Ohio Defective Property Condition Personal Injury Lawyers
Experienced Premise Liability Injury Attorney providing Personal Injury representation involving Defective Property Condition Injury throughout the State of Ohio.
Call TOLL FREE: (800) 848-5297 today to schedule a Free Consultation with on of our Experienced Defective Property Condition Personal Injury Attorneys.
Ohio Premises Liability Attorneys: Fighting for Victims of Property Owner Negligence
A property owner’s negligence can turn a routine visit into a life-changing accident. From an unsecured heavy object falling in a store to a cracked foundation causing structural failure, injuries sustained on someone else’s dangerous property are often severe, sudden, and preventable. In Ohio, property owners, landlords, and businesses have a legal duty of care to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition for guests, tenants, and customers.
If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury due to a dangerous condition on commercial or residential property, our experienced Personal Injury Attorney team is ready to fight for you. We specialize in complex Premises Liability claims, holding negligent parties accountable under Ohio Revised Code and established case law.
Your Rights Under Ohio Premises Liability Law
Success in an Ohio premises liability case requires proving the property owner knew or should have known about the danger. We leverage specific statutes to establish negligence:
- Duty of Care: Property owners owe invitees (customers, tenants, business guests) the highest duty to warn them of known dangers and to keep the premises safe.
- R.C. § 5321.04 (Landlord Duty): This statute imposes a statutory duty on landlords to make all repairs and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition, covering many structural and fixture-related defects.
- Notice Requirement: We prove the owner had Actual Notice (direct knowledge of the defect) or Constructive Notice (the defect existed long enough that they should have known about it through reasonable inspection).
We handle all categories of injury resulting from a property owner’s structural or maintenance negligence:
Falls caused by faulty stairs that break, collapse, or have missing/loose railings are often catastrophic. We investigate violations of Ohio Building Code and landlord duties (R.C. § 5321.04) to prove the owner failed to repair obvious signs of decay or defect, establishing negligence per se.
A structural defect or building collapse due to faulty design or deferred maintenance violates R.C. § 3781.06, which requires buildings to be free from danger of settlement, movement, or collapse. We pursue claims against the owner, contractor, and engineer for all resulting injuries, including TBI and spinal trauma.
Ignoring a cracked foundation that leads to shifting floors or collapsing elements is a breach of the R.C. § 3781.06 duty to maintain stability. We use forensic engineers to prove the foundation defect was the direct cause of the injury-inducing structural instability.
A collapsed ceiling from water damage or internal structural issues is usually a clear sign of poor maintenance. We prove the owner had actual or constructive notice of the water intrusion or crack, and their failure to repair led directly to the severe injuries caused by the falling material.
Balcony and railing failures are often caused by neglect, wood rot, or rusted fasteners. We hold property owners accountable when an unstable balcony or railing fails, citing the high duty of care under Ohio Premises Liability law to maintain safe exterior structures.
A weak or deteriorated deck that collapses under weight is a failure of structural maintenance. We investigate improper anchoring (ledger boards), corrosion, and wood rot to prove the owner had constructive notice of the hazard, violating the safety duty owed to guests.
When falling trees or branches cause injury, we counter the 'Act of God' defense by proving the owner was negligent. We use arborist reports to show the tree was obviously dead or diseased for a significant period, establishing the owner's failure to perform proper tree maintenance.
Unsafe walkways or paths with excessive slopes or unevenness are common trip-and-fall hazards. We use expert measurements and the attendant circumstances doctrine to defeat the open and obvious defense, proving the hazard was unavoidable due to its design or location.
Contact with live, exposed electrical wiring violates R.C. § 5321.04 and building codes, establishing negligence per se. We fight for victims of electrical shock and electrocution, documenting the neurological and severe burn injuries that result from this type of structural hazard.
A defective automatic door that closes unexpectedly or fails to sense a person is a mechanical hazard. We investigate maintenance records and ANSI A156.10 standards to hold the property owner and/or the maintenance company accountable for the resulting crush injuries and trauma.
Elevator or escalator accidents often result from poor maintenance or component failure (e.g., sudden stops, misleveling). We pursue liability against the property owner and the contracted maintenance company, using inspection records to prove the mechanical defect was known but ignored.
Injuries from improperly installed fixtures are a clear case of negligence. We prove that the weight was not adequately supported or that the installation violated Ohio Building Code, making the owner or contractor liable for head and neck injuries caused by the falling object.
Falling Objects and Child Injury Claims
A falling unsecured heavy object in a retail or commercial space often causes severe crush injuries. We prove the owner was negligent by demonstrating they had notice that the shelves or displays were overloaded, improperly anchored, or unstable.
Broken windows or glass fixtures that cause lacerations are hazards that require immediate attention. We pursue claims where the owner failed to repair damaged or shattered glass, or where the glass itself violated safety standards (e.g., using non-tempered glass in high-risk areas).
Children injured on an unsafely constructed playground deserve justice. We apply strict CPSC and ASTM standards to prove the owner failed to maintain safe surfacing or correct defective equipment, securing full compensation for the child's injuries.
Act Now: Ohio's Statute of Limitations (R.C. 2305.10)
A Premises Liability injury can lead to permanent disability, requiring extensive medical treatment and resulting in severe lost wages. We fight tirelessly for recovery covering medical costs, lost income, and Pain and Suffering.
The statute of limitations for a Personal Injury lawsuit in Ohio (R.C. § 2305.10) is typically two years from the date of the injury. Structural evidence fades quickly; do not wait to seek legal counsel.