Lansing Premises Liability Lawyer

Our Lansing Premises Liability Lawyer Fights for Injured Victims

We Help Injured Victims Get Compensation from Liable Property Owners

When visiting a premises, you expect it to be safe, but this is not always the case. Some property owners fail to maintain their premises, leaving hazardous conditions that can harm visitors. If a premises owner’s negligence results in you suffering an injury on their property, you can file a premises liability claim against them.

The right to file a claim does not guarantee you will receive compensation. This is because there are several defenses available to property owners. However, our Lansing premises liability lawyer at Goodman Acker, P.C., has experience dealing with these types of cases and securing successful outcomes despite the defenses put up by property owners.

So, if you need a legal team with a successful track record in Lansing, our firm is here for you. Call us at 248-286-8100 to schedule a free case review.

Why Choose Our Lansing Premises Liability Lawyers?

At Goodman Acker, P.C., we have years of experience handling premises liability cases and helping victims hold negligent property owners responsible for their actions. We understand the impact an injury can have on your life. Therefore, we often take a compassionate yet aggressive approach to every case we handle.

We understand how insurance companies operate and will protect your rights and represent your interest to ensure the premises owner’s insurer does not try to take advantage of you. We have secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients and have positive reviews and relationships with those we’ve represented.

Our attorneys will place your interest first and do all we can within the law to secure a favorable outcome for your case. Contact us at 248-286-8100 to schedule a free case evaluation.

Types of Premises Liability Case

Premises liability claims arise when an injury happens on a property due to an unsafe or hazardous condition. Premises liability claims fall under personal injury, and there are different types, including the following:

• Dog bites
• Slip and fall accidents
• Fires
• Ice and snow accidents
• Inadequate premises maintenance
• Amusement park accidents
• Swimming pool accidents
• Elevator or escalator accidents, etc.

Dog bites and slip and fall accidents are the most common premises liability cases. If you sustain an injury while visiting a private, business, or public property, our Lansing premises liability attorneys will examine the facts to determine the type of premises liability claim and take appropriate action.

Michigan Premises Liability Law and the Liability of Property Owners

Under Michigan law, a property owner must use ordinary care to protect an invitee from risks of harm from a dangerous condition on their premises. The property owner can be held liable if:

• The risk the invitee was exposed to is unreasonable
• In exercising ordinary care, the property owner knew or should have known of the dangerous condition and realized that it involved an unreasonable risk of harm to an invitee.

To have a successful premises liability case, you must be able to prove these elements. Also, you must be an invitee or licensee. An invitee enters a property with the owner’s express or implied invitation, and they are owed the highest duty of care in Michigan. As a result, before inviting others to their premises —usually for commercial purposes — property owners must ensure there are no hidden dangers that could harm them.

A licensee enters the property as a social guest, but the owner does not have to inspect the property to warn them of hidden dangers. However, if the property owner knows of a hazardous, precarious, or dangerous condition, they must warn the licensee. If they don’t inform the licensee, they would have breached their duty of care.

A third class of persons enter a property — trespassers. But unlike invitees and licensees, the property owner does not owe trespassers any duty of care because they entered the property without the landowner’s permission. So, getting classified as a trespasser is a common defense used in premises liability claims.

Evidence Needed in a Premises Liability Claim

The first thing needed to have a valid premises liability claim is showing how the property owner breached their duty of care by action or omission. Once you’ve established this, you need evidence to show that you suffered injuries due to the property owner’s inability to uphold the standard of care.

Irrespective of the type of premises liability case, the following are the evidence needed to prove your claim:

• Medical evidence showing how your injuries relate to the case
• Photographs and video footage of the accident scene
• The accident report
• Interviews and statements of witnesses
• Reports from law enforcement, if any
• Interviews and statements from your doctor
• Evidence that you were on the property legally.

Usually, it is best to begin gathering evidence immediately after the accident that harmed you. However, if your wounds are so severe that you cannot, our lawyers can help you.

Recoverable Damages in a Premises Liability Case

A successful premises liability case entitles you to economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages compensate for all your monetary losses and are easily calculable because they have a fixed dollar value. On the other hand, noneconomic damages cover all nonmonetary losses and are more challenging to calculate because they do not have a set dollar value.

Examples of the two include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Out-of-pocket costs, etc.

Depending on your case facts, your compensation will cover other losses, and where the victim dies, their beneficiaries will also receive burial and funeral expenses. Also, our premises liability attorneys in Lansing, Michigan, will help you determine your losses and ensure they are included in the claim.

Lansing Premises Liability Lawyer FAQs

We often get questions from premises liability victims on what to expect from the claims process during the initial consultation. Below, we answered some of these questions, and our attorneys will shed more light when you visit our law firm.

How long will it take to conclude my premises liability case? 

There’s no fixed timeframe for concluding a premises liability case, as it depends on several factors. This includes the ease or complexity of the case and the willingness of both parties to settle. If you and the defendant agree to a settlement, your case could conclude in weeks or months, but if you file a lawsuit, it could take years.

What is the worth of my premises liability claim?

The worth of your case depends on the severity of your injury, the need for future medical care, the amount of lost wages, and other monetary and nonmonetary losses. Premises liability compensation can range from tens of thousands of dollars to millions, depending on the case facts.

How can I increase my chances of getting the maximum compensation?

You must preserve evidence from the accident scene to increase your chances of maximum compensation. Also, avoid discussing your case with the premises owner’s insurance company without your lawyer, and hire an attorney immediately after the injury. Your lawyer will keep you from making mistakes or saying things that can jeopardize your case.

How much does hiring a premises liability Lawyer in Lansing, Michigan, cost?

Our premises liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning our payment depends on securing a favorable outcome for your case. Also, we only charge a percentage of the settlement or verdict, and we agree on the percentage when you retain our services and record it in the contingency fee agreement.

These may not be your only questions; our attorneys will discuss your specific concerns in your initial consult.

Why Hire Our Lansing Premises Liability Lawyers

Insurance companies are always after their bottom line and have devised means to deny claims or pay low compensation. If you are unaware of their tricks, you might believe the amount offered is best when it isn’t. This is why you need our premises liability attorneys in Lansing to represent your interest. We will handle all correspondence with the insurance company and negotiate for a fair settlement.

Also, our attorneys will gather the evidence needed to prove your claim, from the incident report and witness statements to calling expert witnesses, if needed. If the insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer, we will file a lawsuit, handle the filing of documents and discovery, and argue your case in court. We will be with you every step of the way, updating you about the progress of your case.

Get the Help You Need from Goodman Acker, P.C.

A premises liability case is not always straightforward, and your chances of a favorable outcome increase with representation from our Goodman Acker, P.C. team. We always dedicate adequate time and resources to every case and will not demand upfront fees. Contact us today at 248-286-8100 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN

Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]