If you got injured on someone else’s property in Wisconsin, such as by slipping and falling at a business or getting bitten by an unrestrained dog, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses.
You have the right to hold a negligent property owner accountable under Wisconsin premises liability law if they knew about and failed to address the hazard that caused your injury.
What Duty Does a Property Owner Owe You?
Wisconsin property owners generally owe lawful visitors a duty to use reasonable care.
This includes invitees entering for business purposes and licensees entering with the property owner’s permission. The Wisconsin Safe Place Statute adds heightened protections for employees and visitors to public buildings and workplaces by requiring safe construction, repair, and maintenance.
Depending on the type of accident and where it occurred, responsible parties may include property owners, landlords, business operators, government entities, or dog owners who failed to control a dangerous animal.
What Steps Should You Take Right After the Injury?
In the immediate aftermath of an injury accident on someone else’s property, take the following steps to protect yourself:
- Seek medical attention right away and follow the doctor’s treatment recommendations.
- Document the hazard and the surrounding area through photos and videos.
- Get the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident.
- Report the incident to the property owner.
- Avoid giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters without your attorney’s input.
How Does Comparative Negligence Affect Your Claim?
Whether you bear partial responsibility for the accident can affect your ability to recover compensation.
Under the doctrine of comparative negligence in Wisconsin, if you bear more than 50 percent of the fault for your injury, state law bars you from financial recovery.
For example, if you were texting while walking through a grocery store and slipped on an unmarked spill, both you and the business owner may share responsibility for the accident.
It’s up to the court to determine precise shares of fault. Having an attorney on your side who can push back against unfair attempts to blame you can mean the difference between recovering some compensation for your losses and having to shoulder the financial burden on your own.
Why Choose LawtonCates for Your Injury Claim
LawtonCates has a track record of success going back nearly 70 years. We’ve secured favorable outcomes for numerous residents of South Central Wisconsin in premises liability cases.
These include a recent $400,000 trial verdict in a dog bite case, as well as several six-figure settlements in similar cases.
While past results do not guarantee future results, we’re committed to helping you fight for compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other accident-related losses.
Contact Our Wisconsin Premises Liability Attorneys to Learn More
If you were injured in an accident due to a hazard on someone else’s property, turn to a skilled premises liability lawyer in Wisconsin from LawtonCates for the support you need.
We work on a contingency basis, which means we don’t charge a fee unless and until we recover compensation for you.
Contact us right away to get started with a free, no-obligation, fully confidential consultation.
