Premises Liability

Anyone that owns a store, office, hotel, restaurant, apartment complex, or other property should have an attorney specializing in the unique aspects of premises liability law. Our Premises Liability Practice Group attorneys have defended premises liability cases for over 90 years. We not only handle claims alleging violations of the Premises Liability Act but also matters arising from assault & battery, other criminal acts, liquor liability, products liability, outrageous conduct, and wrongful death. Whether your case is a simple slip-and-fall with minor injuries or one involving novel legal theories and catastrophic consequences, we can handle it. We have the resources to quickly evaluate and try complex cases with significant exposure. We serve as local, regional, and panel counsel for leading insurers and property owners. Our attorneys are regular authors and speakers at national legal and industry events.

We won a summary judgment motion for an international hotel franchise alleged to have $20M in exposure for catastrophic injuries sustained in a fall down stairs at an Egyptian hotel. Plaintiff argued that the doctrines of apparent agency and piercing the corporate veil made the franchise responsible.

We globally settled catastrophic claims on behalf of an international mining engineering firm. A “coal burst” trapped and killed 6 miners, and a second collapse during rescue attempts resulted in deaths and catastrophic injuries to others. After initial demands topped $120M from over 100 family members, we negotiated a favorable settlement within insurance limits, with enforceable releases and waivers of subrogation, protecting our client in ensuing litigation.

We won a defense verdict in a jury trial for a luxury hotel in a slip-and-fall case. Plaintiff had slipped after a storm and sustained serious spinal injuries. Plaintiff alleged that design and maintenance issues caused chronic drainage problems, ice accumulation, and safety concerns and sought over $2M.

We won a defense verdict in a jury trial after a woman slipped and fell in a hospital ER. The court had given the jury a spoliation instruction, since events before and after the incident on surveillance video were not preserved. Plaintiff sought $1M.

We secured a directed verdict in a jury trial in which an unruly patron alleged he was assaulted and falsely imprisoned after being escorted out of our client’s establishment following a dispute over a bar tab. Plaintiff’s demand was $7M.

We obtained a directed verdict for a casino operator. Plaintiff tripped and fell into a 20-foot-deep shaft at a construction site where the casino was being built. Plaintiff claimed the operator violated the Premises Liability Act for creating a dangerous condition and not taking precautions to guard it.