Can I get money for medical bills if I'm injured on a private premises?

A premises liability case can be for injuries that befall an individual on private property. As such, damages either from an insurance claim or litigation can be awarded for injuries occurring on private property.

Property owners have a duty to guests and even trespassers on their property. The level of duty owed to a person changes based on their status. Generally, an extremely high duty is owed to persons invited onto the property, a lesser level owed those that enter the property for work purposes, such as a water-meter reader, and an even smaller level owed to individuals that enter the property without permission. While the level of duty changes, a duty nevertheless exists. Typically, this duty involves making a premises safe and warning other individuals entering the property about potential danger.

An individual that is injured on another person’s property may have a premise liability case. This is only true, however, in situations where the injury was caused by the landowner breaching his duty of care to the individual. If this is the case, the injured party can choose to file a lawsuit with the property owner’s insurance company or file a lawsuit against the owner. The latter situation would normally occur when the owner did not have property insurance or his insurance policy did not have enough compensation for personal injury. In either case, the injured party can receive compensation for his injuries.

Obtaining Legal Advice

If you were injured while on another person’s property, seek legal advice. An attorney will review the facts of your injury and discuss whether you have a cause of action and, if so, the potential for receiving compensation for your damages.