Did you suffer injuries due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s Boston property? A leaky roof, loose handrail, inadequate lighting, or lack of security could have created dangerous conditions for visitors like you. Massachusetts property owners have a legal duty to maintain safe environments and promptly address hazards. When they neglect these duties, people can get hurt.

The attorneys at Earley Law Group are committed to pursuing maximum compensation for anyone harmed in these accidents. Our premises liability lawyers in Boston have the skill and tenacity to build strong cases backed by careful investigations and evidence. We have more than 600 positive reviews on Google — proof of our dedication and relentless pursuit of justice for our clients.

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability is an area of personal injury law that deals with harm caused by hazardous conditions on someone’s property that resulted from the property owner’s negligence. It allows victims of premises liability injury to recover money from owners who fail to maintain their property or warn visitors about unsafe conditions.

Why Should I Hire a Boston Premises Liability Attorney?

Hiring an experienced lawyer can greatly improve your chances of winning a premises liability claim. These cases are not as straightforward as they may seem.

For one thing, property owners and their insurance companies have a strong incentive to minimize payouts in a premises liability case. They may dispute that the hazard existed, claim you are partially at fault, or argue that the accident was unforeseeable. Overcoming their denials requires in-depth legal knowledge and experience. A Boston premises liability lawyer knows all the applicable laws and how to build a strong, fact-based claim on your behalf. Our lawyers can:

  • Investigate the Cause of Your Injury – We can visit the scene of the accident, determine its cause, identify liable parties, and collect evidence to support your cause of action. 
  • Handle Case-Related Communications – We will handle all communication and correspondence with the property owner and their insurance company so you can focus on healing instead of worrying about how to pursue the money you need.
  • Seek Maximum Compensation – We will work tirelessly to hold negligent property owners responsible so you do not pay for someone else’s mistakes. We will seek maximum compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain and suffering, mental and emotional trauma, and any other losses you endured because of the accident.
  • Manage Case Details – While you rest and recover from your injury, our legal team will handle case-related paperwork, communications, deadlines, and other details. We will also aggressively represent you and your best interests during negotiations.

Additionally, accurately valuing the full extent of your injuries is no simple task. You must account for your future medical needs, lost earning capacity, and non-economic losses like pain and suffering to accurately calculate all your losses. Premises liability attorneys have the resources and experience to properly assess the potential lifetime cost of your injuries to fight for a fair settlement.

Without legal representation, you put yourself at a steep disadvantage and risk getting an unfairly low settlement. Worse still, you might have your case dismissed altogether. Hiring the right premises liability lawyer gives you the best chance at maximum compensation and lifts the legal burden off your shoulders during your recovery.

With all that in mind, why choose Earley Law for your case? Simple: The Earley Experience. That’s our commitment to making this process as easy as possible for you as we fight for maximum compensation. We believe in providing exceptional customer service for every client. If you are not satisfied with your experience, we will do everything we can to fix it. This commitment to client satisfaction is what sets us apart from other firms.

How to Find a Boston Premises Liability Lawyer

Injured parties can find a Boston premises liability lawyer through various methods. Check with friends and relatives about whether they have good relationships with lawyers practicing this kind of law. You can also review advertisements, websites, and online directories. In addition, your local bar association has a directory of lawyers who practice that type of law and whether they’re in good standing.

Qualities to Look for in a Boston Premises Liability Lawyer

Not any lawyer will do. You should look for the following qualities when hiring legal representation:

  • Experience – If you have a premises liability injury, you need an attorney who handles property law and personal injury claims. For example, you do not want to hire a lawyer who focuses on divorce or family law.
  • Case results – You want to look for a lawyer with a successful premises liability track record. At Earley Law, we have achieved case results for clients hurt in slip-and-fall accidents, dog bite incidents, and other accidents caused by property owner negligence.
  • Competence and Confidence – The lawyer you hire should make you feel comfortable. They should also be knowledgeable about your legal issue and project confidence in their ability to handle your case.

At Earley Law, we know you are trusting us to protect your finances and future, and we take that seriously. That’s why we provide each client with The Earley Experience. This is our signature guarantee for our attorneys and staff to treat you with compassion and respect, and to do everything possible to secure full and fair compensation, including representing you at trial if needed. Our quality of work has earned Earley Law over 600 Google reviews and a 4.9-star rating from previous clients.

What to Do After a Premises Liability Injury

The first thing you should do after a premises liability injury is report the incident to the property’s owner or manager. If possible, do this immediately following the accident before leaving the scene.

Next, seek medical treatment. A doctor can diagnose your injuries, start treatment, and take steps to prevent further harm.

Finally, consider contacting our firm to learn more about seeking compensation. As soon as you contact us, we can start working on your insurance claim or lawsuit.

Types of Premises Liability Cases

At Earley Law, our injury attorneys handle a variety of premises liability cases in Massachusetts, including:

  • Slip-and-falls
  • Trip-and-falls
  • Dog bites
  • Elevator, escalator, or stairway accidents
  • Swimming pool accidents
  • Fires
  • Balcony, deck, and porch accidents
  • Toxic exposure
  • Negligent security

We help with accidents occurring at commercial, residential, or government-owned property, such as:

  • Private residences
  • Apartment and housing complexes
  • Malls
  • Theaters
  • Restaurants
  • Hotels
  • Retail stores
  • Amusement parks
  • Sports arenas 

What Kinds of Damages Can I Pursue in a Premises Liability Case?

Your premises liability compensation depends on your injuries, medical bills, lost income, and other factors. While we cannot promise a specific amount, we will pursue the maximum amount available in your case, which may include money for:

  • Past and future medical bills
  • Lost wages or other income
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Reduced future income due to a disability
  • Diminished quality of life due to your injuries
  • Damaged personal property, if applicable

Property owners may argue that visitors caused or contributed to their injuries in an accident. If someone tries this argument with you, don’t panic. First, a premises liability lawyer in Boston can evaluate your case to see if you played a role in the accident. Second, Massachusetts law says you can still recover compensation if you contributed to your injuries, as long as your share of fault is less than that of all other responsible parties.

However, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault if you played a role in the accident. Because the state’s comparative negligence law could limit your ability to recover money for your losses, you should contact a premises liability attorney from Earley Law. We will fight to secure the maximum financial recovery available under the facts of your case.

What to Do to Prove a Strong Premises Liability Case

Property owners owe people who are legally on their premises (i.e., those not trespassing) a duty of care. The duty of care is the obligation to keep a property in a reasonably safe condition or to warn of existing hazards. Our Boston premises liability lawyers can prove an owner breached their duty by collecting evidence and establishing that negligent property conditions caused your injury.

Examples of property negligence include:

  • Ripped or torn carpeting
  • Broken floorboards or tiles
  • Cracked sidewalks
  • Wet or slippery floors
  • Potholes
  • Lack of hand railings or stair railings
  • Lack of snow and ice removal
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Inadequate security

Statute of Limitations in Massachusetts for a Premises Liability Case

What is the Deadline for Filing a Premises Liability Lawsuit in Boston?

According to Massachusetts law, you must file a premises liability lawsuit within three years of your accident, or the court will likely refuse your case. This deadline will also affect insurance claims because you lose your bargaining power if you cannot sue.

Who Is Responsible for an Injury in a Premises Liability Case?

In most cases, whoever owns or manages the property where an accident occurs is liable for any injuries resulting from the accident. Depending on the circumstances, individual homeowners, tenants, individuals or companies who own businesses or multi-unit residences (like apartment buildings), or government agencies may bear responsibility for an accident.

The key to winning a premises liability case is to show that the property owner, manager, or another person owed you a duty of care and failed in that duty. A duty of care means that someone has a legal obligation to keep you safe on their property. However, the level of care someone owes you when you visit depends on the nature of your visit and whether you were on the property legally. The following are three categories visitors fall into in Massachusetts premises liability cases.

Invitees

Invitees are people invited onto someone’s property for the owner’s commercial benefit, like customers at a store or restaurant. Property owners owe the highest duty of care to invitees and must:

  • Regularly inspect for hazards
  • Fix any unsafe conditions promptly
  • Provide adequate warnings about dangers that can’t be eliminated

Licensees

Licensees are individuals present on someone else’s property as casual guests, such as friends, acquaintances, or attendees of informal gatherings. Owners have a duty to:

  • Fix any hazardous conditions they know about
  • Warn licensees about hidden hazards the owner is aware of

Trespassers

A trespasser is someone who is on someone else’s property without permission. Owners only have to:

  • Avoid willfully or wantonly causing trespassers injury
  • Warn of artificial hazards like traps that may exist

Massachusetts law says that in most circumstances, you have three years from when you sustained your injuries to file a premises liability lawsuit. While that’s the general rule, there are some situations where you have a much smaller window of time in which to act, particularly those involving government agencies.

Contacting an Earley Law attorney as soon as possible after an accident gives you the best shot at winning your case and recovering maximum compensation for your injuries.

Premises liability covers a wide range of accidents caused by hazardous property conditions. Common examples include:

  • Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents – These can occur due to slippery floors, loose carpeting, poor lighting, debris, or other tripping hazards the property owner should have addressed.
  • Uneven Pavement – Poorly maintained parking lots, sidewalks, and walkways with cracks, potholes, or elevation changes can easily cause visitors to stumble and fall.
  • Negligent Security – Lack of proper lighting, security cameras, locks/gates, or security personnel may enable violent crimes like assaults, robberies, or shootings at residential or commercial properties.
  • Dog Bites/Attacks – Property owners can be liable if they fail to control or confine dangerous dogs on their property.
  • Stair/Porch Accidents – Loose handrails, missing steps, rotten wood, or other defects on staircases and porches create fall risks.
  • Swimming Pool Accidents – Deficiencies in fencing, safety equipment, supervision, or maintenance can lead to drownings or diving injuries.

Premises liability accidents can happen in a variety of locations when property owners fail to keep their facilities reasonably safe. Some common places include:

  • Hotels – Hotel guests can suffer injuries due to wet lobby floors, broken furniture, inadequate lighting, poor security, or pool accidents.
  • Nightclubs/Bars – Lack of crowd control, overserving alcohol, negligent security, and obstruction hazards may lead to injuries at bars and nightclubs.
  • Theme Parks – Ride malfunctions, slippery walkways, broken stairs/handrails, and inattentive staff can put theme park visitors at risk.
  • Swimming Pools – Faulty drains/filters, deficient safety equipment, low visibility, and lack of supervision create drowning and injury risks at public pools.
  • Apartment Complexes – Hazards like broken elevators and stairwells, icy walkways, poor lighting, and negligent security can cause injuries to apartment tenants.
  • Restaurants – Slippery kitchen spills, defective equipment, and lack of routine inspections and maintenance endanger employees and patrons at restaurants.
  • Grocery Stores – Cluttered aisles, produce spills, out-of-order restrooms, and unmaintained parking lots increase the chances of accidents at grocery stores.
  • Parking Lots – Poor lighting, lack of security, uneven pavement, and debris can cause slips, trips, and falls or violent crimes in parking lots.
  • Parking Garages – Hazards like inadequate lighting, broken stairs and elevators, fluid leaks, and structural defects like crumbling concrete can cause accidents in parking garages.

Premises liability accidents often lead to painful and debilitating injuries for victims. Some common examples include: