Why Hire a Premises Liability Lawyer?

Picture this — you walk into a restaurant. The host greets you and starts walking you to your table. Then, all of a sudden, you’re on your back, and your head is killing you. One of the servers had dropped a glass of water and hadn’t gotten around to cleaning it up yet, and you’re on your way to the hospital with a potential concussion.

It sounds like really bad luck, but it happens more often than you’d think. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 800,000 Americans are hospitalized yearly because of fall injuries, with over 3 million treated in emergency departments.

In the weeks and months that follow your accident, you may have to pay for medical care out of pocket, miss work, and lose income. While this is happening, you might be wondering if the restaurant is responsible for your injury. Shouldn’t they help pay for your bills? Do you need to get a lawyer involved?

The short answer is “yes.” After a trip or slip-and-fall accident, a premises liability lawyer can be an invaluable resource. In personal injury cases, premises liability incidents are some of the most stressful and complex claims. A premises liability attorney will assist you in navigating the claims process and holding responsible parties accountable for the accident and your injury.

If you’re dealing with the consequences of a preventable accident caused by a failure to maintain safe premises, the premises liability lawyers at Nix Patterson have the resources, knowledge, and experience you need to hold the responsible party accountable.

Benefits of Working With a Premises Liability Lawyer

Whether it’s a slip-and-fall accident, a toxic substance inhalation incident, or a swimming pool accident, a premises liability accident can set you back thousands of dollars in medical bills and affect various aspects of your life, such as relationships, work, and day-to-day activities.

By hiring a premises liability attorney, they can build your case and fight for you every step of the way. Here are some benefits of hiring our premises liability lawyers:

Investigate the Incident

In the immediate aftermath of an injury on someone else’s property, even if you’re unsure whether you’ll take legal action against the responsible party, you should take certain steps to protect your rights. You should:

• Step 1. Seek medical attention immediately. Call emergency services if necessary.
• Step 2. Report the incident to the manager or owner and complete an incident report. If necessary, call 911 to file a police report.
• Step 3. Take photos of visible injuries and the accident scene. You should also write down an account of the events leading up to the accident, including details such as whether you were warned about any hazards on the property or whether you were invited to or worked on the premises.
• Step 4. Talk to eyewitnesses and get their contact information, so they can provide witness statements later.
• Step 5. Hire a premises liability lawyer to review your options and assist you with your case.
• Step 6. Maintain a record of every document involving the case, including medical records, a copy of the incident report, and a copy of the property owner’s insurance policy.

If you can’t take the steps listed above due to your injury, that’s ok — the premises liability lawyers at Nix Patterson will collect and prepare the evidence needed for your case. We have extensive experience investigating premises liability cases. Our legal team will gather relevant evidence proving negligence by a property owner, business, or other negligent parties. Examples of evidence we might collect include:

• Security video footage
• Statements from witnesses
• Police or incident report
• Repair and maintenance records
• Expert witness opinions
• Inspection reports

Help to Determining Liability

Under premises liability law, property owners are typically responsible for harm caused by hazardous conditions on their property. Other parties, like security companies and property management companies, may also be liable.

The key to determining liability in a premises liability case is establishing negligence. This is done by first identifying your reason for visiting the property. In many states, your reason for being on someone else’s property will determine how liable the responsible party is after an injury. An attorney can help you understand the different categories of visitors and identify the responsible parties, making it clear who was at fault during your accident.

Know How to Negotiate

Ideally, premises liability cases are settled out of court. Unfortunately, in almost all situations involving insurance companies, they try to pay out as little as possible. An experienced premises liability lawyer will have the negotiation skills needed to protect you against any bad faith tactics that insurance companies may use, such as:

• Delaying or refusing to provide requested documentation
• Failing to complete an investigation into your claim
• Undervaluing your claim
• Misrepresenting the policy
• Unreasonably denying a claim without a valid explanation
• Refusing to pay a valid claim without reason or in a timely manner

Knowledge of Premises Liability Laws and the Legal Process

Filing a premises liability claim or lawsuit can be overwhelming, especially if you’re doing it alone. Making a simple mistake can be costly. To avoid that and eliminate guesswork from the steps involved in the legal process of a premises liability case, make sure to hire a lawyer who has experience winning premises liability cases.

The premises liability attorneys at Nix Patterson are backed by vast resources, a successful track record, and a thorough understanding of premises liability laws, including:

• No-fault insurance
• Claims against government entities
• Shared fault rules
• Statutes of limitations

Solid Trial Strategy and Representation

In some situations, settlement negotiations may fail to yield a favorable outcome, and you’ll need an attorney who is prepared to potentially fight for your interests in court. At Nix Patterson, our premises liability lawyers are not afraid to go to trial. We have solid experience taking injury cases to trial and will file all the necessary paperwork, collect relevant evidence to support your version of events, and present the evidence and your arguments in the best light possible.

Talk to an Experienced Premises Liability Attorney Today for Free

You can become quickly overwhelmed when you sustain a severe injury in a premises liability accident. You’re already focusing on your recovery and trying to care for your loved ones. Pursuing legal action can be challenging to deal with on top of everything else. Still, premises liability claims are tough to prove, even in the most straightforward cases. That’s why you need experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable representatives like Nix Patterson in your corner after a premises liability accident.

Our premises liability lawyers are experienced in trials and have decades of experience representing accident victims. We understand how scary and frustrating it is to go through an accident and sustain a serious injury. We will stand by your side in the fight for justice. Call Nix Patterson today at 512-328-5333 or complete our online form to start.