When you visit someone else’s property, you reasonably assume that the appropriate parties have taken the necessary measures to alleviate unsafe property conditions and prevent severe accidents and injuries. You reasonably assume this because property owners in Maryland have a legal responsibility to maintain a safe environment for all individuals on their premises, including trespassers, in certain situations. As such, if the property owner fails to fix a dangerous condition, resulting in your injuries, you may be entitled to significant compensation for the damages you’ve incurred. However, proving a property owner was aware a safety hazard existed can be challenging. Please continue reading to learn what evidence can help you establish an owner knew about a hazardous condition and how a determined Prince George’s County Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer can help you today.
Do I have to fulfill the burden of proof in a premises liability case?
Although a property owner may be liable for your injuries, you will be burdened with having to fulfill the burden of proof before you can collect any compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. You will have to prove that the property owner’s negligence directly caused your injuries. You can do this by establishing that a property owner owes you a standard duty of care.
Once this is established, you must prove that the property owner knew or should have reasonably known about the dangerous condition. In addition, you must prove they failed to fix or provide adequate caution of the hazardous condition, resulting in your injuries. Although the challenges associated with establishing a property owner was aware of a safety hazard on their premises, it can be achieved with the help of an experienced lawyer who will help you gather pertinent evidence.
What evidence can help me prove a property owner was aware of a safety hazard on their premises?
Fortunately, several ways can help you establish a property owner knew a safety hazard existed on their premises and that they failed to take the proper measures to remedy the issue. Property owners in Maryland are given a reasonable amount of time to detect a dangerous property condition and additional time to correct it. If a property owner left a dangerous property condition unattended, you may be able to show this through footage from surveillance cameras or videos taken by other visitors. This can show that the property owner allowed the safety hazard to exist for a significant amount of time before the accident, making them negligent.
Ultimately, there are numerous ways that you can demonstrate that a property owner knew a safety hazard existed and failed to fix it, resulting in your injuries. However, to maximize your chances of proving their negligence, it is in your best interest to retain the legal services of a skilled lawyer from the legal team at Timian & Fawcett, LLC. Our firm is prepared to help you collect evidence that proves your case.
