Golden Premises Liability Lawyer

Golden, CO, Premises Liability Laws

Colorado premises liability law puts visitors in three categories. The level of care a property owner owes to a visitor depends on how they are categorized. The three categories are:

• Invitees – An invitee is anyone on another person’s property with permission and for the owner’s financial gain. For example, an invitee is someone who patronizes a restaurant or a business. Invitees are owed the highest duty of care under Colorado premises liability law. Property owners must warn invitees of known hazards and regularly check for potential dangers. Invitees may hold property owners liable for their injuries if they knew about or reasonably should have known about a hazard.
• Licensees – A licensee is anyone on another person’s property with permission but not there for the owner’s financial gain. Social guests at someone’s home are licensees. Property owners cannot be held liable for dangers on the premises they did not know about, but they must warn licensees of known hazards.
• Trespassers – A trespasser is anyone on another person’s property without permission. Property owners owe a minimal duty of care to trespassers and can be held liable only for injuries they willfully or deliberately cause. For example, a property owner could be responsible if they deliberately set a trap that injures a trespasser.

What Do You Have to Prove in a Premises Liability Claim?

If an invitee or licensee on someone’s property suffers an injury in Golden or elsewhere in Colorado, they must prove the following elements to pursue compensation: 

• A condition on the premises posed an unreasonable risk of harm.
• The property owner or manager knew or should have known the hazard existed.
• The property owner or manager was negligent in creating the dangerous condition, failing to fix it, or failing to warn visitors about it.
• The dangerous condition caused the injury.

A trespasser injured on someone’s property cannot seek compensation unless they can prove that the property owner or manager deliberately caused them harm.

Common Types of Premises Liability Cases We Handle

Accidents can happen anywhere and can be caused by various hazards. Some common causes of injuries in Golden, CO premises liability cases include:

• Wet or slippery floors
• Loose carpeting or floor tiles
• Debris in walkways
• Falling objects
• Swimming pools
• Faulty electrical wiring
• Broken sidewalks
• Sloped pathways without handrails
• Broken stairways and handrails
• Inadequately maintained parking lots and garages
• Broken escalators or elevators
• Paths covered in rain, snow, or ice

Some of the most common places where premises liability accidents occur include:

• Private residences
• Workplaces and offices
• Restaurants
• Grocery stores
• Retail stores
• “Big box” stores
• Amusement parks
• Sports stadiums
• Parking lots and garages
• Swimming pools
• Construction sites
• Rental properties