Were You Hurt In A Premises Liability Accident?
Last Updated: August 2026
Establishing Liability In Pennsylvania
Events that are caused by defective or dangerous property inside or outside a building are called premises liability incidents. These accidents can take place at commercial buildings, at private residences, or on public property, including parks, streets or public transportation.
When you have been hurt because of the negligence or recklessness of a property owner, you may get compensation for your injuries from them. In order to collect on an injury claim in Pennsylvania, you must prove that the property owner or other responsible party failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent the injury by showing that certain conditions apply:
- The responsible individual or business failed to carry out the duty they owed you to help keep their property safe
- You were injured
- Your injury was caused by their failure
Our Pittsburgh injury law firm has helped numerous clients with serious personal injuries to establish these conditions and win significant awards of damages based on premises liability. Contact us for a free consultation on the particulars of your case.
Dangerous Conditions On Premises
Premises can be dangerous for many reasons, including faulty design, shoddy construction or building materials, poor maintenance, dangerous clutter, or inadequate safety measures. There are a lot of dangerous conditions and events on premises that can lead to injuries:
- Falling objects
- Lack of security resulting in assault or robbery
- Building collapse
- Fires
- Explosions
- Toxic substances
- Exposed wires resulting in electrocution
- Elevator and escalator malfunction
- Inadequate fencing of swimming pools
Get Help After Serious Injury
We are dedicated to the pursuit of justice and appropriate compensation for accident victims injured on premises. If you or family members have been hurt as a result of dangerous premises, contact us online or call 412-593-5973 for a free consultation to discuss the specifics of your situation. If our firm accepts your case, you will pay nothing out of pocket until we recover compensation for you.
Pennsylvania Premises Liability Claims: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a premises liability claim under Pennsylvania law?
A premises liability claim is a personal injury lawsuit filed when someone suffers harm due to a hazardous condition on another party’s property. In Pennsylvania, land possessors are required to maintain reasonably safe environments for visitors. When property owners fail to repair dangerous hazards or provide adequate warnings, injured victims can seek financial compensation for their resulting damages.
Who is classified as an invitee in Pennsylvania injury cases?
An invitee is someone entering a property for the owner’s financial benefit, such as a customer in a retail store or a member of the public at an open venue. Property owners owe invitees the highest duty of care under Pennsylvania law, requiring regular property inspections, active remediation of hidden hazards, and clear warning signs for unaddressed dangers.
How does Pennsylvania law treat social guests or licensees?
A licensee is a person invited onto a property for social or non-commercial purposes, such as a residential houseguest. Property owners owe licensees a moderate duty of care in Pennsylvania. Owners must fix or warn guests about known, hidden dangers, but they generally are not required to conduct active property inspections to uncover unknown hazards for social visitors.
Does a property owner owe any legal duties to trespassers?
A trespasser enters land without permission or legal right. In Pennsylvania, property owners owe the lowest duty of care to adult trespassers, needing only to refrain from causing willful or wanton harm. However, under the “attractive nuisance” doctrine, owners must take extra precautions to protect child trespassers from dangerous features like unfenced swimming pools or open machinery.
How does the “hills and ridges” doctrine impact winter fall claims?
Pennsylvania’s “hills and ridges” doctrine protects property owners from liability for natural, general icy conditions following winter storms. To recover damages for a slip and fall on ice, an injured victim must prove that ice accumulated in dangerous ridges or elevations, the owner had actual or constructive notice of the hazard, and they failed to act reasonably.
What is the deadline to file a PA premises liability lawsuit?
Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524, the statute of limitations for Pennsylvania premises liability lawsuits is strictly two years from the date the injury occurs. If you fail to file your civil lawsuit before this statutory two-year deadline passes, the court will almost certainly bar your claim permanently, forfeiting your legal right to pursue financial compensation.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault?
Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102, Pennsylvania applies comparative negligence rules. You can recover financial compensation as long as your share of causal responsibility for the accident is not greater than the defendant’s. However, your final payout is reduced proportionally by your fault percentage, and being fifty-one percent responsible bars recovery entirely.
What evidence is needed to prove a property owner was negligent?
Proving negligence requires establishing that a dangerous condition existed, the property owner created it, knew about it, or should have known about it through reasonable maintenance. Essential evidence includes photographs of the hazard, surveillance footage, official incident reports, eyewitness statements, store maintenance logs, medical records, and expert witness testimony regarding property safety standards.
Can a tenant sue a Pennsylvania landlord for a premises injury?
Yes, tenants can sue landlords for injuries caused by unsafe conditions in common areas like hallways, stairwells, and parking lots. A landlord may also be held liable for hazards inside an apartment if they breached a specific lease agreement, violated local housing codes, or knew about a dangerous latent defect prior to leasing and failed to inform the tenant.
What damages can I recover in a premises liability claim?
Victims of premises liability accidents can recover both economic and non-economic damages under Pennsylvania civil law. Recoverable economic damages cover out-of-pocket losses like medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and future earning capacity. Non-economic damages compensate for personal losses, including physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring, disfigurement, and permanent loss of life enjoyment.
What should I do immediately after getting injured on a property?
Immediately seek medical attention for your injuries and report the incident to the property owner or manager, ensuring an official report is written. Take clear photos and videos of the dangerous hazard and your injuries. Gather contact information from any eyewitnesses, preserve the shoes and clothing you wore, and consult a personal injury attorney before giving statement to insurers.
How does notice affect a Pennsylvania premises liability case?
Notice determines whether a property owner knew or should have known about a hazard before your injury occurred. Actual notice means the owner created or was explicitly informed of the danger. Constructive notice means the hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have uncovered it. Establishing either form of notice is essential to proving owner liability.