PREMISES LIABILITY

Premises liability claims encompass a broad array of potential accidents including wrongful serving of alcohol, wrongful detention by store security, assault and battery, and dangerous conditions on a property. Our attorneys are uniquely qualified to defend such cases, especially when they involve underlying criminal offenses with contemporaneous criminal proceedings and accompanying civil rights claims. Our clients in this area range from shopping centers, retail stores and restaurants, to small businesses and national fraternities. Regardless of how the claim arises, however, premises liability claims have one thing in common: careful discovery is key to winnowing out baseless, fraudulent, or exaggerated claims. It is here that our firm distinguishes itself from many other firms handling premises liability claims.

Many times, the prerequisite to understanding and, potentially, defeating a plaintiff’s claim is a careful, page by page review of plaintiff’s medical history and the evidence surrounding the alleged accident. We look where others do not.

Additionally, we routinely defend claims that a premises owner should have provided additional security to prevent the intervening criminal acts of a third party. These cases require careful review of the circumstances of the injury and exhaustive discovery on the question of whether, and to what extent, a premises owner is required to undertake additional burdens in providing security. An adverse liability determination has the potential to set the expectation and standard of care for all such premises owners in the future. Thus, our attorneys complete thorough discovery and consultation with engineering and security experts to properly mount a vigorous defense. When in our clients’ interest, we work toward a favorable possible settlement. However, we are a team of experienced litigators with dedicated support staff and are well prepared to try our clients’ cases to verdict.