Portland Premises Liability Lawyer

When you suffer an injury on someone else’s property due to a lack of care or unsafe conditions, you may have grounds for a premises liability case. Whether you’ve been in a slip-and-fall accident, suffered injuries from inadequate security, or ran into other dangerous conditions, you need a lawyer with experience in premises liability lawsuits.

At Siefman Law LLC, our Portland premises liability lawyers understand the challenges you face. We’re committed to helping injured victims seek fair compensation after slip and fall accidents. We offer a free consultation to evaluate your case and discuss your legal options. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Premises Liability Recovery

Restaurant Burn Injury — $116,000

A restaurant patron suffered a burn to her chest while using a hookah provided by the establishment. The injury left a scar. Our legal team secured $116,000 in compensation.

Compensation for Oregon Premises Liability Injury

If you’re injured in a premises liability accident, you could potentially recover a significant amount for your injuries. Among other things, you potentially claim compensation for:

Medical Bills

Medical expenses often form a substantial part of premises liability claims, including:

• Emergency room visits and ambulance fees
• Hospital stays and surgical procedures
• Diagnostic tests such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans
• Prescription medications
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Assistive devices like crutches, wheelchairs, or prosthetics
• Future medical care related to your injury

It’s important to keep detailed records of all medical treatments and costs to ensure you’re fully compensated for these expenses.

Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Capacity

When an injury from a premises liability accident prevents you from working, you may be entitled to compensation for:

• Wages lost during your recovery period
• Bonuses, commissions, or other job benefits you missed out
• Reduced earning capacity if your injury affects your ability to perform your job long-term
• Potential future earnings if you’re unable to return to your previous occupation

Our attorneys work with economic experts to calculate these losses accurately, considering factors like your age, occupation, and career trajectory.

Physical Pain and Suffering

Compensation for pain and suffering goes beyond mere medical expenses. It accounts for:

• The actual physical pain endured due to your injuries
• Ongoing discomfort or chronic pain resulting from the accident
• Limitations or disabilities caused by the injury
• Scarring or disfigurement

While it’s challenging to put a dollar value on pain, experienced premises liability attorneys use different methods to quantify these damages and ensure you’re fairly compensated.

Diminished Quality of Life and Psychological Pain

Premises liability accidents can have long-lasting effects on your quality of life. This category of damages may include:

• Emotional distress, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD related to the accident
• Loss of enjoyment in activity victims once found pleasurable
• The strain on personal relationships
• Sleep disturbances and other psychological effects
• Loss of consortium (compensation in wrongful death cases)

These non-economic damages often require careful documentation and expert testimony to substantiate.

How Premises Liability Works

Property owners have an obligation to keep visitors, guests, and customers from unreasonable dangers on their properties. When they fail to do so, and someone suffers fall-related injuries, this person has the right to hold them accountable under Oregon law.

This responsibility includes maintaining a safe environment, warning visitors of potential hazards, and taking reasonable steps to prevent accidents. When property owners fail these duties, they can be held liable for any injuries that happen as a result.

Whether it’s a commercial establishment, a rental property, or a private residence, property owners must make sure that their premises are free from defects or conditions that could cause harm.

Duty to Inspect and Maintain Property

To fulfill their duty of care, property owners must regularly inspect and maintain their property. This involves carrying out routine checks for potential hazards, such as loose floorboards, wet surfaces, or faulty electrical wiring.

When issues are identified, property owners must address them to prevent accidents. Regular maintenance and repairs are essential to ensuring the well-being of visitors and minimizing the risk of premises liability claims.

Common Hazards That Can Lead to a Premises Liability Injury

Property owners should take care to watch for common hazards that could lead to someone being injured on the premises, such as:

Spilled liquids on the floor – Water and other liquids can all make a floor dangerous to walk on, leading to a slip-and-fall accident and substantial injuries.

Loose cords and electrical wires – A loose cord can be a tripping hazard, especially if it’s in an area where someone may not know to look for an electrical cable.

Poorly maintained sidewalks – Broken, uneven sidewalks are one of the most common sites of slip-and-fall accidents. Additionally, property owners should make sure rain, snow, and other precipitation are dealt with to make sure no one slips and injures themselves.

Swimming pools – An unguarded swimming pool can lead to accidental drownings if property owners and guests aren’t careful. Water from swimming pools can also end up coating the surface around pools, turning wet floors into a slipping hazard.

Inadequate security – Rental property owners should make sure all entrances and exits to the property have working locks and are monitored by security guards. Otherwise, tenants and guests can be hurt.

Worn or broken handrails – A worn handrail can break if someone tries to grab it as they’re slipping or falling, leading to an injury. In multi-story buildings, someone may break through a damaged handrail and fall, leading to a serious injury.

Injuries occurring due to a property owner’s negligence can lead to premises liability claims.

Establishing Fault in Oregon Premises Liability Claims

One of the key steps in personal injury cases is establishing why the property owner or manager should be held responsible for the injuries you’ve suffered. The level of care owed to you by a property owner depends on why you were on their property and what type of guest you are:

Business invitees – Property owners owe a duty of care to anyone on their property for a commercial purpose. This includes restaurant patrons, anyone visiting a store to buy something, anyone using a gym, amusement park guests, and so on.

In the case of business invitees, property owners must protect them from hazards or provide adequate warning to make sure invitees can avoid the hazards on the property.

Licensees – Property owners owe a duty of care to licensees — someone on a property with the owner’s permission, though not necessarily for a business purpose. A common example of a licensee is someone invited to another person’s home for a party.

Trespassers – A trespasser is anyone on someone’s property illegally or without permission. Property owners owe a minimal duty of care to trespassers and can be held liable for intentional injuries to the trespasser.

Attractive Nuisance Doctrine (for children): If a property contains something that is likely to attract children (like a pool or abandoned equipment), the owner may be liable for injuries to a child, even if the child is trespassing.

Common Types of Premises Liability Injuries

Some of the injuries that can occur from a slip-and-fall or other type of negligent security include:

• Broken bones
• Back injuries
• Neck injuries
• Face disfigurement
• Nerve Injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Brain Injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Dog bites
• Electrical shocks
• Drownings
• Burns
• Catastrophic deaths

The Premises Liability Claims Process

If you have been injured in a premises liability accident, you may be liable for compensation. Premises liability claims typically involve filing a claim with the property owner’s insurance company and negotiating a settlement.

The proof that the property owner failed to maintain a safe environment is key to the success of a claim. This process requires a good understanding of the legal requirements and evidence needed to support your lawsuit. Our Portland premises liability lawyers can help with each step, seeing that you receive fair compensation for your injuries.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

Injured on someone else’s property? Don’t face the legal process alone. Our experienced Portland premises liability lawyers are here to help you seek financial compensation.

We offer a free case evaluation with no obligation. Don’t let concerns about legal fees hold you back. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation and take the first step towards recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What situations allow an injured person to file a premises liability claim in Oregon?

An injured person may file a premises liability claim when a property owner’s negligence creates a dangerous condition that leads to injuries resulting from hazards such as slippery floors, poor lighting, improper construction, animal attacks, or negligent security. Under Oregon law, property owners and property managers must keep their premises safe for visitors, and they may be held liable if their negligent actions cause harm.

How do I know if a property owner owed me a legal duty of care?

Whether a property owner owed you a legal duty depends on why you were on another’s property. Oregon recognizes three categories of visitors, and the duty differs for each. For example, people on a person’s property with the owner’s permission—especially for business purposes—are generally owed the highest duty. If property owners fail to actively inspect for known hazards or potential dangers, they may be responsible for the injuries caused by those conditions.

What should I do if I was injured on someone else’s property but the insurance company is disputing fault?

If you were hurt on someone else’s property and the insurance company denies responsibility, it is especially important to work with a Portland premises liability lawyer who knows how to gather evidence related to premises liability cases. This may involve medical records, surveillance footage, witness statements, and documentation of safety issues.

Can negligent property owners be held liable for injuries resulting from security issues?

Yes. Negligent property owners may be liable when negligent security—such as broken locks, lack of security guards, or poorly lit parking lots—leads to serious injuries. These types of premises liability accidents often occur because the property was not adequately protected, which may violate the duties imposed by Oregon premises liability standards.

How much compensation can I recover in a Portland premises liability claim?

The value of a Portland premises liability claim depends on the full extent of the resulting injuries and related losses. Compensation may include medical bills, lost wages, and, in some cases, punitive damages if the conduct was especially reckless. Every case varies, so speaking with a Portland premises liability attorney can clarify how much compensation may be available.

Do premises liability lawyers in Portland charge upfront legal fees?

Our premises liability lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay legal fees unless our law firm recovers compensation for you.

How does a Portland premises liability lawyer help prove negligence in these cases?

A Portland premises liability lawyer evaluates whether the owner knew—or should have known—about the dangerous condition, how long it was present, and whether other parties contributed to the problem. They gather evidence like surveillance footage to demonstrate if the property owner failed to actively inspect or correct hazards in violation of personal injury law.