Premises Liability due to Inadequate Lighting

On August 28, 2018 by No Comments

While sometimes overlooked, inadequate lighting in homes or businesses is the cause behind all types of injuries. Even those with 20/20 vision are impaired significantly when a room’s lighting is insufficient. Property owners are required by law to ensure that individuals legally allowed on their property are kept reasonably safe. As such, individuals injured as a result of inadequate lighting may have a claim for compensation from the property owner.

Injuries Sustained from Insufficient Lighting:

Falls account for many of the injuries sustained as a result of inadequate lighting.  However, accidents such as collisions with unseen objects or persons can be equally serious. Injuries sustained due to poorly lit spaces include:

• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Back and Neck Injuries
• Hip Fractures
• Broken Bones
• Strains/ Sprains

When is a Property Owner Liable?

In certain cases, a property owner is held liable for injuries resulting from inadequate lighting. This is generally determined by whether the injury occurred due to the negligence of the property owner. A property owner is considered negligent if he/she knew about the unsafe condition prior to the incident. Instances when the owner should have known about the unsafe condition are also considered negligence. Furthermore, it is up to the plaintiff to link the injury directly to the poor lighting conditions. Granted that the victim was on premises legally, the property owner must compensate for the injury.

Compensation for premises liability claims covers medical bills and expenses, as well as lost wages if the injury puts the victim out of work.

Filing a Premises Liability claim for Inadequate Lighting:

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to an improperly lit room, it is important that you contact an experienced premises liability attorney as soon as possible. He/ she will help you to determine if negligence occurred, and seek compensation on the victim’s behalf.