Sometimes an insurance company will argue that an injury is not related to your accident. For example, if you slipped and fell and injured your back, but you previously had back problems, the insurance company may deny payout, claiming that your back injury was not connected to your accident and therefore, they should not have to pay out.
There are also instances in which you agree on liability, but the insurance company refuses to pay out the settlement you and your personal injury attorney are seeking for your losses. In these cases, your case may require a trial in order for you to receive the full compensation you are entitled to. At Palermo Law, we go the distance for our clients, whether or not their case requires a trial.
Should I Give the Insurance Company a Recorded Statement After Getting Injured on Someone Else’s Property?
If you’ve incurred an injury on someone’s property, you’ll likely receive a call from an insurance adjuster promptly. They’ll likely ask you for a recorded statement of your incident. It’s best not to speak with them at all. They are probably hoping to talk to you before you’ve reached out to an attorney. The insurance company calling you represents the property owner, and they recognize they may have a lawsuit against them since they must pay to compensate for any losses relative to your injuries such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you’ve already retained a personal injury attorney to manage your premises liability claim, refer any insurance companies that are reaching out straight to your attorney.
The insurance adjuster is hoping to receive a statement in the hopes that they can use the recorded statement against you should you pursue a premises liability claim. If you leave key details out, such as the property owner admitting fault, they can use the recorded statement as evidence that this isn’t true. They may also ask leading questions that try to rope the claimant into saying something that would hurt their case. This is why it’s crucial to have a personal injury attorney managing your claim and guiding you through the process.
Where Are You Located?
We have six locations throughout Long Island. Our main office is in Hauppauge. But we also have offices in Huntington, Babylon, Patchogue, and Riverhead. We can also arrange in-home or hospital appointments if you are unable to make it to one of our locations. We even offer after-hours and weekend appointments.
Why Hire Palermo Law?
- We always offer a free no-obligation consultation.
- We never charge a fee unless we win your case.
- We provide personal one-on-one attention to clients.
- We handle all insurance communications and paperwork for you free of charge
- We have over two decades of experience litigating premises liability cases on Long Island.
- We have obtained numerous million-dollar verdicts and settlements.
About Us
We are a true accident litigation law firm. With two decades of experience, Premises Liability Attorney Steven Palermo heads the legal team at Palermo Law. He personally handles each client’s accident case from its inception through its conclusion. He has litigated hundreds of personal injury cases and won several million-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients. He has a passion for helping injured people find justice in their fight against large multi-million-dollar insurance companies that try and minimize his client’s injuries. If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries as a result of another person’s negligence and would like to schedule a free case evaluation from an experienced Long Island Premises Accident Attorney, call or email us today.
We can also arrange an in-home or hospital consultation with you. Further, we handle all Long Island premises liability cases on a contingency basis meaning we never charge a fee unless we win your case.
Trial Ready Strategy
Most personal injury lawsuits are settled out of court at some point before a trial. Many personal injury law firms on Long Island don’t fully prepare their cases for trial when anticipating a settlement. This weakens their position when it comes time to negotiate a settlement. At Palermo Law, we always fully prepare every case as if it is going to trial. This level of preparation gives us the leverage to negotiate the highest possible compensation for our clients and puts us in a strong position should a trial become necessary.
Focused on Helping the Injured
We realize that being really well-versed in any one area of law takes focus. Personal injury law is no exception. That’s why our Long Island personal injury lawyers only handle personal injury cases. Steven Palermo, our managing partner, has been exclusively handling personal injury cases for the last two decades. We handle all types of personal injury cases for the injured, including car accidents, slip and falls, and work-related accidents. We have never represented an insurance company and never will. We do what we do because we love helping people.
Free Consultation
We offer every potential personal injury client a free, no-obligation consultation at any of our five locations throughout Long Island. During the consultation, we will discuss your case in detail and give you our opinion on the chances of success. We will also discuss our potential strategy and our process for handling your case. If after fully discussing your case we feel it is a good fit for our Long Island Personal Injury law firm, we will discuss our fees and give you the option of moving forward with us as your lawyers.
Contact Our Long Island Premises Liability Attorneys for Assistance
We have litigated hundreds of accident cases over the last two decades. As a result, we’ve become very proficient in handling all aspects of accident litigation including no-fault and property damage claims. We know all the ins and outs of Long Island accident claims and will use our experience to make sure you receive full compensation. We handle all Suffolk county accident cases on a contingency basis. This means we never charge an upfront fee and only get paid if we win your case.