People visit your home or property. They probably expect that your home and property is a safe place to visit and do not expect to receive any type of injury. The law expects that the property owner will provide a safe environment for their guest. For example, a visitor arrives on the driveway and finds that it is in ill repair and they are injured. Premise liability holds that the legal owner of the property is responsible for any type of injuries that happened to the guest on the property. Liability is generally determined by the state where the property owner resides.

Next, it must be established if the complainant is considered a visitor, invitee, licensee, or trespasser. Many might have heard of the incident where a burglar tried to sue the owner of a home because they slipped and fell on the premises. Well, as a trespasser on the property, in the middle of a criminal act, they had no legal rights to sue the homeowner. Now, an invitee or visitor might have the right to sue the owner. They were legally invited onto the property. A licensee is on the property for their own purposes or as a social guest. In some circumstances, a licensee is able to sue the property owner for injuries.

Premises liability is a complicated matter. The laws vary widely in different states. The best course of action is to contact an experienced lawyer who fully understands the premise liability law in that state, and discuss the options that are available to the people that are involved.