Personal injury attorneys in Virginia Beach, VA are accustomed to hearing a broad range of questions from potential clients. Most of these lawyers offer free initial consultations, so an injured person should not hesitate to schedule an appointment and get some of those questions answered. During this consultation, the individual will also learn whether the case seems to be one worth pursuing. People often consult injury lawyers if an insurance company has made a settlement offer that seems too low or has denied a claim altogether.
A common question people ask of personal injury attorneys in Virginia Beach, VA is whether the owner of the property where the injury occurred is responsible. In general, both the owners of commercial and residential property are responsible for making sure the place is safe for visitors, outside and inside. They must keep sidewalks clear of ice or debris that creates a tripping hazard, for example. However, there are complicating factors in these situations. If rain fell during a weekday morning and temperatures briefly dipped below freezing, a store owner may not be legally liable if someone slipped and fell in the parking lot. There may have been no way to know that icy conditions had developed. Nevertheless, the store’s insurance commonly pays for medical bills in this type of incident. It may pay for lost wages if the person requires time off from work.
The insurer might only dispute the claim if an employee had put up a noticeable sign or yellow caution markers to warn visitors about the temporary icy conditions. The organization may have had no way to quickly deal with the situation. Insurers also consider whether the individual holds any responsibility for the accident. Someone who crosses an icy parking lot on foot while reading a newspaper or a message on a smartphone may be considered at fault. This person would probably not have seen cautionary markers or noticed the ice on the pavement until it was too late. Attorneys with a law firm such as Price Perkins Larkin are ready to answer questions regarding liability in these types of incidents.
