Washington DC Premises Liability Lawyer

When property owners fail to keep their premises safe, the consequences can be life-altering for unsuspecting visitors. At Cohen & Cohen, we help individuals who have suffered serious injuries due to hazardous conditions in stores, apartment buildings, hotels, and other public or private spaces. Our attorneys are known for taking on tough liability cases and securing meaningful results for clients throughout D.C. and beyond. With over three decades of experience, our firm has become a trusted name in personal injury law. If you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property, our Washington DC premises liability lawyer can help you understand your rights and pursue personal injury compensation for your losses.

Premises Liability Washington DC

Premises liability involves injuries that occur due to unsafe conditions on another person’s or business’s property. These claims often stem from issues that could have been fixed or warned about but weren’t. Victims may be left dealing with physical pain, missed work, and financial stress, all from an accident that could have been avoided.

Common types of unsafe property conditions include:

• Slippery or wet floors without warning signs
• Uneven sidewalks, broken tiles, or stairs without handrails
• Poor lighting in stairwells or parking lots
• Falling merchandise or ceiling fixtures
• Inadequate security that leads to assault or robbery
• Dog bites or uncontained animals on the property

In premises liability cases, we look at whether the property owner or manager knew (or should have known) about the danger and failed to take steps to fix it or provide a warning. That failure can make them legally responsible for the resulting injury. These incidents happen in private homes, businesses, hotels, public parks, and more.

To make a strong claim, evidence like photos, incident reports, medical records, and witness statements can be helpful. Timing matters. The sooner we can investigate, the better chance we have of securing proof before it disappears or is corrected by the property owner.

Our Legal Experience With These Cases

Our team has worked on many types of premises liability claims involving both minor and life-changing injuries. Our personal injury attorneys take the time to understand your story and the impact the incident has had on your life. Our trusted Washington DC premises liability lawyer knows how to investigate property safety failures, identify liable parties, and pursue full compensation.

We’ve recovered damages for clients dealing with injuries such as:

• Broken bones, fractures, or sprains from slip and falls
• Head and brain injuries from falling objects
• Back injuries from structural collapses
• Psychological distress following assaults due to poor lighting or lack of security

In one case, a client suffered severe injuries after slipping or falling in a poorly lit stairwell in a commercial building. The property owner had prior complaints about the lighting but failed to address them. We secured a settlement that covered medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Let’s Talk About Your Case

If you were hurt because a property wasn’t kept safe, you don’t need to figure it out alone. We can help you understand your legal options and build a case for compensation. Contact our Washington DC personal injury law firm today to speak with our team who knows how to handle slip and fall claims with attention and care. Let’s get started with a free consultation.

Types Of Premises Liability Cases We Handle

Property owners have a responsibility to keep their spaces reasonably safe for visitors, customers, and tenants. At Cohen & Cohen, we’ve seen how failing to do that can lead to serious injuries and life-changing consequences. Many people don’t realize that injuries caused by poorly maintained or unsafe property conditions can form the basis of a personal injury legal claim. That’s where we step in. As a firm with decades of experience holding property owners accountable, we help clients deal with the stress, confusion, and financial impact that often follow these incidents.

Slip And Fall Incidents

One of the most frequent types of claims we see involves slips, trips, and falls. Whether it’s a wet grocery store floor, an icy sidewalk, or an unsecured rug in a business lobby, falls can result in broken bones, head trauma, or long-term back pain. The key issue is whether the property owner knew—or should have known—about the hazard and failed to fix it or post a warning.

Inadequate Building Maintenance

Properties that aren’t regularly maintained can create serious dangers. Cases in this category might involve broken stairs, faulty elevators, or missing handrails. Tenants and visitors are often injured because regular inspections were skipped, and owners didn’t make needed repairs. This type of neglect is especially common in rental buildings and commercial properties.

Negligent Security

Assaults or other violent crimes that happen on someone else’s property can also be the basis for a premises liability case. If a property owner fails to provide proper lighting, security personnel, or surveillance in areas known for safety issues, they can be held liable. These claims frequently involve apartment complexes, parking garages, hotels, and bars.

Animal Attacks On Private Property

Dog bites and other injuries caused by unrestrained animals fall under premises liability when the property owner knew of the animal’s tendency to be aggressive. We’ve handled claims where clients were injured while visiting a residence, walking past a yard, or working on a job site where animals were improperly secured.

Retail And Business-Related Hazards

Stores, restaurants, and malls owe a duty to their customers to maintain safe conditions. Falling merchandise, spills, broken tiles, or malfunctioning automatic doors have all led to injuries in public spaces. These cases require quick action to secure evidence, such as surveillance footage or employee reports, which can be difficult to obtain later.

Hazards In Common Areas

Shared areas in apartment buildings, such as hallways, stairwells, laundry rooms, and entryways, are frequent sites of injuries. If these spaces are poorly lit or have structural damage, the landlord or property manager may be liable for any resulting harm. These areas are often overlooked until something goes wrong.

Our lawyers understand that every case is different, and we tailor our strategy to fit the situation. If you’re looking for a trusted Washington DC premises liability lawyer, we’re here to help. We evaluate your case carefully, explain your rights clearly, and take on the legal process so you can focus on recovery.

If you’ve been injured due to unsafe property conditions, let’s talk about how we can support you. Reach out to our personal injury attorney for a free consultation and get started on the path toward compensation and resolution.

7 Steps To Take After a Premises Liability Incident

Getting hurt on someone else’s property can leave you with more than just physical pain. It may also bring unexpected medical bills, missed work, and ongoing stress. If a property owner failed to fix a hazard or didn’t warn you about it, you might have grounds to pursue compensation. We’ve handled these cases for over thirty years, and we know how important those first few actions are. Knowing what to do immediately after a premises liability incident can help protect both your health and your legal options.

Get Medical Care Right Away

Your health should always come first. Whether it’s a broken bone, a head injury, or a back strain from a fall, prompt medical attention is important. Not only does this support your recovery, but it also creates documentation that links your injuries to the incident. If you wait, insurance companies may question whether your injuries were truly related to the event.

Report the Incident

Let someone know what happened as soon as you can. If you were injured at a store, restaurant, or business, ask to speak with a manager or employee. If the incident occurred in an apartment building, notify the landlord or property manager. Request a copy of the report if one is made. This document can later serve as a record that the property owner was informed.

Document the Scene

If you’re physically able, take photos or video of where the incident happened. Capture details like wet floors, broken handrails, uneven walkways, or any warning signs—or lack of them. These images can provide key evidence in your case, especially if the hazard is later repaired or removed.

Identify Witnesses

Look around to see if anyone saw what happened. Ask for names and contact information from witnesses, including anyone who might have helped you afterward. Their statements could support your version of events and strengthen your claim if the property owner disputes what occurred.

Keep Clothing And Footwear

In many cases, the shoes or clothing worn at the time of the incident can serve as useful evidence. Don’t wash, throw away, or alter what you were wearing—especially if they show signs of damage or help demonstrate how the injury occurred. Store them in a safe place until your legal team can evaluate them.

Avoid Making Statements

It’s natural to feel shaken or upset after a fall or other incident, but be cautious about what you say. Don’t admit fault or speculate on what caused the injury. Limit discussions with property owners or insurers until you’ve spoken to our lawyers. Statements made in the moment can be taken out of context or used against you later.

Washington DC Premises Liability FAQs

Injuries can happen anywhere—at a store, on a sidewalk, in an apartment building, or at a public park. But when someone gets hurt due to unsafe property conditions, the person or company responsible for the space may be legally accountable. These situations fall under what’s known as premises liability. If someone failed to maintain their property or didn’t warn others about known hazards, and that led to an injury, legal action might be an option. Below, we answer common questions about these types of incidents and how they’re addressed through personal injury claims.

Who is legally responsible for a premises-related injury?

Responsibility generally lies with the property owner, but it can also extend to a property manager, landlord, tenant, or business operator. Anyone who controls the property and is responsible for its upkeep can be held liable if their negligence contributed to someone’s injury. In some cases, responsibility may be shared between multiple parties. For example, a commercial landlord and a business tenant might both have duties to maintain different parts of the property. The key factor is whether they failed to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm.

What types of incidents fall under this legal category?

Premises liability covers a wide range of accidents. Common examples include slip and fall accidents, injuries from falling objects, dog bites, poor lighting, broken stairs, and unsafe conditions at construction sites or rental properties. It can also include inadequate security that leads to assault or robbery. These cases don’t depend on the type of property—it can be private, commercial, or public. What matters is whether someone was hurt because the property wasn’t kept in a reasonably safe condition, and the injury could have been prevented.

Why pursue legal action after being hurt on someone’s property?

Pursuing legal action helps recover costs associated with an injury, such as medical bills, time missed from work, and long-term care. It also provides a way to hold property owners accountable for unsafe conditions. Many of these cases involve injuries that cause ongoing pain, loss of mobility, or emotional distress. A civil claim allows someone to seek compensation not just for current losses, but also for future impact. Filing a personal injury claim may also prompt property owners to make changes that reduce the risk of future accidents.

How can legal representation assist in premises injury cases?

Working with our law firm can help uncover key evidence—such as surveillance footage, maintenance records, or witness statements—that may not be easy to access otherwise. Our personal injury attorney investigates what went wrong and who is responsible. We’ll handle communication with insurance companies and property owners, review your medical records, and determine the full scope of your damages. Our focus is on making the process clear, so you can move forward with confidence while we work to protect your legal rights.

Who can bring a premises liability claim?

Anyone who was lawfully on the property and suffered harm due to unsafe conditions may be able to bring a claim. This includes customers, guests, tenants, employees, and even some contractors. In limited cases, certain protections may also apply to children or others who enter property without clear permission, especially if there were attractive but dangerous features like swimming pools. The law can vary depending on the situation and local ordinances, which is why it helps to speak with our lawyer as soon as possible after an injury.

Speak With Legal Counsel

If you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property, you may be wondering what comes next. Our premises liability attorney can help you assess whether the property owner acted carelessly and what legal steps might follow. Timing matters—evidence can fade, and deadlines apply. That’s where we come in.

At Cohen & Cohen, we’re here to answer your questions and take the weight off your shoulders. Premises liability cases are rarely straightforward—success often depends on a thorough investigation, expert testimony, and the ability to prove negligence under local law. We bring all of that to the table, along with a team led by Wayne R. Cohen, a respected trial attorney who’s been named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s top lawyers and serves as a legal educator and media resource. Whether you slipped on a wet floor or were injured due to negligent security, we’re ready to hold property owners accountable. Talk to our Washington DC premises liability lawyer today—your consultation is free, and we don’t charge fees unless we win your case. Let’s talk about your personal injury case and how we may be able to help you move forward.