Williamsport Premises Liability Lawyers

Holding Property Owners Accountable for Unsafe Conditions in Williamsport, PA

If your safety is compromised at one of the locations where you shop, work, eat, or visit, you may be able to hold the property owner or manager accountable because of premises liability laws. But in order to do so successfully, you’ll need the support of a Williamsport premises liability lawyer.

How Our Premises Liability Lawyer Can Help

A premises liability lawsuit seeks compensation for an injury caused by a danger on another person’s property. Under Pennsylvania law, the liability of a property owner—especially one who is “out of possession”—depends on whether they knew or should have known about the dangerous condition, or whether they had a contractual duty to maintain the premises. Property owners should warn of hazardous conditions, so you do not injure yourself. When they fail to do so, our premises liability lawyers protect your rights.

In many cases, property owners or occupiers carry what is known as “med pay” insurance coverage. This allows for recovery of unreimbursed medical expenses, hospital costs, and wage losses up to a certain limit—often without requiring proof of fault.

Call Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters at (570) 323-8711 for a free telephone consultation on your premises liability claim.

Our Premises Liability Attorney Seeks Damages

If you were injured or a loved one died due to the negligence of a property owner, you may be entitled to compensation. In cases where a fatal accident occurs, a wrongful death lawyer can help families seek justice and financial recovery for their loss. In cases involving injury, a premises liability attorney could help you recover:

• Medical and hospital expenses
• Lost past and future  wages
• Loss of life’s pleasures
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional and physical distress.

To determine which types of damages you may be eligible to pursue, contact the premises liability lawyers at Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters by calling (570) 323-8711.

We Know Pennsylvania Property Laws

Standing Up for Your Rights and Seeking Justice for Your Injuries

The duty the property owner owes depends on how you came to be on their property where you were injured. You could be there as an invitee, a licensee, or a trespasser.

It’s important to note that in Pennsylvania, there is a legal distinction between a property’s “owner” and its “occupier.” An owner who is out of possession may not be held liable unless they had knowledge of the hazardous condition or agreed—by contract or otherwise—to maintain the property.

1. Invitee

Invitees rightfully enter the property for an express purpose with an invitation from the owner. Examples are shoppers at a grocery store, visitors at a museum, and dinner guests. The duty of care owed to invitees is the highest level under law.

2. Licensee

A licensee is someone who enters another’s premises by permission for his or her own pleasure or benefit, or anyone who enters by authority of law, such as police, firefighters, and emergency responders. A landowner owes licensees a lesser degree of care than an invitee, but there is still a duty.

3. Trespasser

A trespasser is someone who enters another’s property without authorization, invitation, or approval for his or her own purposes or convenience. A landowner generally owes the same duties to a trespasser as to a licensee.

4. Government Property

If the premises where you were injured are owned or maintained by a government entity, there may be additional complexities involving sovereign immunity. These laws can limit or bar claims against public agencies unless very specific legal conditions are met. A premises liability lawyer familiar with governmental claims can guide you through these nuances.

Why Choose Us?

How We Work to Deliver Meaningful Results for Premises Liability Accident Victims

Our premises liability attorneys have spent decades honing their skills and successfully representing Pennsylvania families who have suffered injuries or loss due to someone else’s negligence. With our competent staff, our premises liability attorneys offer strength in experience while providing top-notch personal service.

Our legal team has recovered millions on behalf of injured clients. Contact us today to learn how we fight for fair compensation on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property, it’s natural to have questions regarding your rights and next steps. Below are answers to some of the most common questions our premises liability attorneys hear:

Can anyone besides the property owner be held responsible for my injuries?

In some cases, yes. While property owners are often the primary liable party, others may share responsibility for your injuries, such as:

• Tenants or renters
• Maintenance or construction crews
• Landlords or property managers
• Security companies or guards
• Businesses operating on the premises
• Individuals whose intentional or criminal actions caused the injury.

An experienced Williamsport premises liability lawyer can investigate your claim and help identify anyone who may have contributed to your accident.

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

In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. If your claim involves a government entity, you’ll typically need to notify that agency of your intent to sue within six months of the incident.

Either way, the clock starts ticking the moment you are injured. Therefore, it’s important to talk to a Williamsport premises liability lawyer as soon as possible. The sooner you speak to an attorney, the more time they will have to track down witnesses and build a strong case on your behalf.

What types of premises liability cases do you handle?

Our law firm handles a wide range of premises liability claims, including slip and fall accidents, injuries from falling hazards, dog bites, sidewalk defects, exposed wiring, burn injuries, and more. If you have a question about whether we can assist with your case, contact our team and book a free consultation with us.

What if I was partly at fault for my injuries?

Pennsylvania follows comparative negligence rules, which means that you can recover damages as long as you are not more at fault than the property owner. However, the amount of compensation you receive may be reduced based on your percentage of fault. For example, suppose that you were deemed 30% at fault for your injuries and the property owner was 70% at fault. In that case, your damages could be reduced by 30%.

What kind of compensation can I recover?

If your claim is successful, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other out-of-pocket expenses related to your injury.

If you have questions specific to your case, contact our team today. You can reach us at (570) 323-8711 and book a free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers.

Our Premises Liability Lawyer Fights for You

Premises liability is a complicated area of personal injury law. Liability can depend not only on who owns the property but also on who occupies or maintains it, the type of visitor you were, and even whether governmental immunity applies. Our premises liability attorney can help you understand your rights and recommend the best course of action.

Call our legal team at (570) 323-8711 to schedule a free consultation.

Attorney Cliff Rieders

Cliff Rieders is a Nationally Board Certified Trial Lawyer practicing personal injury law. A large part of his practice involves multi-district litigation, including cases related to pharmaceuticals, vitamin supplements and medical devices. He is admitted in several state and federal courts, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States. Rieders is the past regional president of the Federal Bar Association and is a life member of the distinguished American Law Institute, which promulgates proposed rules adopted by many state courts. He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, formerly Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. As a founder of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, he served on the Board for 15 years.

Not only has Rieders held many highly esteemed, leadership positions, he authored legislation related to the Patient Safety Authority and the Mcare Act, which governs medical and hospital liability actions in Pennsylvania. He authored texts upon which both practitioners and judges rely, including Pennsylvania Malpractice Laws and Forms, and Financial Responsibility Law Issues in Pennsylvania, the latter governing auto and truck collisions in Pennsylvania. In addition, he wrote several books on the practice of law in Pennsylvania regarding wrongful death and survivor actions, insurance bad faith, legal malpractice claims and worker rights, among others. Rieders also serves as a resource to practitioners as a regular speaker for Celesq, an arm of the world’s largest legal publisher, Thomson Reuters West Publishing.

As recognition of his wide range of contribution to his profession and of his dedication to protecting the rights of his clients, he received numerous awards, among them the George F. Douglas Amicus Curiae Award, the Milton D. Rosenberg Award, the B’nai B’rith Justice Award, and awards of recognition from the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers. [ Attorney Bio ]