Palm Springs Commercial Property Premises Liability Lawyer

Under California civil law, both commercial and private property owners have a legal obligation to protect lawful visitors to their land from harm by ensuring their property is in reasonably safe condition. However, commercial property owners have a broader duty of care in this regard, which means they can sometimes be held civilly liable for injuries that a private landowner would not necessarily be liable for.

Commercial property owners also tend to fight personal injury claims more vigorously—and have more financial resources to do so—which means it can be especially important when filing suit against one to have help from a seasoned premises liability attorney. If you want to take legal action under circumstances like this, contacting a Palm Springs commercial property premises liability lawyer from Walter Clark Legal Group should be your top priority.

When Are Commercial Property Owners Liable for Injuries?

Every property owner and manager in California is required by law to exercise reasonable care in the upkeep of their land. This means they are expected to correct hazardous conditions quickly after discovering them, and warn all lawful visitors about as-yet unaddressed hazards that are not open and obvious. However, if a visitor is an invitee visiting specifically for the landowner’s financial benefit—such as a retail store customer—the landowner has an additional responsibility to inspect their property regularly so that they discover new hazards soon after they first appear.

Commercial property owners can be held civilly liable for injuries caused by hazards they did not provide advance warning about, even if they did not have direct knowledge that the hazard existed. As an experienced Palm Springs premises liability attorney could explain, a landowner who reasonably should have known about a hazard through regular inspection has breached their duty of care towards invitees on their property.

How Comparative Fault Could Affect Civil Recovery

Even if a commercial property owner is found liable under premises liability law for an injury at a Palm Springs business, that does not necessarily mean a court will find that owner 100 percent at fault for that injury. Instead, the court may find—often based on allegations made by the defendant landowner being sued—that an injured plaintiff holds some of the blame for their injuries because of their own negligent behavior.

California court precedent holds that any personal injury plaintiff assigned a percentage of comparative fault along these lines is subject to having their final damage awards reduced in proportion to that percentage. This can lead to an injured person missing out on much-needed compensation, and it is the kind of case outcome that a skilled commercial property premises liability lawyer in Palm Springs could help a person avoid.

Talk to a Palm Springs Commercial Property Premises Liability Attorney Today

Even if you have lots of evidence, getting a favorable result from a premises liability lawsuit against a business owner can be far from simple. People who try to pursue claims like this without help from capable legal counsel often have serious trouble getting any compensation at all, let alone the full amount to which they should be entitled under California law.

Fortunately, you have support available from a Palm Springs commercial property premises liability lawyer who knows how to handle situations like yours. Call Walker Clark Legal Group today to learn more.