Getting justice for your child after a premises injury

If you have a teenage child, you’ll likely allow them to socialize with their friends and go to vicinities such as shopping malls without adult supervision. If you do this, you’ll have confidence that they can act responsibly and as an adult would in most situations.

Therefore, if they become injured when they are on a public premises, you’ll want to question why this happened. While you may immediately assume that your child’s young age led them to behave in a way that brought about their injury, you should remember that all premises have the responsibility to keep their guests safe. This means that, in certain circumstances, you may be able to gain compensation and damages in the aftermath of your child’s injury on a public premises. The following are things that you should consider before making a claim.

What caused the accident?

The cause of the accident is an important factor to consider before making a premises liability claim. The cause may be difficult to decipher if you were not present at the scene, but statements from your child and witnesses will be able to help. Being able to show that your child did not act in a reckless manner and that the accident was caused by a dangerous condition on the premises is important if you want to be successful in gaining damages.

Was the premises negligent?

You should be able to pinpoint the way in which the premises was negligent. Public premises have the duty to keep visitors safe whenever reasonably possible. This means that if your child was on a premises such as a shopping mall or restaurant, the premises owed a legal duty to them. If you can show that the premises failed in this duty through negligence, you’ll be able to gain compensation. For example, if broken glass was left on a wet floor and your child slipped and injured themselves, the premises may be held liable because they failed to make safe this dangerous condition.

If your child has been injured when on a premises, you should take swift action to learn whether you can hold the premises owner liable. Doing so could lead you to gain back all associated damages, as well as additional compensation.