Premises Liability Lawyer in Washington State
- Let a Herschensohn Law Attorney Represent You in Your Premises Liability Case
- What Causes Premises Liability Injuries?
- Property Owners Are Often Legally Liable for Injuries
- We Seek Fair Compensation for Our Clients in Premises Liability Injury Cases
- How Our Premises Liability Attorney Handles Claims and Lawsuits
- Statute of Liability for Premises Liability Cases
- Discuss Your Options With Our Premises Liability Team for Free
If you suffered injuries at a business, public building, or someone else’s home, you might have a legal case against the property owner. Washington law makes property owners legally responsible for accidents that occur in their buildings, parking lots, and other areas. Victims hurt by foreseeable or known hazards can file a lawsuit or insurance claim. A premises liability lawyer from our team can help.
At Herschensohn Law, our personal injury lawyer represents clients hurt in premises liability incidents. Our team offers free consultations for victims hurt by a property owner’s negligence. We can assess your case, discuss your options, and talk about how our team can help. Call our office at (206) 588-4344 to learn more.
Attorney Zach Herschensohn has spent his career fighting for justice for clients hurt by someone else’s negligence. Our team can build your case and pursue justice through fair compensation and demanding accountability.
Our team has won millions of dollars for clients who suffered serious injuries. We represent clients hurt in Kent, Bellevue, Auburn, and Seattle. We know how to navigate the insurance claim process and go to trial in local courts. We do what it takes to get a fair outcome for our clients, and our case results prove it.
We work based on contingency. This means that our attorney does not charge anything upfront. Instead, we simply receive a percentage of your settlement or award as attorney’s fees. We do not charge any attorney’s fees if we do not win your case.
Premises liability injuries occur in many ways and can happen in many places, including:
- Someone else’s home
- An office building
- A grocery store
- A restaurant
- A shop or big box store
- A shopping mall
- Sports or entertainment complexes
- Hotels, condominiums, and apartments
- Bars
- Theaters
- Public buildings, parking lots, and other areas
- Schools, churches, and similar buildings
- Parking garages
Some ways our clients suffer premises liability injuries include:
Falls
Slip and trip hazards can occur anywhere. Spills, leaks, poor cleaning methods, torn carpets, holes in yards, cracked sidewalks, poor lighting, and loose handrails are all common and can lead to falls. Trips, slips, and falls from an elevated height are all premises liability accidents under most circumstances.
Falling Objects
Falling or swinging objects can cause serious injuries. Merchandise stacked high on display, stacks of materials on a construction site, loose lights, and collapsing construction can all cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and more. Thrown, falling, and tumbling objects can also be very dangerous.
Dog Bites
Many people are surprised to know that dog bites fall under premises liability. Under RCW 16.08. 040, dog owners in Washington state are strictly liable for any injuries and losses their dog causes. While there are exceptions, such as when someone antagonizes the dog or trespasses on the owner’s property, the dog’s owner is usually legally liable when a dog attacks.
Negligent Security
When property owners know or should know their guests are at risk for mugging, assault, robbery, or other crimes because of a history of criminal activity in the area or the nature of the business, they are legally liable for failing to provide adequate security measures if something happens. While the necessary security measures differ from case to case, they could include:
- Adequate lighting in parking lots, parking structures, and other outdoor areas
- Security cameras
- Reinforced doors
- Trained security guards
- Metal detectors
Construction Site Injuries
Construction is among the most dangerous industries. Those working on and visiting construction sites are at an increased risk of injury because of the many hazards around these areas. Contractors should ensure their workers follow all safety protocols, and site owners should take steps to protect those in the vicinity of the site.
Some ways construction site injuries occur include:
- Falls from scaffolding, ladders, and roofs
- Incidents involving delivery trucks, equipment, or forklifts
- Electrocutions
- Getting hit by or caught between materials or equipment
- Issues with tools or machinery
People we’ve helped
“Very knowledgeable and trustworthy. Zach Herschensohn provided me with excellent service. He kept me well informed and explained complicated issues in a way I could understand. He took the lead and guided me through everything necessary to achieve a successful outcome. Overall, I am very pleased with his service and would highly recommend him to anyone.”
“Herschensohn Law worked by my side for almost four years when I was in an auto accident and were outstanding in everything they did! They went above and beyond to make my lawsuit as easy and stress free as possible for me while consistently showing genuine care for my wellbeing. They even recommended amazing health care professionals for my injuries! Anything/everything I may have been confused/concerned about was addressed/explained so I felt comfortable with each move made in my lawsuit. Professional, courteous and attentive are just a few words I would use to describe this law firm and although I hope to never be in a similar situation again - if I do, Herschensohn Law will be my first call!”
“Zach and his team performed beyond my expectations! I couldn't have had a better firm in my corner!”
“This was such a great experience.”
“Zach will always take time and give you quality advice that you can trust. Highly recommended!”
Washington state laws hold property owners and occupiers legally responsible for injuries due to hazards in their buildings, parking lots, yards, and other areas.
According to WPI 120.06, the civil jury instructions in Washington state, a property owner is liable if they are aware or should have been aware of a hazard. They have a legal responsibility to warn guests and others on the property and to repair the condition as soon as possible.
In a recent court decision, the Washington State Supreme Court affirmed that it is also possible to hold the property owner liable if there was a “reasonably foreseeable” hazard that caused the injury. However, this only applies to invitees and others on the property legally, as well as children who come onto the property uninvited. In general, property owners do not owe trespassers a duty of care in these cases.
When you suffer injuries, you can quickly rack up a list of expenses and losses. At Herschensohn Law we understand that unexpected injuries often result in unexpected medical bills and other costs. We firmly believe you should not have to pay these expenses on your own. You did not cause these injuries, so you should not be legally responsible for the related expenses. Instead, the property owner is liable.
Our goal is to hold the property owner accountable and recover fair compensation for your related expenses and losses, known as damages. We can identify your damages, document them, calculate the fair settlement range of the case, and seek a settlement or award in that range.
Each case is unique and has its own damages. There is no way to assign a one-size-fits-all value for these cases. We must investigate each one to determine how much it might be worth. However, many of our clients seek the same types of damages, including:
- Medical treatment and care costs
- Future or ongoing care and support expenses
- Other treatment- or management-related costs
- Lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death damages if the victim dies from their injuries
When managing a premises liability case, we must investigate what happened and prove the accused party is legally responsible for the injuries and other damages. Under Washington law, there are several requirements we need to meet to show a property owner or occupier was negligent and is, therefore, liable. This includes:
- There was an unreasonable hazard on the property
- This hazard caused the injury
- The accused party knew about, should have known about, or could foresee the hazard
- They had a reasonable opportunity to repair the hazard or prevent a foreseeable risk from occurring
We can gather evidence and work with experts to document what happened, the injuries it caused, and how they affect you. We analyze relevant medical records, review security footage, interview witnesses, survey the scene, and take other steps to build a case that shows negligence and liability.
With a strong case to support an insurance claim or lawsuit, we act. There are generally two options:
- File a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance claim based on the liable party’s coverage
- Sue the liable party and prepare the case to go to trial
Most successful premises liability cases in Washington state end in a settlement. The insurance company agrees to pay a fair payout to our client based on the case’s fair settlement range we calculated. This compensates the victim for their damages, including future and non-economic damages.
“Zach will always take time and give you quality advice that you can trust. Highly recommended!”
Sometimes, we need to sue in these cases. This is true even in some cases that end with a fair settlement. One reason this occurs is that time is short to begin a lawsuit. Under RCW 4.16.080, victims generally only have up to three years from their injury date to begin a civil suit. Missing this deadline could jeopardize their right to recover compensation.
Some lawsuits go to trial. More often, we negotiate a fair settlement before the trial date arrives, and our clients recover a negotiated amount in their case.
At Herschensohn Law, our team can review your case with you for free. We can work with you to ensure you understand your rights and options based on the facts of your case. We pursue fair compensation for our clients and fight to hold the at-fault parties accountable.
Call (206) 588-4344 or contact us online today to learn more.
Our results speak for themselves
After a worker was electrocuted on a construction site and suffered life-changing injuries, we fought and won on their behalf.
When a retired man was killed in a truck accident, we made sure his grieving family got fair compensation.
When a defective medical device harmed our client, we fought to ensure they had the financial compensation needed to recover.
Hurt? Let our law firm handle the details
When you request your free consultation, Kent personal injury attorney Zach Herschensohn will listen to you, answer your questions, lay out your legal options, and give you down-to-earth legal advice.
When you work with our law office, there are no obligations, hidden fees, or fine print. It’s that simple.