New Jersey Premises Liability Attorney
When you become injured on someone else’s property, a New Jersey premises liability attorney knows that things can become vastly more complicated when you want to file a claim. We know that it can feel awkward if you are filing a claim against someone else because there was something wrong with their property. Whether this is a friend, a family member, or a store owner, you may feel uncomfortable or you might even be concerned that they will have a strong legal defense if they are a large business owner. However, when you work with an attorney you can trust throughout the process, your attorney will be able to gather the necessary evidence to show liability and damages.
Understanding the Relationship Between Landowner and Visitors
To better understand who is to blame when it comes to being injured on someone else’s property, you need to understand more about New Jersey law and what kinds of visitors there may be on another person’s property. As a New Jersey premises liability attorney can attest, there are usually three categories of relationships you will see between the landowner and the visitor.
- The invitee. This type of relationship occurs when people are welcome to come onto another person’s property either through invitation or when the invitation is implied. You typically see this kind of relationship when someone is going to a business owner’s property (such as a restaurant or a grocery store). This visitor is usually on the other person’s property to purchase items or services. The landowner has the responsibility of not only warning the visitors of any onsite dangers but also conducting routine inspections and keeping the property up-to-date in a safe manner.
- The licensee. The “licensee” is a type of visitor who is on someone else’s property for personal reasons. An example would be someone who is visiting their friend for dinner at their house. The host (or landowner) is expected to give the visitor warning or notice of dangerous areas on the property. The biggest difference between an invitee and a licensee is that the landowner does not need to make routine inspections for upkeep for the licensee.
- The trespasser. When someone trespasses on someone else’s property, the landowner generally has no duty to make dangers known to the trespasser because they were not invited. The landowner must only avoid acting in a way that would intentionally harm them.
While there may be certain exceptions to some of these rules, if you fall into either of the first two categories and you became injured, you will want to seek medical attention and legal help as soon as possible. There are also certain circumstances where, even if you were trespassing on someone else’s property and became injured, you may still have a case for damages.
If you were injured on someone else’s property and are planning to pursue legal action, it is crucial that you contact our trusted New Jersey premises liability attorney from the Law Offices of David A. DiBrigida now.