When a home hits the market for sale, it is usually shown by a real estate agent. These agents handle the process of buying and selling homes, often representing homeowners, renters, banks, and property owners. During the viewing, or open house, the real estate agent or company is responsible for the property and can be held liable if any injuries occur. Although real estate agents do not live in the homes and must not consistently maintain the safety of the property, they must take care to prevent other people from being harmed while viewing the home. There are numerous ways prospective renters or buyers can sustain injuries, and the circumstances may lead to legal action and financial compensation. Our lawyers at Normandie Law Firm can help you file your premises liability lawsuit against the responsible party.
Open House Information
Generally, open house viewings are scheduled so that individuals interested in renting or purchasing an apartment or a house can check out the property. They may inspect all the rooms in the house, including the attic and basement, as well as the exterior, such as the lawn and backyard. Buyers are, naturally, unfamiliar with the layout of the house and will not be prepared or aware of any potential hazards.
Ways Open House Injuries Can Occur
Real estate agents showing homes to prospective buyers should be aware of the various hazards present on the property. They should know what can cause injuries and where these injuries may happen. Many people are busy looking at the contents of the home or inspecting parts of the house to pay careful attention to certain details. Some of the ways in which people can be injured while at an open house viewing are:
- Slip and fall or trip and falls: By far the most common type of incident in open house viewings, slip and fall accidents occur for any number of reasons. There may have been loose carpeting that the victim got snagged on while walking, or the floors may have been freshly waxed, leading to an extremely slippery surface. Also, if the home is not fully empty yet or if renovations are still ongoing, there may be various materials and belongings left strewn about; small objects can make viewers trip. Some have fallen down the stairs and slipped outside near pools and playground equipment, leading to numerous injuries.
- Doors falling: Although doors are generally very sturdy, there is the chance that the hinges wore down from overuse. Newly installed doors also may not have been properly affixed. Viewers have tried to open these doors only to have the doors fall on them; heavier doors lead to more severe damages, of course.
- Ceilings falling: Some ceilings have sustained water damage while others have rotted due to mold and other factors. Ceilings in other locations, such as sheds or garages, may not be as sturdy and can fall or cave in.
- Fans breaking: Ceiling fans that have faulty wiring or are not properly fastened to the ceiling can fall when someone pulls the switch to activate them. These fans may be very large and very heavy, leading to extremely debilitating head and shoulder injuries.
- Faulty stairs: Some stairs may rot through and can give in at a moment’s notice, while others may be loose and cause you to lose your footing. Outdoor stairs that lead to another level of the home or to a different part of the property should be properly maintained.
- Holes in ground: It is very easy to step in a hole and fall over; the grass and shrubbery may mask these holes, and some wild animals may dig them, unbeknownst to the realtors.
- Miscellaneous objects falling or toppling: If the house is pre-furnished or decorated, various objects can fall from walls (paintings, prints, ornaments, and more) or off shelves (vases, flower pots, household appliances, and others).
- Burns: Faulty wiring can cause electrical burns, while candles and fireplaces that have been lit in preparation for the viewing could cause thermal burns.
Some of the injuries you can receive include:
- Broken bones
- Fractures and sprains
- Concussions
- Head injuries
- Shoulder damage
- Hip damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Cuts, bruises, lacerations, and abrasions
- Internal organ damage
- Nerve damage
- Torn muscles
If you have been injured during a home viewing, you could sue for damages. Call one of our Los Angeles attorneys for more help.
Legal Information
If you plan to file a lawsuit against the liable realtor or real estate agency, you must be able to show a few points of negligence. These points are the basis of premises liability cases. They are as follows:
- The property was unsafe in some manner
- The realtor knew or should have reasonably known about the hazard
- The realtor did not fix the hazard or warn you about the possibility of danger
- You were injured in an accident because of the hazard
Realtors should take care to protect viewers and potential renters from as many hazards as possible. They should examine the property themselves first and do what must be done to secure the house, such as covering any holes outside or blocking off stairwells that are potentially dangerous. If the floors were freshly waxed or if a carpet has a tendency to make people trip, he should alert the viewers to the hazards and fix the problem or remove the hazard.
Alerting the viewers to the different hazards is a key point of open house meetings. Realtors must inform those who may buy the property that there are certain dangers present on the premises. Even if a home is sold, the real estate agency may still be held responsible for certain dangers if they are not fixed immediately or when the rents are moving in.
With the help of an open house injury lawyer, you can file an open house premises liability lawsuit against the liable real estate agency.
Why Hire an Attorney?
If you are planning on filing an open house injury lawsuit, you may feel as though you do not need an attorney. Your case may be open and shut, but if you do not have the time or energy to dedicate to negotiating a settlement and meeting with insurance agents, you may not receive any compensation at all.
Your injuries may prevent you from doing anything strenuous for some time, and the stress from pursuing a lawsuit by yourself can delay your recovery time and worsen your injuries. We recommend enlisting the help of legal counsel to ensure that you are fairly represented and have the best chance at receiving a settlement for your damages. A Los Angeles open house injury lawyer can assist you to sue the real estate agent or sue the real estate agency.
Restitution for your Injuries
With the help of our expert attorneys, you can receive various kinds of compensation for your injuries. You may be able to be reimbursed for your medical expenses from the past and future, lost wages from the past and future, property damage, and emotional pain and suffering.
In the event that a family member or loved one dies during an open house viewing because of hazards present at the home, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible party. This lawsuit will enable you to collect compensation for funeral expenses, pre-death medical expenses and pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of expected savings and inheritance, and more.
Don’t let your open house injuries prevent you from receiving what you deserve. Get in touch with one of our lawyers today.
Normandie: Open to All
Our Los Angeles law group, Normandie Law Firm, is a premier team dedicated to helping victims of accidents. We have handled dozens of open house injury claims and promise to do our utmost to bring you the maximum settlement available. We will work to bring you restitution you are satisfied with, and if we cannot bring you a reasonable offer, we will take your case to court and fight for your rights before a jury and judge.
Call us today to speak with an accomplished lawyer and to schedule a free legal consultation. You can receive crucial information about premises liability lawsuits that will help you determine what the best course of action is, and we will gladly look over your case and tell you what we believe we can earn for you. If you hire us for our legal representation, we will also give you a zero fee guarantee. This promise means that you will pay us no out of pocket expenses for our services – we do not get paid unless and until we win your case, and the expenses will come from the settlement we earn for you. You do not have to pay us anything at all if we lose, and we will eat the costs of the case ourselves.
Reach out to an open house injury attorney in Los Angeles for more information.
