Premises Liability Lawyer

Whether or not you can sue a business for your personal injury depends on the circumstances surrounding the accident or event that led to your injuries. While most PI lawsuits are against the person whose negligence or wrongdoing caused the injury, sometimes you can also sue the business behind the individual, such as if he or she worked for a corporation or other business.

As a premises liability lawyer in Kansas City, MO from a firm like Royce Injury Attorneys LLC can explain, here are two examples of when a lawsuit against a business might be feasible.

The Cracked Sidewalk – Premises Liability

Imagine you’re walking on the sidewalk in front of a store when you trip over a crack in it and break your arm. There was no sign warning of the crack, nor was there any barrier around it.

Property owners have a duty to maintain their premises (both inside and out) in a hazard-free manner to make them reasonably safe for all visitors. They also have a duty to fix any hazards within a reasonable amount of time that could cause a member of the public or other invitee to sustain injury. Until fixed, the property owner has a duty to warn of the danger so as to lessen the chance that someone will be hurt.

In this situation, you likely can sue the store. If it is in a shopping center or other multi-business building, you likely can also sue the business that owns and/or manages the building.

The Exploding Toaster – Product Liability

In another hypothetical situation, let’s say you decide to make toast for breakfast to go along with your bacon and eggs. You put the bread in the toaster and push down the handle. All of a sudden, however, the toaster explodes, sending both the toast and an arc of electricity shooting into the air. The toast hits you in the eye, and the electricity burns your hand and arm.

Product manufacturers have the duty to manufacture safe products. They also have a duty to provide instructions for the use of their products and warnings of possible dangers associated with such usage.

In this situation, since you were using the toaster for its intended purpose, you can likely sue the company that manufactured it. Perhaps it has a hidden design flaw that makes it inherently dangerous. Perhaps it has a faulty part installed during the manufacturing process. You may also be able to sue the business that sold the toaster or any business that made any previous repairs to it.

Obtaining Legal Advice

Whenever you sustain an injury, your wisest course of action is to contact an experienced local personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. He or she can help you establish fault, which, in turn, determines who you can sue to obtain the compensation you deserve.