Bethal Park Premises Liability Lawyer

When you’re invited onto someone else’s property, you expect it to be reasonably safe. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Unsafe conditions—like slippery floors, broken handrails, poor lighting, or unmarked hazards—can cause serious accidents that leave victims facing medical bills, lost wages, and long-term recovery. If you or a loved one has been injured on another person’s property, our Bethal Park premises liability attorney at Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C. can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

Our Bethal Park premises liability attorneys have more than four decades of experience handling personal injury cases in Pennsylvania. We understand the complexities of premises liability law and work tirelessly to hold negligent property owners accountable.

Call (844) 383-0565 or contact us online today for a free consultation.

What is Premises Liability?

Premises liability refers to the legal responsibility of property owners and occupiers to ensure their property is safe for visitors. When owners fail to maintain their property and someone is injured as a result, they can be held liable for the damages.

Premises liability cases can arise from many different scenarios, including:

• Slip and fall accidents caused by wet floors, icy sidewalks, or uneven surfaces.
• Negligent security resulting in assaults or other crimes on poorly monitored properties.
• Swimming pool accidents, such as drownings or injuries due to lack of proper safety barriers.
• Defective conditions, like broken stairs, handrails, or lighting.
• Dog bites or animal attacks on the property.
• Fire hazards or toxic exposure, such as mold, chemicals, or gas leaks.

If your injury happened on another person’s property and was the result of unsafe conditions, you may have a valid premises liability claim.

Pennsylvania Premises Liability Laws

Pennsylvania law requires property owners to exercise “reasonable care” in maintaining their premises. However, the duty owed to a visitor depends on their legal status:

• Invitees – People invited onto the property for business purposes (e.g., customers in a store). Owners owe the highest duty of care, including regularly inspecting the property and correcting or warning about hazards.
• Licensees – Social guests or others with permission to be on the property. Owners must warn them of known dangers that may not be obvious.
• Trespassers – Individuals who enter without permission. Property owners generally owe no duty to trespassers except to refrain from willful or wanton harm. However, there are exceptions, such as when children are involved (e.g., the “attractive nuisance” doctrine, like an unfenced swimming pool).

Additionally, Pennsylvania follows the comparative negligence rule. This means if you are partially at fault for your accident (for example, if you ignored warning signs), your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found more than 50% responsible, you may not recover damages.

Local Ordinances and Property Maintenance in Bethel Park

Property owners in the Municipality of Bethel Park are subject to specific local codes that can play a critical role in your case. When an owner violates a municipal ordinance, it can serve as powerful evidence of negligence. Key local regulations include:

• Sidewalk Maintenance: Property owners are generally responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of sidewalks abutting their land to prevent trip hazards.
• Snow and Ice Removal: Per municipal guidelines, owners must clear public walkways within a reasonable timeframe following a storm. Bethel Park also prohibits shoveling snow back into public roadways, which can create secondary hazards for motorists and pedestrians.
• Vegetation and Sightlines: Ordinances require owners to trim overhanging branches (at least 14 feet above roadways) and keep grass under 8 inches. Overgrown bushes that obscure stop signs or traffic views can lead to complex liability claims if an accident occurs.

Compensation from a Premises Liability Claim

If you’ve been injured due to unsafe property conditions, you may be entitled to financial compensation. The damages available in a premises liability claim often include:

• Medical expenses – hospital bills, surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing care.
• Lost wages – income lost from time off work, and reduced future earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering – compensation for physical pain and emotional distress.
• Loss of enjoyment of life – for long-term or permanent injuries that impact daily living.
• Wrongful death damages – if a loved one dies from a premises-related accident, surviving family members may pursue compensation for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and other damages.

At Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C., we carefully calculate both your current and future losses to ensure you pursue the maximum compensation available under the law.

Proving Liability in a Premises Liability Case

To succeed in a premises liability claim, you must generally prove:

1. The property owner owed you a duty of care
2. A dangerous condition existed on the property
3. The owner knew or should have known about the hazard
4. The owner failed to fix or warn about the condition
5. The dangerous condition directly caused your injuries

Insurance companies often try to deny or minimize these claims. Our firm builds strong cases backed by evidence such as photos, surveillance footage, incident reports, and witness testimony.

Premises Liability Claim FAQs

Do I have a case if I fell on a public sidewalk in Bethel Park?

Potentially. While claims against government entities are more complex and have shorter notice requirements, you may have a claim if the municipality failed to maintain the sidewalk or if a private property owner was responsible for the upkeep of that specific stretch.

What if the hazard was "open and obvious"?

Insurance companies often argue that a hazard was so obvious that you should have avoided it. However, Pennsylvania law is nuanced; even if a hazard is visible, a property owner may still be liable if they should have anticipated that a visitor might be distracted or forced to encounter the hazard.

How do I prove the owner knew about the danger?

We use two types of "notice" to prove negligence:

• Actual Notice: The owner was told about the hazard or saw it themselves.
• Constructive Notice: The hazard existed for such a long time that a reasonable owner should have discovered and fixed it.

How long do I have to file a premises liability claim in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania law gives injured victims two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. Failing to file within this time frame can bar you from recovering compensation.

What if I was partially at fault for the accident?

You may still recover damages if you were less than 51% at fault. However, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

What evidence do I need for a premises liability case?

Evidence can include accident reports, photos of the hazard, witness statements, medical records, and surveillance footage. An attorney can help you gather and preserve this crucial evidence.

Do I need a lawyer to handle my claim?

While it’s possible to file a claim on your own, premises liability cases are complex. Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts. A skilled Bethal Park premises liability lawyer can negotiate on your behalf and build a strong case for full compensation.

How much does it cost to hire Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C.?

We work on a contingency fee basis—meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Contact a Bethal Park Premises Liability Attorney Today

If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property in Bethal Park, PA, don’t wait to seek legal help. The sooner you take action, the stronger your case can be. At Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C., our team is committed to helping victims of unsafe property conditions recover the compensation they need to move forward. We have already recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients.

Contact us today at (844) 383-0565 to protect your rights and clear your path to recovery.