Premises Liability
Over 35 years of experience. Over $100 million recovered for clients.
Premises Liability
Over 35 years of experience. Over $100 million recovered for clients.

New Jersey Premises Liability Lawyers

If you own private property or a business in New Jersey, you must take reasonable measures to ensure that anyone visiting is safe and not subject to being injured due to unsafe and dangerous conditions on the property.

In New Jersey, property owners are responsible for compensating anyone injured on their property if it is unsafe by design because of a temporary, uncorrected threat, or if the individual was not protected from accessing the unsafe location. If you are visiting another individual’s property and are injured, you may be able to file a premises liability lawsuit.

Three relationships are possible between a landowner and a visitor. Each one requires something different from the landowner. If a fall or other type of accident happened in a store, on the grounds of a business, or at a friend’s house, the first step is to determine whether the premises owner owed the injured individual a duty of care.  (The extent of the duty depends on whether the person entering the property was a business invitee, social guest (also referred to as a licensee) or a trespasser.)

Defining a Premises Liability Lawsuit in New Jersey

New Jersey premises liability lawsuits happen when a person or persons sustain serious injuries as a result of an unsafe condition or dangerous hazard on the property. If a family member dies from a serious accident, such as a slip and fall accident, they may also want to consider filing a wrongful death claim.

Before you consider a possible settlement with the property owner or their insurance company, know your legal rights. This is a complicated area of the law, and you need to know your rights before proceeding. At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, we thoroughly discuss your case, explain the law as it applies to your situation, and help you file a personal injury claim

Do not wait too long to file a premises liability claim, as the law in New Jersey is that an injured person has two years from the date of the injury incurred to seek compensation from the person(s) responsible. The court can decline to hear your case if the two-year time limit expires. The sooner you act to discuss your situation with an experienced premises liability lawyer at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, the sooner the case can be settled or go to court. 

Examples of Premises Liability Accidents in New Jersey 

Improper or negligent maintenance can lead to accidents. Hazardous conditions that may lead to a premises liability claim include, but are not limited to:

Types of Premises Liability Lawsuit Damages

If you have been seriously harmed as a result of someone else’s negligence in maintaining a property and wish to file a lawsuit, you may be able to recover the following types of damages:

  • Current and future medical costs related to your injuries
  • Lost wages and benefits
  • Pain and Suffering, past, present and in the future
  • If married, your spouse can also file a per- quod count for loss of services, society and companionship

Types of Visitors on a New Jersey Premise

The first type of visitor to a property is referred to as an invitee. The New Jersey Supreme Court defines that as someone who comes into/onto the property in question “by invitation, express or implied, generally for some business purpose of the owner.” 

Invitees are usually shoppers at a landowner’s business, and the owner obtains a financial benefit. The invitee does not need to buy anything to be able to file a premises liability lawsuit if they are injured. The law only requires a prospective advantage to be present for the owner.

The New Jersey Supreme Court states the common law duty of care required for invitees by stating they have “a duty of reasonable care to guard against any dangerous conditions on his or her property that the owner either knows about or should have discovered. That standard of care encompasses the duty to conduct a reasonable inspection to discover latent dangerous conditions.”

The other type of visitor is the licensee, who is someone who may come on the property and “does so for his own purposes.” The New Jersey Supreme Court also noted that “while the social guest … may be required to accept the premises as the host maintains them, he is at least entitled to the same knowledge possessed by the host of dangerous conditions … The host is not required to inspect the premises to discover defects or maintain them in a safe condition for his guest, but if he knows of any defective or dangerous condition, he must exercise reasonable care to correct the condition or warn the guest of the danger.” In short, the landowner does not owe a duty to inspect his or her premises or make it reasonably safe. However, there is a legal duty owed to the licensee to warn them of any dangerous conditions the property owner does know about.

Generally speaking, the majority of premises liability accidents and lawsuits tend to fall in the invitee and licensee categories. There are other categories, such as trespassers and infant-trespassers, and should your situation fall into either of those categories, we can assist you.

What is important to know when it comes to New Jersey premises liability is that the New Jersey Supreme Court found in Hopkins v. Fox & Lazo Realtors, 132 N.J. 426, 439 (1993) that rather than a landowner’s duty of care revolving on the common-law designation of an injured party, the determination of “whether a person owes a duty of reasonable care toward another would turn on whether the imposition of such a duty satisfies an abiding sense of basic fairness under all of the circumstances in light of public policy.”

Additionally, other information considered in reaching a decision includes the relationship of the parties involved in the lawsuit, what the facts of the risks were, the ability and probability to take care and use caution, and the public interest in the recommended solution.

Speak to our Experienced Premises Liability Lawyers at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm Now! 

Contact the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm to speak with one of our New Jersey Premises Liability Lawyers who will ensure your rights are protected. We aggressively represent every client we serve, ensuring they recover the benefits they need to move on with their lives after a serious accident while on the job. Whether it be through a workers’ comp claim and/or a third-party personal injury case, our worker’s compensation and personal injury lawyers will help you navigate the complexities of the process, so you can focus on your recovery. We have recovered over $100 million for our clients and can effectively negotiate on your behalf with even the largest insurance companies. We have successfully served thousands of clients throughout New Jersey.  Call our Headquarters at (973) 920-7900 for a FREE and confidential consultation. We also provide Spanish-bilingual services. You can also connect with us through our online form. There is never a fee unless we win. We have two conveniently located offices in Denville and Morristown, New Jersey.

Mr. Leonard’s law firm constantly kept in touch

and on top of my problems. They were quick to respond to my legal needs and were very attentive and showed real concern to my issues. I highly recommend them to anyone needing legal representation.

- Leslie W.
Todd and his staff were courteous and caring about my personal well-being.

They were knowledgeable and settled my case in an expedited manner. I really felt they were on my side the whole way. Thank you Todd and staff for excellent treatment!

- B.H.
Todd Leonard and his staff made me feel like family.

Trust me, he will take you into his hands and take care of all your personal injury legal matters. They are friendly, professional, and go out all the way for you. Thank you Todd Leonard and staff.

- Frank O.
He was relentless

until the case was fully settled and all was in our favor. Thank you so much. We highly recommend his office to anyone.

- E. and M.
You are the most amazing person

and I am indebted to you forever!

- P.S.
The Leonard Law Firm is truly amazing.

They go above and beyond to make sure you get what you deserve.

- Gina V.
I highly recommend using this law firm.

My lawyer Paul Paravati was always available there for me and gave me first rate service.

- Richard B.

A proven track record of success

$29.5Million
Product Liability & Auto Accident
$3.5Million
Drunk Driving Accident
$2.94Million
Car Accident Road Defect
$2.5Million
Workplace Construction Accident
$2.25Million
Fall Down Accident
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.5Million
Fatal Apartment Fire
$1.36Million
Auto Accident
$1.2Million
Auto Accident
$1.0Million
Civil Sexual Assault Lawsuit
$1.0Million
Slip & Fall Accident
$1.0Million
Fall Down Accident
$29.5Million
Product Liability & Auto Accident
$3.5Million
Drunk Driving Accident
$2.94Million
Car Accident Road Defect
$2.5Million
Workplace Construction Accident
$2.25Million
Fall Down Accident
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.5Million
Fatal Apartment Fire
$1.36Million
Auto Accident
$1.2Million
Auto Accident
$1.0Million
Civil Sexual Assault Lawsuit
$1.0Million
Slip & Fall Accident
$1.0Million
Fall Down Accident
$29.5Million
Product Liability & Auto Accident
$3.96Million
Car Accident/Brain Injury
$3.5Million
Drunk Driving Accident
$3.1Million
Slip and Fall: Workers’ Compensation & Premises Liability Accident
$2.94Million
Car Accident Road Defect
$2.5Million
Workplace Construction Accident
$2.25Million
Fall Down Accident
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.5Million
Fatal Fire Apartment
$1.36Million
Auto Accident
$1.2Million
Auto Accident
$1.1Million
Slip & Fall Accident

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Being injured or having a family member injured can have serious and lifelong consequences. We can try to ease the burden. Contact us today to learn more about how our team of experienced New Jersey accident attorneys can support you through these challenging times.