Portland Premises Accident Lawyer

Skilled Premises Accident Lawyers Serving Portland, Oregon

Travis Mayor is a seasoned personal injury attorney in Portland with extensive experience in guiding clients through the complex legal and insurance processes necessary to secure justice and the highest possible compensation for premises liability injuries. You don’t have to face the insurance companies on your own to achieve fair and just compensation. At Mayor Law, we possess a deep understanding of the laws and legal procedures impacting accident victims in personal injury cases. If your case proceeds to trial, you’ll want a skilled Portland premises accident lawyer who can thoroughly investigate and document the facts, gather expert witnesses, and effectively present your case to an Oregon jury. Travis Mayor understands the significance of your case to you—and it’s equally important to him. Reach out to us for a free case evaluation or call (503) 610-0005.

Premises accident claims, often referred to as premises liability claims, arise from injuries sustained due to hazardous conditions on someone else’s property, such as in retail stores, office buildings, government facilities, commercial and industrial sites, recreational areas, and residential properties. The most common premises accident injuries involve slips, trips, or falls caused by uneven surfaces, spills, or faulty stairs and handrails. While many of us have experienced slip and fall incidents without serious injury, it’s important to recognize that such accidents send more people to Oregon emergency rooms each year than any other type of accident. In fact, CDC data reveals that falls are the leading cause of ER visits among children and older adults, accounting for over 15,000 visits per day [1]. Premises liability claims encompass more than just slip, trip, and fall injuries—they also include accidents caused by:

Defective or inadequate building security – leading to injury or assault.
Inadequate maintenance of the premises – such as poor lighting, spills, chemical leaks, malfunctioning ventilation systems, faulty fire suppression systems, unanchored floor mats, debris obstructing access, protruding objects, inadequate housekeeping, missing or insufficient signs, and lack of handrails or guardrails.
Defective conditions on the premises – including collapsing staircases, falling objects, blocked exit or fire doors, building code violations, barriers that limit access to unsafe areas or conditions like construction sites, and insufficient handicapped access.
Dangerous activities being conducted on the premises.
Amusement park accidents – resulting from unsafe rides or failed equipment.
Defective stairs, elevators, or escalators.
Unsafe attractive nuisances – such as abandoned cars, construction sites, man-made ponds, lakes, fountains, discarded appliances, holes in the ground, piles of junk, and other equipment that poses an “attractive” danger to children.
Swimming pools – including unsupervised or unsecured pools, and a lack of swimming pool fences with functional access-limiting gates.
Leaks from toxic fumes or chemicals.
Fires.
Snow and ice – leading to slippery sidewalks, parking lots, and common areas.

Duties Owed to Others by the Owner or Occupier

In Oregon, the responsibilities of a landowner or occupier toward visitors depend on the visitor’s status at the time of the injury-causing incident. There are three recognized categories of visitor status: invitee, licensee, and trespasser. Generally, the level of care owed by a land occupier to an invitee is higher than that owed to a licensee, and the duty owed to a licensee is more significant than that owed to a trespasser. Invitees are individuals who are invited onto the property, such as customers in retail stores or citizens on public sidewalks. Licensees enter the property for their own purposes with the owner’s permission, while trespassers enter without the owner’s or occupier’s consent.

Typical Injuries from Premises Accidents

Premises accidents frequently result in severe injuries that necessitate extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care. Statistics indicate that 1 in 5 falls lead to serious injuries, such as broken or fractured bones and head trauma. Falls are, in fact, the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI)[2].. A typical premises liability accident can cause significant injuries, including:

Broken and fractured bones – hip fractures, femoral neck fracture, intertrochanteric hip fracture, intracapsular fracture, distal radius fracture.
Wrist fracture — Colles’ wrist fracture, transverse wrist fracture, open fracture, comminuted fracture, intra-articular fracture, extra-articular fracture.
Head, skull, and brain injuries – traumatic brain injury, concussion, skull fracture, hematoma, hemorrhage, brain edema, and diffuse axonal injury.
Neck and spine injuries — cervical spondylosis, herniated disk, slipped disk, spinal cord injury (SCI).
Wrongful death – 2^nd leading cause of accidental death behind car accidents[3].

If you’ve been seriously injured on someone else’s property due to a hazardous condition or activity, you may be entitled to compensation to cover your recovery and alleviate your suffering.

At Mayor Law, we specialize in premises injury cases and are exceptionally equipped to handle your claim. Portland premises accident lawyer, Travis Mayor, is dedicated to pursuing justice and maximizing financial compensation for clients who have been injured due to someone else’s negligence in a premises accident. With a background as a former insurance defense lawyer, Travis has insider knowledge of how insurance companies assess cases, push for low settlements, and strategize for trial. This unique perspective, along with his extensive experience in managing hundreds of personal injury cases, enables Travis to achieve remarkable results. He knows how to effectively pursue personal injury claims, having secured millions of dollars in settlements, jury verdicts, and arbitration awards for his clients.

Examples of a Premises Accident Case

Example 1: A successful settlement was achieved for a client who sustained injuries at a retail grocery store. The client, who was lawfully on the property to deliver goods to the store’s loading dock, suffered head and neck injuries when a heavy steel roll-up door malfunctioned and fell on him. It was discovered that the door was defective and had malfunctioned in a similar manner before the incident.

Example 2: Travis Mayor secured a favorable outcome in an arbitration case involving a hazardous condition in a Dairy Queen parking lot. The client, a customer, stepped into an unmarked hole, causing her to fall and suffer a broken arm and elbow. As a medical transcriptionist, she was unable to work, leading to significant income loss. The parking lot was poorly lit, and the hole was not visible at night. Despite Dairy Queen’s denial of responsibility, the arbitrator ruled in favor of the injured customer, ordering Dairy Queen to compensate her for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Do I need a premises accident lawyer?

In Oregon, property owners or occupiers (including tenants) have specific obligations to ensure the safety and security of individuals invited onto their property. They are required to maintain the property in a reasonably safe condition and to exercise due care in identifying any conditions that might pose an unreasonable risk of harm to visitors. If such a dangerous condition is found, the property owner or occupier must either remove the hazard or adequately warn visitors of its existence. Failure to meet these responsibilities can result in the owner or occupier being held liable for any injuries that occur as a result.

Premises liability cases can be complex, often requiring prompt investigation to establish crucial facts—particularly concerning what the owner or occupier knew, or should have known, about the hazardous condition that caused the accident. This is where a Premises Accident Lawyer becomes essential, as they can secure the necessary evidence before it’s lost or memories fade. The circumstances surrounding a hazard that has existed for several months, without being addressed by the owner, differ greatly from a spill that happened just moments before and is in the process of being cleaned. To succeed in your case, it’s crucial to establish the following:

The property owner or occupier had a duty to provide a safe environment, demonstrating that they owned, controlled, or managed the premises.
There was knowledge or awareness of the hazard: the owner or occupier knew, or should have known, that the hazard posed a risk to visitors and failed to take action to mitigate it.
The hazard was indeed dangerous and not a minor issue.
You suffered injuries and incurred damages, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, due to the hazardous condition.

Although proving these points may seem straightforward, it often isn’t. For example, if you slipped on a wet floor in a store and suffered a spinal injury, it might appear to be an open-and-shut case. However, the legal team defending the store might use video footage to challenge your claim:

Did you fall because you were off-balance?
Were you moving too quickly?
Could the presence of your children close by have contributed to your fall?
Were you distracted by your cell phone, causing you to miss seeing the hazard or warning signs?
Have you had similar falls in the past?
Were you paying attention to where you were walking?

These are common tactics used to cast doubt on who was actually at fault, potentially suggesting that you were partly or fully responsible for the accident. If they succeed in creating doubt about your role in causing the incident, your chances of winning the case may diminish. This is why having a skilled and knowledgeable Portland premises accident lawyer on your side is crucial to protecting your interests.

Why is it important to retain a premises accident lawyer that does not shy away from litigating personal injury cases?

Dealing with large companies and their insurance carriers is a difficult and complex task. They are schooled in how to approach and defend personal injury cases. Depending on the facts of the case, they typically pursue several strategies including denying they knew about the hazard, or they were in process of actively correcting the hazard, or you, the victim, contributed or caused the accident with your unreasonable behavior. It is necessary for you to go on the offensive and obtain the legal resources to investigate the accident, and gather supporting facts and witness statements before evidence disappears and witness’s memories blur.

“I have reached final settlements that were 10x times greater than the initial offers simply because we do not shy away from litigating cases.” — Premises Accident Lawyer, Travis Mayor

In the early stages of the case, the defendant’s insurance company will typically make an “initial low-ball” settlement offer, without admitting fault, in an attempt to make your claim go away. They are testing your resolve to pursue the case. Having legal representation on your side who is not interested in quick, but unfair settlements sends a clear message that we have a great case and won’t settle for low-ball offers. In many cases, I have reached final settlements that were 10 times greater than the initial offers simply because we do not shy away from litigating the case.

What type of damages can I recover if I’ve been injured in a slip and fall, or other premises accident?

When property owners or occupiers fail in their duty to maintain a safe and hazard-free environment, they can be held responsible for the harm that results. Recovering from serious slip and fall incidents, trip and fall accidents, or other premises-related injuries can be costly, often requiring months of medical treatment and, in some cases, lifelong care. To seek compensation for these damages, it’s advisable to enlist the help of an experienced Portland Premises Accident Attorney who understands how to recover various forms of compensation, including:

Medical expenses – covering hospitalization, doctor visits, medications, and treatments
Long-term medical care, physical therapy, and occupational therapy
Lost wages or income – both during your recovery period and potentially in the future
Additional expenses – such as transportation, household assistance, and personal care
Long-term care – for managing the effects of traumatic brain injuries or other physical and mental impairments
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress

Securing compensation for slip and fall accidents or other premises liability cases with significant damages is often a complex and time-consuming process. This task is best handled by skilled legal professionals. Typically, you will be dealing with two powerful entities: the property owner or tenant and their insurance company, both of which are backed by experienced lawyers. These organizations are well-versed in defending against slip and fall or premises liability claims, so it’s essential to have an equally knowledgeable and aggressive Premises Accident Lawyer on your side.

Getting Results for Families in Portland Oregon Premises Liability Cases

At Mayor Law, it is our goal to help the families of Oregon premises accident victims achieve justice and restore their lives. Portland premises accident lawyer, Travis Mayor will help you by reducing the hassle, complexity, and anxiety of navigating the legal process, while maximizing your financial compensation. Travis Mayor has recovered millions of dollars for families of personal injury victims. For every Oregon client who has suffered through serious a premises injury accident, Travis offers personal service with proven results.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation and case evaluation. At Mayor Law, LLC, we understand the legal implications of a premises injury lawsuit. More importantly, we understand your family’s pain. We use our experience, knowledge, and resources to build a strong case and secure the compensation you need to cope with the injury for potentially years to come.

Please review our clients’ personal accounts of working with attorney Travis Mayor: Google+, Yelp, and AVVO pages.

Articles of interest and additional resources:

[1] Source: https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html, and https://www.cdc.gov/safechild/Falls/index.html.

[2] Source: https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html.

[3] Source: https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html.

Client Review

J.I. – Former Client