Whenever a property goes up for sale, there is normally a steady stream of visitors that are interested in buying a home or just curious about the listed property. Either way, you may have been attracted by an “Open House” sign and decided that it’s worth looking into.
There are lots of expectations you may have when you walk into a house, but ending up with an injury is something no one wants to deal with. Hopefully, the property you are viewing is free of hazards that are likely to cause an accident. Unfortunately, things can slip through the cracks when a house, condo, or apartment goes on the market. So, what do you do if you are injured at an Open House? Can you sue the owner of the house, or do you file a claim with the real estate company?
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$1.1 Million
$1.5 Million
$600,000
$525,000
$734,851
Liability by the Property Owner
Even if there is no occupant on a property because it’s listed for sale, owners must understand their obligations under the law of premises liability. Essentially, they may be liable for injuries to anyone that’s on the property if there was an accident due to unsafe conditions.
With an open house, trip and falls are one of the most common sources of injury to guests and visitors. For example, someone coming to an Open House may trip over a crack in the sidewalk or the walkway leading up to the front door. People can also fall down from tripping over loose cords and garden hoses. Or, maybe there is clutter in the garage and poor lighting that makes it hard to see what’s in front of you. As a result, an Open House guest may trip over something on the ground and end up with a fracture, concussion, or some other serious injury.
Problems with the stairs are another source of accidents at Open Houses. With indoor staircases, you may have loose steps that cause people to lose their balance and fall down. Outdoor steps can be cracked or slippery, thereby resulting in a slip and fall accident. Handrails can also inure people when they are poorly designed or broken, which can make someone lose their footing as they go up or down the stairs.
If you sustain an open house injury caused by defective stairs, contact our law firm immediately. We have a team of experienced personal injury attorneys that can help you with any type of accident case against a negligent property owner.
Steps You Should Take
With any of these accidents, it’s essential to document the event as much as possible by taking photos of your injuries and the cause of the accident. You should also notify whoever is on site, like the real estate agent, and seek medical care within the first 48 hours. This step is particularly important, as you will need proof the harm you suffered in order to seek monetary damages. If it’s possible and there are witnesses, try to obtain their contact information, since witness statements can be used as evidence.
Another important step is contacting a lawyer who can investigate your accident and file the necessary paperwork on your behalf. An open house trip and fall attorney here at Normandie is available to speak with you. We can also provide advice and guidance on slip and falls, ceiling / roof collapses, lack of security, animal attacks, and other accidents caused by a property owner’s failure to exercise reasonable care.
Other Parties You can Sue for Injuries at an Open House
If you are injured at an Open House, the owner of the home may not be the only party that you can go after. For example, the real estate agent / agency that’s in charge of the event may be liable for a visitor’s safety during an Open House. After all, they are the one inviting people onto the property, so there is a degree of responsibility that a realtor takes on when they are showing a house.
We also have to think of third parties like staging companies that set up homes with furniture, décor, and other elements to make it look as nice as possible. Whether such a company can be sued for an Open House accident depends on the terms of their contract with the property owner and/or real estate agency. As you can see, these lawsuits can be quite complicated, and that’s why contacting a personal injury attorney is the best course of action if you had an accident while touring a house or some other property at an Open House event.
Make Sure to File Your Lawsuit on Time
Premises liability claims normally have a 2-year statute of limitations. That means you will need to file an injury claim no later than 2 years from the date of the accident. This deadline applies, whether you are suing the owner of the home, the real estate company, or another entity altogether. Keep in mind, however, that there are instances where the deadline can change for an Open House guest injury accident case. An Open House accident lawsuit attorney can help you figure out the time limit that applies to your situation and ensure that an injury claim is filed on time.
Contact Our Law Firm
If you’re searching for the best lawyers for open house cases, look no further than Normandie Law Firm. By contacting us, you will receive a free initial consultation to discuss your rights and legal options. If you are interested in filing an open house accident injury claim, you can count on us to fight for you and the compensation you deserve.
We take all cases on contingency, so there’s no need to pay upfront if you choose to hire us. Legal fees are factored into the amount we negotiate on your behalf, and that means we only get paid by winning your case. Thus, you have a Zero Fee Guarantee from us to ensure that you are not responsible for legal fees, no matter what happens with your lawsuit.
Please take this opportunity to contact our law firm and talk to an open house injury attorney.
