Content Reviewed By:
John Richmond, Co-Founding Member
- November 6, 2024
Property owners in Williamsville have a duty to provide reasonably safe premises for visitors, and the consequences can be severe when they fail to do so. If you suffered injuries on someone else’s property due to unsafe conditions, you may have the right to seek compensation for your losses.
That’s where Richmond Vona comes in. Our Williamsville premises liability lawyers can answer your questions, determine if someone else is liable for your injuries, and lay the groundwork for a strong claim. We’re ready to seek maximum compensation on your behalf. Call (716) 500-5678 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
- Why Choose a Williamsville Premises Liability Lawyer from Richmond Vona?
- What Are Common Damages From Premises Liability Cases?
- Common Premises Liability Scenarios
- Steps in a Typical Premises Liability Case in Williamsville
- Proving Negligence in a Premises Liability Case in Williamsville
- Contact a Williamsville Premises Liability Attorney if You Get Hurt While Away From Home
Why Choose a Williamsville Premises Liability Lawyer from Richmond Vona?
Our Williamsville premises liability lawyers have deep roots in Western New York, and we take it personally when negligent property owners endanger our community. When you turn to Richmond Vona with your premises liability case, you’ll notice from the start our commitment to elevating personal injury representation in Williamsville and beyond.
Founding partner John E. Richmond began his career representing injury victims in Williamsville, and his passion for serving the community inspired him to start our firm. Founding partner Keith R. Vona shares this drive and is an unyielding advocate for the injured.
Excellent Results and Award-Winning Service
We know how important a prompt resolution is to our clients, and we’ll move quickly without sacrificing value. With John and Keith at the helm, our legal team has recovered over $175 million in case results for our clients, including a $450,000 premises liability settlement.
Our award-winning lawyers have been widely recognized for their work. They have been named New York Super Lawyers, New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in New York. You can count on them to go above and beyond for you. We will assign a team of three to four legal professionals focused on delivering the high-quality legal counsel and representation you deserve.
Our compassionate attorneys always treat our clients like family, not a case number. This makes all the difference when dealing with the legal aftermath of an accident and recovering from injuries. Learn more by exploring our client testimonials.
“Western New York people are the salt of the earth, the best people ever—hardworking, the city of good neighbors. There’s no place I’d rather be and no place I’d rather work to truly elevate personal injury service in the community.”
What Are Common Damages From Premises Liability Cases?
Serious injuries can affect your life financially, emotionally, and physically. Our Williamsville premises liability lawyers can help you seek compensation for a wide range of losses caused by property owner negligence, including:
- Current and future medical expenses for injury-related treatment and management.
- Lost wages for any time you took off work to recover.
- Lost earning capacity if your injury affects your ability to perform your previous work.
- Property damage for any personal belongings that were damaged in the incident.
- Physical pain and suffering.
- Emotional distress.
- Loss of enjoyment of life due to inability to participate in activities you previously enjoyed.
- Permanent disfigurement or scarring.
You may also be eligible for punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish defendants for particularly serious or intentional misconduct. Though not awarded as often as compensatory damages, punitive damages can significantly raise the value of your claim.
Keep in mind that, under New York’s comparative negligence law, your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, if you suffered $100,000 in damages but were 15 percent responsible, your compensable damages will be reduced to $85,000. Our premises liability lawyers in Williamsville can gather evidence to reduce or eliminate the fault assigned to you.
Common Premises Liability Scenarios
In New York, inclement weather contributes to many slip and fall accidents. Property owners must remove snow from sidewalks and outdoor stairs within a reasonable period and must lay salt or sand to prevent ice formation. Failing to take these basic steps could result in them being held liable for any injuries sustained.
Other conditions and events that could lead to a premises liability lawsuit include:
- Drowning or near drowning in a public or private pool or spa.
- Injuries suffered in an apartment building fire.
- Toxic exposure to contaminants in water, soil, or building materials.
- Losses due to bedbugs, rats, mold, or other infestations.
- Injuries from unsafe conditions in gyms and other recreational facilities.
- Losses suffered from criminal acts if the owner’s measures to deter crime were inadequate.
Premises liability can arise in almost any context where a property owner’s negligence leads to physical harm. An injured person who does not know whether their situation qualifies as premises liability can contact a knowledgeable Williamsville attorney who will listen to and analyze the details of the event to determine who is at fault.
Steps in a Typical Premises Liability Case in Williamsville
Our premises injury lawyers in Williamsville can guide you through each step of the legal claims process. Each case proceeds based on their unique circumstances, but basic steps include the following:
- Initial consultation – We’ll meet with you to discuss what happened. Our skilled personal injury lawyers will let you know if you likely have a strong case and explain your legal options.
- Preliminary investigation – We will conduct an initial investigation, which may involve reviewing available insurance coverage and evaluating the case law governing your scenario.
- Evidence gathering – Our team will gather all available evidence to prove liability and the full value of your damages. After the initial investigation, we will gather further evidence during the discovery process, in which both parties exchange information relevant to the accident.
- Filing a claim – After we’ve built a strong case, we will send a demand letter to the defendant or their insurer and attempt to negotiate a fair settlement. If they refuse to compensate you fairly, we can file a lawsuit and prepare your case to trial.
Proving Negligence in a Premises Liability Case in Williamsville
The traditional system of premises liability imposes different duties on the people who control a property depending on the reason a visitor was there. For example, business owners have a more stringent duty to their customers than a host has to their social guests. However, New York has moved to a negligence standard that calls for everyone who owns or controls access to a property to maintain it so that it is safe for anticipated visitors. They must warn guests of any hazards they cannot repair promptly.
If the property owner’s negligence led to an accident that caused a loss, the property owner may be liable. A Williamsville premises liability attorney can investigate an accident to determine whether a land, business, or homeowner exercised reasonable care in a specific case.
Waivers of Liability Are Not Always Enforceable
Sometimes, an injured person might think they do not have a case because they signed a liability waiver. Many business owners, recreational facilities, and sports leagues require patrons and participants to sign a waiver before they allow them to engage in activities on their premises. It is always worth consulting an attorney about the viability of a claim involving a waiver of liability.
Courts often enforce these documents but interpret them narrowly to avoid injustice to injured parties. Courts may also refuse to enforce a waiver if it violates public policy—if a waiver attempts to release the property owner from liability for gross negligence or intentional misconduct, for instance. Our attorneys can determine if you have a premises liability lawsuit despite a waiver.
Contact a Williamsville Premises Liability Attorney if You Get Hurt While Away From Home
When an accident happens while you are on another party’s property—whether you were at a business, visiting a friend, or just walking along the sidewalk—you might have a premises liability claim. In addition, this concept could apply if you develop a health condition because of a hidden hazard at your apartment building or workplace.
Our Williamsville premises liability lawyers understand this complicated area of law and can help you hold the responsible parties accountable. Call (716) 500-5678 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
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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.
