John Richmond, Co-Founder and CEO
- October 29, 2026
When you enter someone else’s property, you don’t expect to get hurt. If an injury happens, the owner’s recklessness might feel like a betrayal: You would’ve done anything to make sure your home was safe for guests, so why did they leave a hazard on their property like a ticking time bomb, just waiting to injure someone like you?
Being injured by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property might entitle you to compensation from the owner or other liable parties. The Rochester premises liability lawyers at Richmond Vona will help you understand your legal options.
- When Can I File a Premises Liability Claim in Rochester?
- Why Should I Work With Richmond Vona for My Premises Liability Case?
- What Types of Rochester Premises Liability Accidents Can Richmond Vona Handle?
- Who Is Responsible for My Premises Liability Case?
- What Do I Need to Prove in a Rochester Premises Liability Case?
- What Compensation Can I Recover for Premises Liability in Rochester?
- What if I Was Partially Responsible for the Accident?
- How Long Do I Have to File a Rochester Premises Liability Claim?
- How Can Richmond Vona Help With My Rochester Premises Liability Case?
- Contact Richmond Vona for Help With Your Claim
When Can I File a Premises Liability Claim in Rochester?
Premises liability claims can arise when a property owner or another responsible party fails to exercise reasonable care to keep the property reasonably safe, causing an injury. You may have a claim if that party created a dangerous condition, knew about a dangerous condition, or should have known about the condition and failed to take reasonable steps to address it, such as repairing the hazard or providing an appropriate warning.
However, you’ll need to prove that the owner was responsible for the accident to have a valid premises liability claim. The circumstances of the accident, the responsible party’s legal duties, and the available evidence help determine whether their negligence caused your injuries and whether you can recover compensation.
Why Should I Work With Richmond Vona for My Premises Liability Case?
At Richmond Vona, our attorneys work in Rochester and other Western New York communities. When we take on your case, we’ll assign you a small, dedicated team that will keep you in the loop and attend to your needs throughout the legal process.
We offer a contingency fee arrangement because we believe finances shouldn’t prevent you from accessing trusted legal help. You won’t pay us anything unless we win for you.
We know how to investigate dangerous property conditions and build a strong premises liability claim, and we will handle all communications and negotiations with insurance companies. We’ve recovered over $250 million in compensation for injury victims like you by preparing every case for trial in advance, giving us leverage in settlement negotiations.
Premises Liability Cases We've Won
When negligent property owners put our friends and neighbors in harm’s way, we understand how to get results and hold them accountable. Some of the significant recoveries we’ve achieved in New York premises liability cases include:
- A settlement worth seven times the insurance company’s initial offer for a client who fell into a plate-glass door
- $505,000 for a client who slipped and fell on an icy trailway
- $325,000 for a Rochester resident injured by a hazardous, ice-covered ramp outside their apartment building
- $190,000 for a client who slipped and fell on ice
- $175,000 for a local healthcare worker who tore their meniscus after slipping and falling on a hospital floor
- $155,000 for a client injured by a metal park bench
- $140,000 for a client who was permanently scarred after slipping and falling outside of a restaurant
Meet Our Co-Founders: John Richmond and Keith Vona
John Richmond grew up just northwest of Rochester in Greece, New York, while Keith Vona was born and raised in Buffalo, in the Lovejoy neighborhood. John and Keith decided to start their own firm together in 2019, driven by a desire to serve communities across Western New York.
John and Keith are deeply familiar with the Rochester area and committed to protecting the rights of everyday people in the community. We work quickly and efficiently as a team to meet our clients’ needs, prioritizing results without sacrificing service quality.
What Our Rochester Clients Say About Us
What Types of Rochester Premises Liability Accidents Can Richmond Vona Handle?
Our Rochester premises liability lawyers will take on any type of case caused by an unaddressed hazard, including:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Snow and ice accidents
- Falls caused by defective stairs or handrails
- Negligent security incidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Dog bite injuries
- Retail store accidents
- Falling objects and unsafe construction sites
- Hazardous exposure
Who Is Responsible for My Premises Liability Case?
While the property owner or landlord is the responsible party in most successful premises liability cases, others may also share liability. Liability can extend to anyone responsible for or in control of the property if they knew or should have known about the unsafe conditions.
Other potential defendants in a premises liability lawsuit can include:
- Tenants or non-owner residents who leave their unit in a dangerous condition
- Property managers responsible for inspecting and maintaining a building
- Maintenance companies hired to service issues on a property
What Do I Need to Prove in a Rochester Premises Liability Case?
To recover damages for premises liability, you’ll have to prove that the property owner was negligent by establishing a series of facts:
- Duty of care:The property owner was responsible for keeping the premises safe and free of hazards.
- Breach of duty: The property owner breached their duty of care by allowing an unsafe condition to exist on the premises without fixing it or posting reasonable warnings.
- Notice: In premises liability cases, you need to show the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard before the accident.
- Causation:The property owner’s breach of duty directly led to your injuries.
- Damages: You suffered recoverable damages, such as medical bills, as a result of your injuries.
How Do I Show That the Property Owner Knew About the Hazard?
An owner has “actual” notice when they receive specific complaints or reports about the condition, and they have “constructive” notice when a reasonable person in their position would have discovered and addressed the condition by that point. It’s important to establish how long the hazard existed in either case, as it will help you argue that the owner had enough time to fix the problem but didn’t.
Gathering evidence is essential to your premises liability case and plays a key role in what an attorney can do for you. At Richmond Vona, we have investigative experts who work closely with our legal teams to gather evidence effectively and efficiently to best handle your case.
Types of evidence that can help you prove notice include:
- Inspection and maintenance records
- Records of complaints or warnings regarding the hazard
- Incident reports involving the condition
- Repair requests
- Photographs or surveillance footage showing the hazard
- Witness statements from those who saw the accident or noticed the unsafe condition earlier
What Compensation Can I Recover for Premises Liability in Rochester?
The types of damages available to you in a premises liability claim will depend on the facts of the case and how impactful your injuries are.
Economic damages, or those involving specific financial losses, can include:
- Medical bills
- Future healthcare expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
Non-economic damages, which compensate for subjective harms to your quality of life, include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
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Words cannot describe how grateful my wife and I are of John Richmond. His friendliness, knowledge, loyalty and professionalism are of the highest level. Being this was the first time we’ve had to obtain legal assistance, John made this process very easy for my wife and I. We both would highly recommend Richmond Vona.
What a phenomenal experience to come from a terrifying accident. From day 1 Richmond/Vona provided me with nothing but comfort and professionalism. Communication is paramount in my needs and they performed that with nothing short of exceptional. Mr. Richmond made me feel like this was the only case he was working on. Thank you to all of your staff for looking out for my best interests and taking a stressful situation and making it so very easy for me and my family.
My experience with Keith Vona was exceptional. To this day, I am grateful for the dedication and compassion he displayed throughout my case. The outcome of my case was successful as a result of his drive and commitment. I would highly recommend Keith Vona to anyone in need of legal representation.
What if I Was Partially Responsible for the Accident?
If you share liability for a premises liability accident, New York’s pure comparative negligence rule still allows you to recover a reduced portion of damages. For example, if you were injured by an unsafe condition but were distracted at the time of the accident, a jury might find you 20% at fault. If so, the damages you would otherwise be entitled to recover would generally be reduced by 20%.
How Long Do I Have to File a Rochester Premises Liability Claim?
New York generally follows a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including premises liability cases. However, the deadline may differ in certain circumstances, such as claims involving government entities.
If you were hurt on public property, your claim may be subject to notice and filing rules that you wouldn’t otherwise run into. It’s critical to speak with a trusted Rochester premises liability lawyer as soon as possible to make sure you meet all relevant requirements.
How Can Richmond Vona Help With My Rochester Premises Liability Case?
Our Rochester premises liability attorneys will handle all aspects of your case while keeping you updated and stress-free. We’ll start by explaining your legal options through a free consultation, then get to work investigating your accident and any liable parties.
Once we’ve gathered and reviewed key evidence, we’ll build a strong case to prove the property owner knew about the hazard before your accident. We’ll communicate and negotiate with insurance companies to secure a fair settlement, but we prepare to go to trial from day one of your case.
Contact Richmond Vona for Help With Your Claim
At Richmond Vona, we’re serious about your case and serious about you. When you work with our Rochester premises liability lawyers, you can expect fully personalized legal guidance from an honest, dedicated team ready to pick up whenever you call.
If you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property and need clarity about your legal situation, reach out to us online or call 585-523-2336 today for a free consultation.