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Denver Premises Liability Lawyer

Property owners have a fundamental duty to protect or warn lawful visitors regarding hazardous conditions on their property. If you suffer injuries due to a property owner’s negligence in Denver, call the premises liability attorneys at Dormer Harpring. You may qualify for compensation as a result of your injuries.

Dormer Harpring represents Colorado accident victims who are hurt on any kind of property, including but not limited to:

  • Retail stores, malls, and plazas
  • Grocery stores
  • Restaurants, bars, and clubs
  • Businesses
  • Apartments, condos, and other private residences
  • Schools
  • Parks
  • Sidewalks and parking lots
  • Government buildings and properties

At Dormer Harpring, we offer personalized representation with services tailored to your claim in mind. Call our team today to learn more about our Denver premises liability attorneys and our core values, including:

  • Honesty
  • Respect
  • Humility
  • Empathy
  • Courage
  • Excellence

Dormer Harpring wants you to live your best possible life following your premises liability accident. Call us today to find out how our unique form of representation and service at every phase of your case can make this a reality. Schedule your free claim evaluation now.

Premise Liability Resources

How Can Denver Premises Liability Attorney Help You?

Injury victims often wonder why they need a premises liability lawyer to represent them. Landowners and property managers have insurance companies with a team of attorneys representing the insurance company’s interests. Your medical bills, financial status, and health are not their priority.

The insurance company’s priority is saving money on your claim. That is why insurance companies often make a fast, low offer and pressure victims to sign a settlement agreement.

Retaining an experienced premises liability lawyer lets the insurance company know you mean business and will not fall for an unfair settlement. A skilled attorney does much more, though. When you hire a Denver premises liability attorney, your attorney will:

  • Handle all calls and correspondence from insurance companies
  • Investigate your accident and talk to witnesses
  • Determine any potentially liable parties for your accident
  • Evaluate and assess the value of your claim
  • Negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf
  • Explain the litigation process to you and keep you updated on your claim status
  • Settle your claim for a just and fair amount
  • Prepare for and conduct a jury trial

Never let money stand in the way of excellent legal representation. We believe everyone deserves quality legal representation and offers payment options that make this possible for our clients. Plus, at Dormer Harpring, we only get paid when we win your case.

Common Denver Premises Liability Claims

Premises liability is the area of law relating to property owners and what, if any, duty of care they owe their guests. Property owners may be liable for putting visitors on their property in harm’s way. This is especially true when the hazard or dangerous situation incurred by the visitor was avoidable.

Slip and falls are the most common premises liability claim. Denver certainly sees its share of slip and falls due to black ice, snow on parking lots, steps, and stairs. Sidewalk maintenance is typically the responsibility of the property owner in Colorado. In icy conditions, sidewalk maintenance may include, but is not limited to:

  • Properly shoveling snow
  • Salting sidewalks
  • Removing black ice
  • At the minimum, warning pedestrians of dangerously icy conditions

Although slip and falls due to weather conditions are common, they are not the only premises liability accident in the Denver area. Others include:

  • Non-weather-related slips and falls. Slip and falls due to wet floors, grease, spills, and unsafe surfaces
  • Trip and falls. Trip and falls over uneven sidewalks, exposed rebar, unexpected obstacles, mismatched or crooked stairs, unmarked risers, or improperly set stepping stones
  • Negligent premises maintenance. Trip, slip, and falls because of negligent building maintenance. Negligent building maintenance may include broken or unsafe stairs and railings, crumbling sidewalks or pavement, potholes, leaking or poorly placed gutters, exposed rebar, falling snow or ice, and slippery floors
  • Negligent security. Assault, robbery, and attacks against shop or apartment visitors because of negligent security. Negligent security may arise from inefficient nighttime lighting, broken locks, unqualified security guards, failure to train staff to respond to unsafe situations, failure of employees to follow security procedures, inattentiveness of security, or failure to spot dangerous situations or people
  • Dog bites and animal attacks. These bites and attacks happen with improperly trained, unsupervised, or neglected animals. Owners, handlers, and sitters may be liable for harm when they disregard preventative measures

Proving Premises Liability in Colorado

It is often difficult to prove a premises liability claim in Colorado. There are several legal elements necessary to win compensation against a landowner or property manager. These include:

  • The status of the visitor to the property
  • Whether the property owner or manager knew about the hazard
  • Should have known about the hazard

Premises liability is governed by “The Premises Liability Act” or “Actions Against Landowners.” This law is located in its entirety at Colorado Revised Statutes §13-21-115. Colorado divides visitors to the property into three categories or statuses: invitees, licensees, and trespassers.

Each visitor’s status under the Act determines his or her ability to succeed in a claim for damages under the Act. For instance, an invitee, usually a customer or tenant, has the best chance to recover for damages caused by a landowner.

An invitee may recover damages when a landowner fails to exercise reasonable care to protect the visitor against dangers of which the landowner knew or should have known. A licensee, typically a social guest, is permitted a slightly lower ability to recover. A licensee may recover for damages caused by:

  • The landowner’s failure to exercise reasonable care with respect to dangers created by the landowner of which the landowner actually knew.
  • The landowner’s unreasonable failure to warn of dangers not created by the landowner, which are not ordinarily present on the property of the type involved and of which the landowner actually knew.

Finally, a trespasser may recover only for damages willfully or deliberately caused by the landowner.

It is important to note that property owners are known to clean up spills and repair hazards before evidence is gathered for a premises liability claim. Therefore, if safety permits, it is prudent to have a witness or companion document the condition of the property at the time of any injuries. Photos need to include any:

  • Spills
  • Poorly maintained building structures
  • Icy or slippery surfaces
  • Potholes and other conditions

Seek medical care right away and attend all follow-up appointments. Additionally, save receipts, documents, or evidence proving the purpose of visiting the property at the time of the injury. This helps to ensure there is no loss of valuable evidence over time.

Compensation for Premises Liability Injuries

To recover compensation for a premises liability injury, the victim must suffer actual physical injuries due to the property owner’s negligence. A premises liability attorney does this through medical records and expert testimony demonstrating the nature and extent of the victim’s injuries.

Injuries common to premises liability claims can have severe and lifelong consequences. Such injuries can include:

  • Brain injuries, such as mild to severe concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI)
  • Muscle sprains and strains
  • Broken bones and fractures
  • Burns
  • Electrocution
  • Animal bites
  • Violent personal attacks
  • Chemical exposure
  • Bruises and contusions

Compensation in a premises liability case varies according to the nature and extent of the victim’s injuries. However, typical compensation may include damages for:

  • Current and future medical expenses
  • Lost income
  • Loss of earning potential
  • Pain and suffering
  • Disfigurement and scarring
  • Mental and emotional trauma
  • Wrongful death expenses, if appropriate

Never sign a settlement agreement without consulting an experienced attorney. You could sign away your right to any future additional compensation. When you move forward with your life, you need reassurance you are doing so with the security you deserve.

One of our Denver premises liability attorneys can evaluate your accident-related medical and financial needs, including your estimated future needs. It is our goal to pursue compensation that fully and fairly compensates you and your family. We are genuinely concerned about you, your family, and your future.

Reach Out to a Denver Premises Liability Lawyer for Legal Guidance

Dormer Harpring is based in Denver and proudly provides representation to people throughout Colorado. We welcome your call at (303) 747-4404, or please fill out our convenient online contact form. One of our lawyers will gladly listen to your story and discuss how our services will help you with your recovery.

At Dormer Harpring, we are committed to representing people from all walks of life. Your initial consultation is free, and we offer our clients contingency fee contracts. This means we charge our legal fees based only on the amount we recover for your case.