Premises Liability Attorneys in Durango, Colorado

Premises liability claims encompass a wide range of incidents, but they all have one thing in common: they happen on someone else’s property. These incidents may occur on any type of property, including commercial or residential properties, or even public and government properties.  

At Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley, we understand the serious nature of injuries that can result from the owner’s failure to maintain their property or to warn visitors of unsafe conditions. We also know how difficult some premises liability cases can be to fight, even when it seems obvious that the property owner was negligent. Fortunately, you do not have to fight for compensation on your own.  

Our premises liability attorneys in Durango, Colorado, have more than 75 years of combined legal experience that we leverage for people like you who have been injured on someone else’s property.  

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability is a legal theory that holds property owners and occupiers liable for injuries to other people caused by dangerous conditions on their property. Basically, it allows an injured victim or family members of those killed on someone else’s property to claim financial compensation.  

Under premises liability law, property owners and occupiers have a legal duty of care to ensure that their visitors and guests are safe on the property. However, that doesn’t mean that property owners are responsible for all incidents that happen on their property. Rather, the degree of liability depends on the circumstances of the incident and the status of the injured person at the time of the incident.  

Since every situation is unique, you might need a consultation with a personal injury attorney. Our Colorado premises liability lawyers at Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley can analyze the facts of your accident to establish whether you have a case.  

What if It’s “Just an Accident”? 

People who get injured on someone else’s property often hear from the owner, “It was just an accident” or “How could I have prevented this from happening?” While it is true that sometimes, your injury can be just an accident where no one is at fault. But in many cases, there is usually a chain of negligent decisions on behalf of the property owner or occupier that leads to your injury.  

For example, if you slip and fall while in a grocery store and the manager tells you, “You should be careful and watch where you’re going,” you might assume that you were just being clumsy. However, if our attorneys at Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley examine your situation, we might discover that your slip and fall accident occurred because the store’s employee had recently mopped the floor and failed to put up the “Caution Wet Floor” sign. By failing to warn you of the hazardous condition, the employee contributed to the accident and, as a result, the owner of the store could be held liable.  

Proving a Premises Liability Claim in Colorado

In order to hold a property owner or occupier liable, you or your attorney will need to establish the following elements of a premises liability claim:  

• The owner/occupier owed you a duty of care;  

• The owner/occupier knew or should have known about the dangerous condition;  

• The incident in which you were injured was a foreseeable result of that condition;  

• The owner/occupier could have reasonably taken steps to remove or remedy the condition; and 

• You suffered harm in the incident.  

Proving these elements on your own can be challenging. But you don’t have to do it alone. Our Durango premises liability attorneys at Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley have the experience and resources to build a strong case on your behalf and fight for the compensation to which you are entitled.  

What Types of Premises Liability Cases Do We Handle?

At Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley, we provide legal advice and representation to people involved in a wide range of incidents that fall under the umbrella of premises liability, including:  

• Slip and fall accidents  

• Trip and fall accidents  

• Negligent security 

• Elevator and escalator accidents 

• Inadequate lighting accidents 

• Swimming pool accidents 

• Other dangerous conditions on a property 

If your loved one died due to negligence on someone else's property, you may be eligible to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. While no amount of money is enough to compensate you for your loss, suing the property owner could help you achieve a sense of justice and closure.  

How Can a Durango Premises Liability Attorney Help Victims?

Our Colorado premises liability lawyers provide injured victims and families of those who died on someone else’s property with the following services: 

• Determining the client’s legal status and whether the owner owed them a duty of care 

• Investigating how and why the incident happened 

• Gathering evidence to prove liability 

• Identifying potential sources of compensation 

• Calculating the value of the claim 

• Developing a legal strategy 

• Preparing documents and filing a claim  

• Negotiating with insurance companies and evaluating settlement offers 

• Filing a lawsuit and representing the client at trial 

Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that you get the financial compensation to which you are entitled under the law. When working with our attorneys at Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley, you can focus on your treatment and recovery while we take care of all the steps involved to pursue the best possible outcome for your case.  

If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property, you may be dealing with financial setbacks and physical limitations and unsure how to move forward. We can only imagine how much you’ve suffered. But know this: you deserve justice, and our Durango premises liability lawyers are here to help you hold the property owner or other liable parties accountable.