Personal injury lawyers face similar questions every day because most people are unaware of Arizona laws and how those laws affect them. What happens if they are injured? What if the injury occurred at someone’s home instead of in a car accident or in a public setting? Can that victim still obtain relief?
Fortunately for those who reside in the Phoenix area, victims are protected and are guaranteed protections under local and state laws. Those who are injured at a private residence, like the home of a friend or family member, may be able to seek and obtain relief for their injuries and for the suffering they endure. The facts surrounding any incident that led to harm are important as they will determine whether a legal claim is viable and if so, who is responsible for the harm done to a victim.
First, the validity of a claim may depend on whether a victim was legally on the premises. Most often, that means whether a victim had permission to be in the home or whether the victim was there without the owner’s permission. If you were invited to someone’s house or if they welcomed you inside, you were legally on the premises in the eyes of the law. However, if a victim broke into the home of another and thereafter was injured, it will depend on the remaining facts as to whether a claim is possible.
Next, the owner of a property must have acted in a negligent manner or otherwise acted adversely to the law, like breaching some duty that the owner owed to the victim. Personal injury attorneys often see instances where a homeowner fails to maintain a portion of the house, like a stairway, but does not warn guests about the danger of the steps. If a guest uses the steps and is harmed, the homeowner may be held liable for the damages that result.
Further, for a claim to be valid, a victim must have sustained some type of harm. Usually this takes the form of injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, or even lost wages missed while a victim is unable to work but if can be any number of factors. If you were adversely affected by an incident, odds are that you suffered harm under Arizona law.
When an accident happens and you are left hurt, make sure you get good legal advice before you take action so that you are protected in the event of a dispute. If you need help, know that the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 where we will offer you a free case consultation without any obligation on your part.
The legal team at Abels & Annes, P.C. has helped countless victims of premises accident claims get the compensation that they deserve and if you were hurt, we want to help you as well so call us now.
Prior Blog Entry:
Phoenix Accidents Caused by Truck Driver Fatigue, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 25, 2015.