When Unsafe Property in Delaware County Leaves You Hurt
A quick stop at a store, restaurant, apartment building, or office in Delaware County can go wrong in seconds. One slick floor, broken step, dark stairwell, or missing handrail is all it takes to end up on the ground and headed to the ER.
Property owners are not free to ignore these dangers. Under Pennsylvania law, they must take reasonable steps to keep their spaces safe for visitors, customers, and tenants. When they cut corners on maintenance, safety, or security and you get hurt, a premises liability claim may give you a path to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain that may last long after the fall.
A premises liability lawyer in Delaware County, PA steps in to investigate what happened, identify every at-fault party, and stand between you and property owners’ insurance companies that are trained to minimize or deny valid claims.
What Premises Liability Means in Pennsylvania
Premises liability is the legal duty that property owners and occupiers have to keep their property reasonably safe for people who are allowed to be there.
In Pennsylvania, that duty generally includes three core responsibilities:
Maintaining safe conditions
Owners should routinely inspect the property, fix hazards within a reasonable time, and make sure floors, walkways, steps, and parking areas are in safe condition with decent lighting.
Warning about known dangers
If a hazard cannot be fixed right away, owners should warn visitors with signs, cones, barriers, or verbal warnings so people can avoid the danger.
Providing reasonable security
Depending on the type of property and crime history, owners may need lighting, locks, cameras, or other basic security measures to reduce the risk of assaults, robberies, or similar attacks.
If a property owner or manager ignores these duties and you are hurt because of that failure, you may have a premises liability case.
Common Premises Liability Cases in Delaware County
Serious property-related injuries rarely look exactly the same, but many fall into familiar groups. The Schuster Law team regularly handles cases involving:
Slip and fall accidents
Falls caused by wet floors, spilled food or drink, tracked-in rain and snow, greasy spots in parking areas, or slick tile that was just mopped with no warning sign.
Trip and fall incidents
Injuries from broken sidewalks, potholes in lots, loose mats, cluttered aisles, cords in walkways, or raised flooring that catches a toe and sends someone down hard.
Stairway, elevator, and escalator accidents
Falls on uneven or broken steps, loose or missing handrails, poorly lit stairwells, or malfunctioning elevators and escalators that jerk, drop, or suddenly stop.
Negligent security and assault
Physical attacks, robberies, or assaults in parking lots, stairwells, or hallways where owners ignored prior problems, failed to fix lighting, or skipped basic security measures.
Falling objects and unsafe structures
Injuries from items falling off shelves, ceiling materials coming loose, or poorly secured fixtures collapsing on customers or guests.
Dog bites and animal attacks on property
Attacks by unrestrained dogs or other animals on private or commercial property when owners failed to control or warn about them.
These events happen in grocery stores, big box retailers, malls, restaurants, bars, apartment complexes, office buildings, parking garages, medical facilities, and government buildings across Delaware County and nearby counties.
Who Is Protected by Premises Liability Law?
Pennsylvania law looks at your legal status on the property when deciding how much protection you get:
Invitees
Customers at stores, clients visiting offices, or guests in places open to the public are usually invitees. Owners owe them the highest duty of care, including regular inspections and quick repairs of hazards.
Licensees
Social guests and some visitors who are on the property with permission but not for business reasons are licensees. Owners must warn them about known dangers but do not always have to search for hidden issues.
Trespassers
People on the property without permission usually receive limited protection. Owners must generally avoid intentional harm, though special rules can protect child trespassers from certain dangers like unsecured pools.
A good premises liability lawyer digs into why you were on the property, how long the hazard existed, and what the owner knew or should have known about it. That status and knowledge can make a big difference in the outcome of your case.
How Do You Prove a Premises Liability Case in Pennsylvania?
To recover money from a property owner or manager, you usually need to show several things:
Duty: The property owner owed you a duty of care based on your status as a customer, guest, tenant, or other lawful visitor.
Breach: The owner failed to act as a reasonably careful property owner would, either by not fixing a hazard or not warning about it.
Notice: The owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition and had enough time to address it.
Causation: The dangerous condition directly caused your fall or other injury.
Damages: You suffered actual harm, such as medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Pennsylvania also uses a modified comparative negligence rule. That means you can still receive compensation if you were partly at fault, as long as you are less than 51 percent responsible. Your payment is simply reduced by your share of blame.
Deadlines and Special Rules in Pennsylvania Premises Cases
Time limits in these cases are strict. In most Pennsylvania premises liability claims, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Wait longer and you can lose your right to recover, no matter how strong your case may have been.
Shorter deadlines and special notice rules often apply if your fall happened on government property such as a municipal building, school, county facility, or public park. Claims against a city, township, or state agency can require quick written notice and follow their own procedures.
A local Delaware County premises liability lawyer can spot these issues early and make sure the right documents are filed on time.
Injuries Commonly Seen After Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents
Falls and other premises incidents can cause far more than bumps and bruises. The Schuster Law team routinely sees:
Broken bones in hips, wrists, arms, ankles, and feet
Concussions and traumatic brain injuries that affect memory, balance, and mood
Herniated discs, spinal compression, and other spinal cord issues that lead to chronic pain or even paralysis
Torn ligaments, sprains, and other soft tissue damage that limit movement and strength
Deep cuts, scarring, and disfigurement, sometimes with nerve damage or infection risk
Older adults are especially vulnerable, but people of every age can face surgery, physical therapy, time out of work, and long-term pain after a bad fall.
What To Do After a Slip or Trip on Someone Else’s Property
Taking smart steps after a fall can make a huge difference in your claim:
Get medical care right away, even if you think you will walk it off.
Report the accident to the owner, manager, or security and ask that an incident report be created.
Take photos or video of the hazard, lighting, and surrounding area, if you can do so safely.
Collect names and contact details for any witnesses.
Save the shoes and clothing you were wearing.
Speak with a premises liability lawyer before giving recorded statements or signing anything from the property’s insurance company.
Insurance adjusters often move fast with low offers, blame-shifting, or requests for broad medical authorizations. Having an attorney handle those calls keeps you from saying something that will be twisted against you later.
What Compensation Can a Premises Liability Lawyer Pursue?
A Delaware County premises liability lawyer will look at both the financial and human impact of your injuries. Depending on the facts, your claim may include:
Medical bills, from emergency care and hospital stays to surgery, rehab, and follow-up visits
Future treatment and therapy for ongoing symptoms or permanent disabilities
Lost wages while you are unable to work and reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to your prior job
Out-of-pocket expenses like travel for medical care or damaged clothing and personal items
Pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and the emotional toll of your injuries and limitations
In rare cases, punitive damages when the property owner’s conduct was especially reckless
Your attorney will gather medical records, employment information, expert opinions, and evidence from the scene to build a full picture of what the incident has cost you and your family.
Why Work With a Delaware County, PA Premises Liability Lawyer?
Property owners and their insurers usually have legal teams ready to limit what they pay on injury claims. Trying to go it alone means fighting trained professionals while you are hurt and stressed.
A seasoned premises liability team brings decades of Pennsylvania experience, detailed investigation skills, and local courtroom knowledge to slip, trip, and fall cases across Delaware County and surrounding areas. They work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fee unless they recover money for you, and initial consultations are free.
If you were injured on someone else’s property in Delaware County, PA, you do not have to take on a negligent owner or an insurance company by yourself. A premises liability lawyer can investigate what happened, explain your rights under Pennsylvania law, and fight for the compensation you need to get your health, your finances, and your peace of mind back on track.
