Porch Injuries

The Boston Personal Injury Attorneys at Burns & Jain know that accidents can happen anywhere, including right on the front porch. Premise liability law says that property owners are responsible for making sure that their property is maintained in such as way as to provide safety for any guests, customers, or employees. When a property owner fails to do this, he or she can be held liable, and ordered to pay compensation for the time loss from work, medical bills, mental anguish, pain and suffering and even accidental death of the victim of any accidents on the property.

Porch Injuries Happen In Every Season

There are unfortunately many reports of porch injuries each year due to the collapse of porches, balconies, and roofs. They can be caused by an accumulation of leaves in the fall, snow or ice in the winter, or pollen in the spring. They can be caused by lack of repair or failure to simply pick up slippery items. Porch injuries often occur when floorboards are loose and cause the victim to suffer a slip and fall accident.

When such a serious accident occurs, there can be multiple victims with a number of injuries. Bones can be broken, busted wood and metal can stab into the victims, and they can be crushed under the weight of the fallen structure. The results can be devastating. Porch injuries such as broken bones, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury an even wrongful death can leave a family with mounting medical bills, loss time at work, and a family member in need of constant care.

Who’s to Blame for Porch Injuries?

In many cases, the property owner is responsible for porch injuries. There are often two defendants – a property owner and a maintenance company. An improperly maintained porch, balcony, or deck can cause hazards to anyone who uses them. Wood weakens or rots and must be replaced over time. Nails, screws, and bolts can loosen, causing dangerous conditions. Concrete porches need maintenance too as snow and ice cause cracks which can fill with water. It is the responsibility of the property owner to perform routine maintenance and schedule inspections to keep the property safe. Failure to do so can cause serious porch injuries, or even death. When this happens due to negligence on the part of the property owner or maintenance contractor, he or she can be found liable in court.

Porch Injures Covered by Property Insurance

Luckily for many victims of porch injuries, most porch injuries are covered by the property insurance of the owner. A good premise liability and personal injury lawyer will know how to fight against insurance companies who try to deny coverage for such an accident. The attorneys at Burns & Jain understand how the insurance companies work, and will demand a full investigation of your claim. They have the experience to get monies for victims of such accidents, and compensation to cover medical bills, loss of time at work, pain and suffering and other financial hardships, and even lost income due to wrongful death. Please call us today for your always free consultation to see if we may be able to help you too.