Hawaii Premises Liability Law
If you were seriously injured on property owned by someone else, you may be entitled to receive compensation. All owners and occupiers of property, including businesses such as retail stores, grocery stores, hotels, and restaurants, must maintain their property in a safe condition or they must give adequate warning of any unreasonable risks of harm to persons anticipated to be on their property. Even if a dangerous condition is open and obvious, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your injuries and your loss of earnings resulting from your injuries.
Grocery or Retail Store Cases
Oftentimes customers slip and fall because of substance on the floor, such as various liquids, ice cream, fruit, etc. Retail and grocery stores have a duty to keep their floors in a safe condition. Stores are required to inspect their floors and floor coverings for defects and to otherwise ensure that their floors are not slippery. Also, if a store has a method of operating its business which creates a dangerous condition, the store must take steps to remove the danger. For example, if a store serves coffee or soda and the liquid spills on the floor causing a customer to slip and fall, the store may be liable for your injuries and damages.
Landlord – Tenant Cases
Landlords and tenants must ensure the safety of all persons anticipated to come onto their property. Landlords and tenants have a duty to eliminate the dangerous condition on their property or adequately warn of those dangers for which they knew or should have known. For example, if the landlord rented the property in an unsafe condition, the landlord may be liable for the injuries of the person who came onto the property.
Dog Bite Cases
Dog owners are liable to persons injured by their dog regardless of whether the owner knew or did not know of the dog’s viciousness or dangerous propensities. An injured person may also have a claim for negligence where the owner has notice of the dog’s dangerousness but fails to take action to prevent the injury.
Sidewalk Cases
The county government has a duty to keep its streets and sidewalks in a reasonably safe condition. If a defect existed for a length of time that government authorities should have known of the defect, the county government may be liable for your injuries.
Schools, Public Parks, and Library Cases
The government may be liable for your injuries just as other owners and occupiers of property. The government must maintain their properties in a safe condition or they must give adequate warning of any unreasonable risks of harm to persons anticipated to be on their properties.
State and County Highway Cases
Both the State and the County are required to design, construct, and maintain their roadways to ensure that they are reasonably safe. Where the design of a highway is defective or becomes dangerous the government has a duty to warn drivers or correct the danger.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
No matter what your situation is, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney. Louis P. Mendonca, Attorney at Law, will fight to protect your legal rights while you focus on getting better.
