Anyone who opens their personal property to others owes a “duty” to lawful visitors to keep them safe. A property owner who fails to fulfill this duty could be legally responsible for any injuries a visitor suffers. That said, knowing a landowner should’ve done more to protect you and actually holding them accountable are two different things.

For help holding the negligent party who caused you to suffer harm accountable and obtaining the compensation you need to move forward with your life, contact a Watertown premises liability lawyer. Whether you just need help covering short-term bills or need to recover from a life-altering injury, our personal injury attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, will fight for you.

Proving a Landowner Is Liable for an Accident

People who own property in Connecticut are not automatically liable for every accident on their property. For example, landowners generally are not responsible for accidental injuries sustained by people trespassing illegally on their land. In addition, the specific “duty of care” they owe to lawful visitors changes somewhat depending on whether that visitor is there for the landowner’s benefit or their own.

In general, though, property owners are expected to:

  • Warn lawful visitors about any hazardous conditions they are aware of;
  • Address known hazards within a reasonable period; and
  • Conduct regular inspections of their property so they become aware of new hazards.

Someone who fails to do these things and allows you to sustain injuries may have civil liability. Our Watertown premises liability attorneys can explain this in further detail during a free initial consultation.

What Damages Could Be Recoverable?

Anyone who can prove a property owner liable for their injuries can demand that the property owner provide payment for every economic and non-economic form of harm their negligence causes, including but not limited to:

  • Lost consortium for a spouse;
  • Physical pain and suffering;
  • Lost enjoyment/quality of life;
  • Past and future medical expenses;
  • Lost or damaged personal property;
  • Emotional and psychological distress; and
  • Lost working income or future earning ability.

As a premises liability lawyer in Watertown can affirm, though, it can be important not just to prove that a landowner is at fault for an accident but also that you are not at fault.

This is because of the “modified comparative fault” system outlined in Connecticut General Statutes § 52-572h, which allows courts to assign a percentage of fault to people who hold some amount of blame for their injury. The court can reduce the compensation available to you in proportion to your share of fault or even bar you from recovery if you hold most of the blame for the accident.

Pursue Your Premises Liability Claim With the Help of a Watertown Attorney

You may have grounds to file suit when you suffer harm because a landowner did not take reasonable care of their property. Through an injury claim, you could seek monetary damages for all losses you suffered because of their misconduct. Without professional legal counsel on your side, though, you may have slim chances of getting any compensation at all, let alone the full amount you are entitled to by law.

Assistance from a Watertown premises liability lawyer at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, can make a huge difference in how your case plays out. Call today to get our team of legal professionals on your side. Consultations are always free, so there is no risk and no obligation.