Premises Liability in San Francisco

You may have heard of the phrase premises liability, but you might not know what it means. Premises liability means that a property owner has to keep their property safe for the people who enter it. In San Francisco, the amount of care that a property owner must take depends on whether the property is for business or personal use.

What types of accidents count?

Premises liability isn’t just for slip and falls. While that’s a large area of premises liability, it also involves construction accidents, dog bites, and even falling objects. Any time a person suffers an injury because of an unsafe condition on a property, there may be premises liability in San Francisco.

Business Owners

Business owners have the highest duty to take care of their property. That’s because they’re inviting people to come onto the property for their own benefit. Premises liability in San Francisco can apply when a business owner doesn’t take care to inspect their property and discover conditions that might cause injury. That is, a business owner has an affirmative duty to find and correct potential dangers.

Property for Non-Commercial Use

Private people don’t have the same premises liability in San Francisco that business owners have. That is, when a person comes on a property for the mutual benefit of both the owner and the guest, the owner doesn’t have to inspect the property. In that case, the property owner has a reasonable period of time to find a danger. Then, they need to correct the problem or warn the guest.

What about trespassers?

A property owner owes the least duty to a trespasser. It’s true that a trespasser can ask for premises liability in San Francisco under limited conditions, but the standards are very high. A property owner just can’t leave traps or obvious dangers.

Damages

If a person gets hurt because of unsafe premises, they may be able to recover damages. These damages can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. No two cases are alike, and a victim must carefully bring their case to court to make a full recovery. Contact Mary Alexander & Associates today for a free consultation.