Injuries that occur on unsafe property can lead to serious physical, emotional, and financial consequences. Whether the incident takes place at a store, hotel, parking lot, rental property, or private residence, the law may provide a remedy, but only under specific conditions.

 

Premises liability is the area of personal injury law that governs these situations. At Blue LLP, we represent clients who have suffered serious harm due to hazardous conditions on another person’s or business’s property.

 

What is Premises Liability?

 

Under North Carolina law, property owners and occupiers have a duty to use reasonable care to keep their premises safe for lawful visitors. This applies to:

• Private residences and apartments
• Retail and grocery stores
• Hotels, motels, and event spaces
• Office buildings and commercial properties
• Parking decks, sidewalks, and more

When that duty is breached, and someone is injured as a result, the property owner may be held legally responsible.

 

What Counts as Negligence and When Owners Are Liable

 

To succeed in a premises liability claim, the injured party must generally prove:

1. A dangerous condition existed on the property
2. The owner or occupier knew or should have known about it
3. The owner failed to correct the hazard or provide adequate warning
4. That failure directly caused the injury and resulting damages

Common examples of negligent conditions include:

• Slippery floors without signage
• Broken stairs or handrails
• Uneven pavement or walkways
• Poor lighting in entryways or stairwells
• Unsecured merchandise or falling objects
• Inadequate security leading to assault or theft
• Dangerous pets not properly restrained

Key North Carolina Rules

 

In North Carolina, premises liability law applies a reasonable-care standard to protect all lawful visitors. Importantly, this duty cannot be delegated to a third party. That means landlords, property managers, and commercial tenants all bear responsibility for ensuring that their premises are safe.

 

However, North Carolina also applies the strict contributory negligence rule. If an injured person is found even slightly at fault, for example, by failing to notice an obvious hazard, they may be barred from recovery entirely. For this reason, how a case is investigated, documented, and presented can determine whether compensation is possible.

 

Steps to Take After an Injury on Property

 

If you are injured due to a hazardous condition on someone else’s property:

• Report the incident to the owner or manager and request an incident report
• Photograph or record video of the hazard and surrounding area
• Obtain contact information for any witnesses
• Seek medical attention promptly and follow all treatment recommendations
• Save all bills, records, and correspondence
• Refrain from making detailed statements to insurers before speaking to an attorney

Time is critical. Many property owners begin defense preparation immediately after an incident is reported.

 

How Blue LLP Helps in Serious Premises Liability Cases

 

Premises liability claims require careful investigation. At Blue LLP, we:

• Identify who owns and controls the property
• Secure or seek to preserve surveillance footage and maintenance records
• Consult with safety experts to determine whether the hazard was foreseeable and preventable
• Evaluate the full extent of your damages, including medical costs, lost income, long-term impact, and pain and suffering
• Prepare the case for litigation, which often improves the chances of a favorable settlement

Our experience as trial lawyers means we understand how these cases are won in court, and how to build them accordingly, even when the goal is resolution through negotiation.

 

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured due to unsafe property conditions in North Carolina, we encourage you to take the next step toward protecting your rights.