Columbia, MD Premises Liability Lawyer

Securing Justice for Premises Liability Victims

Regan Zambri Long has consistently fought to secure meaningful compensation for victims of premises liability accidents. When a young professional suffered traumatic brain damage from a dangerous property condition, our attorneys worked tirelessly to obtain a $16 million settlement that covered extensive medical treatment and long-term care needs. Similarly, when families faced the devastating aftermath of children’s injuries, our team delivered results, securing $10 million for a child harmed on another’s property and winning a $5 million verdict for a 14-year-old who sustained a traumatic brain injury after falling from a high diving board.

These recoveries provided families with essential resources for rehabilitation, specialized care, and future security. Each case represents not just a financial outcome, but a pathway to healing and stability for those whose lives were upended by property owner negligence.

What Qualifies as a Premises Liability Case in Columbia, MD?

Premises liability cases arise when someone is injured due to a dangerous condition on another person’s property. However, that doesn’t mean that being injured on someone else’s property necessarily guarantees a victim a right to compensation. Maryland has laws establishing the duties of property owners in various circumstances. A victim injured on another’s property may have a case if they can show that a property owner didn’t fulfill one of their duties in some capacity.

Consider the following points:

Property Owner Duties Under Maryland Law

In Columbia and throughout Maryland, property owners have a legal obligation to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. Examples of how a property owner may fulfill this duty include:

• Regularly inspecting their property to identify potential hazards
• Upon identifying hazardous conditions, making repairs, or taking other necessary steps to address the issue
• Providing guests with adequate warnings regarding the existence of hazards that may be impossible to eliminate fully

For example: Perhaps the owner of a store at the Mall in Columbia knows of loose floor tiles that could put guests at risk of being injured in a slip and fall accident. The owner has a duty to repair the flooring in a timely manner upon learning of the condition. An injured guest may have grounds to file a claim or lawsuit if they were hurt because a store owner didn’t take these steps in a timely manner.

Legal Status of Visitors Under Maryland Law

The duty a property owner owes to someone on their property is based on the type of visitor in question. Specifically, the extent of a property owner’s duty depends on the visitor’s legal status:

• Invitees: Highest duty of care. These are people invited onto the property for business purposes. For instance, if you’re shopping at a store, you’re an invitee. Be aware that you qualify as an invitee even if ownership didn’t directly invite you. The fact that the store is open for members of the public to shop there means that anyone who does so has been implicitly invited unless they have been barred from the property for any reason.
• Licensees: A common example of a licensee is a party guest or other such social guest. Property owners owe a moderate degree of care to licensees.
• Trespassers: Lowest duty of care. Property owners generally only need to avoid willful or wanton conduct that could harm trespassers. As such, it is very rare (although not impossible) for a trespasser to successfully recover compensation in a Maryland premises liability case.

Elements of a Successful Claim

To win a premises liability case in Columbia, you must prove:

• The property owner owed you a duty of care
• They breached that duty
• Their breach directly caused your injury
• You suffered actual damages as a result

Generating the evidence necessary to show that a property owner breached their duty of care may require conducting an investigation. This is a task our team can assist you with.