Office Building Premises Liability

Business owners, landlords and homeowners generally have a duty to protect others from dangerous conditions on their property. When an owner creates a serious hazard that causes harm, our attorneys can evaluate and, if appropriate, pursue a claim.

Dangerous conditions can mean an unsafe construction zone or sidewalk, inadequate security, or any other safety violation or condition that poses a risk of injury to someone.

In this context, people visiting office buildings and museums can be injured by faulty stairs or railing; substances left on the floor; cracked or broken sidewalks or sidewalks with leaves, ice or other debris; and loose manhole covers. Injury risks may increase when buildings are abandoned without adequate security. Abandoned buildings and abandoned factories can be very dangerous places that provide unsafe conditions. Injury can result from a variety of things including: broken windows, broken equipment, down power lines that can electrocute a person, utility poles or guy wires in disrepair or harmful coal dust. 

Other dangers lie in the abandoned structure and abandoned parking lot. Injury or death can be caused by inadequate security allowing a shooting, stabbing, rape, robbery, theft, assault, murder or other criminal activity to occur where none would otherwise occur with proper security. Inadequate security can take the form of failure to post security guards, failure to provide sufficient lighting, and failure to provide working locks on doors and latches on windows.

If you have been injured on another's property, it is important to have an Oregon attorney evaluate any claim you may have against the land owner, manager or landlord. The law provides strict deadlines for bringing injury, insurance and wrongful death claims. It is critical that you contact an attorney if you think that you may have a claim. An Oregon or Washington personal injury attorney based in Portland at Vangelisti Kocher LLP can provide you a free consultation to discuss your injuries and legal rights with respect to a premises liability claim.