Premises Liability

Salem Premises Liability Lawyer

Injured on Someone Else’s Property in Salem, OR?

Oregon premises liability law is designed to hold property owners accountable for the safety of their premises. If you are injured on someone else’s property and the property owner could have reasonably prevented the injury, you may be eligible to file a premises liability claim.

At The Gatti Law Firm, we understand how difficult it can be to navigate Oregon premises liability law. We take the time to understand your case, and we work tirelessly to ensure you are fairly compensated for your damages.


To learn more about your legal options following a premises liability incident, contact us today at (503) 363-3443.


What is Oregon Premises Liability Law?

Oregon premises liability law is designed to hold property owners accountable for the safety of their premises. If you are injured on someone else’s property and the property owner could have reasonably prevented the injury, you may be eligible to file a premises liability claim.

In Oregon, property owners owe a duty of care to those on their premises:

  • They must keep their premises reasonably safe
  • They must warn others of any hidden dangers
  • They must fix any hazards that they knew about

If a property owner fails to uphold their duty of care and you are injured as a result, you may be eligible to file a premises liability claim against the property owner.

What is a Property Owner’s Duty of Care?

A property owner’s duty of care is the responsibility to keep their premises reasonably safe for those who enter the property. This includes repairing any hazards that they know about.

Oregon property owners owe a duty of care to:

  • Invitees
  • Licensees
  • Trespassers

Invitees

An invitee is a person who is invited onto someone else’s property for a specific purpose. This includes customers, clients, and other people who visit a property for business purposes.

Property owners owe the highest duty of care to invitees. They must maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition, inspect for potential hazards, and take reasonable steps to address any known dangers or risks.

Licensees

A licensee is a person who is invited onto someone else’s property for a social purpose. This includes people who visit a property to play a game of golf, go to a movie, or attend a party.

Property owners still have a duty of care towards licensees. They must warn of any known dangers or hazards that may not be obvious to the licensee, but they may not be required to actively inspect the property or fix potential hazards.

Trespassers

A trespasser is a person who enters a property without being invited. This includes people who accidentally drive onto a property or people who enter a property to commit a crime.

Property owners have a lesser duty of care towards trespassers, but they are still not allowed to intentionally harm them. If a property owner is aware of frequent trespassing or of any highly dangerous conditions on their property, they may have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent injury.

How Do I Prove My Oregon Premises Liability Claim?

In order to prove your Oregon premises liability claim, you must be able to demonstrate that the property owner owed you a duty of care and failed to uphold it. This is typically done by proving that the property owner knew about a hazard on their property and failed to fix it.

Oregon law states that property owners must fix hazards they know about:

  • That are reasonably likely to cause injury
  • That are not easily visible

In Oregon, property owners must fix hazards that they know about that are reasonably likely to cause injury, but that are not easily visible. These hazards include:

  • Loose floorboards
  • Broken stairs
  • Defective lighting

If you can prove that the property owner knew about a hazard on their property and failed to fix it, you will be able to successfully prove your premises liability claim.

How Do I Prove the Property Owner Knew About the Hazard?

In order to prove that the property owner knew about a hazard on their property, you will need to provide evidence. This can include:

  • Witness statements
  • Police reports
  • Photographs
  • Building inspection reports

If you can show that the property owner knew about a hazard on their property, you will be able to prove that they failed to uphold their duty of care.


If you have been injured on someone else’s property in Salem, OR, contact us today at (503) 363-3443 to request a free consultation.


 

 

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