Ewing NJ Insufficient Lighting Injury Attorneys
Representing Personal Injury Victims in Mercer County, New Jersey
Under New Jersey law, property owners are required to take the appropriate measures to ensure that their premises are sufficiently illuminated. This legal obligation is critical to the safety of their patrons, visitors, employees, and others because insufficient lighting can lead to a variety of serious accidents, such as slip-and-falls, as well as increasing the likelihood of criminal activity. Whether you are in a parking lot, shopping mall, or grocery store, it is the responsibility of those who own these properties to protect you from potential hazards. If these individuals fail to fulfill their duties and you or someone you love is injured as a result, you may have grounds to file a personal injury claim to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, and other costs.
The personal injury lawyers at Cohen & Riechelson will accumulate and organize all of the available evidence to support your claim, including a medical assessment of your injuries and necessary treatment, an analysis of the circumstances that preceded the event, and photographs documenting the site of the incident. Compiling and constructing a compelling argument on your behalf is our priority as we work toward obtaining just compensation for you or your loved one. To discuss your injury case with a member of our legal team at no cost, contact our Hamilton and Pennington, New Jersey offices at (609) 528-2596.
Insufficient Lighting Lawsuits in New Jersey
Under premises liability law, residential and commercial property owners have a legal obligation to ensure the safety of those on their properties. This includes preventing hazards such as ice and snow, as well as criminal behavior such as robberies, carjackings, and assaults. Unfortunately, many property owners fail to take the necessary measures to maintain proper security and innocent victims suffer the consequences. Many premises liability claims stem from insufficient lighting.
When property owners fail to comply with their obligation to maintain safe premises for clients, accidents that could have been prevented with proper lighting may occur. Regardless of the specific incident caused by insufficient lighting, individuals who are injured are not left without recourse. New Jersey provides legal avenues through which these victims can obtain compensation for damages resulting from their injuries, including medical expenses, costs of rehabilitative care, and emotional trauma. A premises liability lawsuit may result if someone is injured due to dangerous circumstances caused by a lack of lighting. With the assistance of a seasoned personal injury attorney, you or someone you love can hold negligent property owners responsible for the damage they have caused.
Insufficient Lighting: A Danger Linked to Accidents and Crime in NJ
When a property leaves clients in the dark, it can create a space rife for accidents involving dangers like unseen potholes, dives in a grassy area, gravel, broken steps, or uneven pavement can all be missed when insufficient lighting exists. Moreover, insufficient lighting can shield potential assailants from identification, making the opportunity to commit crimes more available. In addition, inadequate lighting can disguise potential hazards such as slippery surfaces, cracks, and stairs or changes in elevation. This can leave unsuspecting people vulnerable to slip and falls and the devastating injuries that these accidents often cause.
What Kinds of Accidents Occur Due to Inadequate Lighting?
The most common type of accident with poor lighting is a slip and fall accident. Poor indoor lighting, spills, or imperfections in flooring and carpeting set the stage for this kind of accident. This type of accident is seen most frequently in grocery stores, restaurants, and restrooms. Trip-and-fall accidents occur in stores and businesses with cluttered entrances, aisles or hallways. Mondays are big days for grocery stores to receive new inventory. Display employees can carelessly leave boxes and merchandise in a customer’s path, causing an accident, especially in areas that are not as well-lit. Clothing stores are designed to create a maze-like effect to keep buyers wandering through the store, but when poor lighting mixes with obstacles in their path, a trip-and-fall is bound to happen.
Navigating stairs can be challenging enough, but insufficient lighting can cause a person to tumble down or trip up. Moreover, when those stairs have imperfections or the handrail is broken or loose, the chances of an accident increase substantially. The property owner could be held liable for their negligence.
Poor lighting in stairwells, hallways, and parking lots in commercial areas provide an opportunity for ne’er do wells to take advantage of the conditions. As such, insufficient lighting can provide a stage for muggings, assaults, and robberies.
Top Injuries Caused by Insufficient Lighting Accidents
Tripping or falling can cause a variety of injuries depending on where and how a person falls or the speed at which they were moving at the time of the injury. These can range from scrapes and bruises to more serious injuries such as broken bones, lacerations, torn ligaments, back and neck trauma, sprains, and concussions. Someone who is slowly walking down an aisle and slips on a wet floor may not experience as significant an injury as someone who is running to catch the bus and trips on a box misplaced at a store entrance. Additionally, serious injuries and even death can be sustained as the result of a violent crime in a poorly lit area.
Lighting Requirements for General Areas vs. Movie Theaters in New Jersey
Movie and live theaters use special lighting to enhance the show’s effect. However, they are still required to have bright lighting in hallways, restrooms, lobbies, and parking lots to protect the safety of their patrons. The theaters’ layout must facilitate the movement of theatergoers by providing floor lighting or ushers and clearly marked pathways.
What Evidence Supports a Claim for Injuries Due to Insufficient Lighting?
Our experienced personal injury lawyers will investigate to show how your injuries resulted from the property owner’s negligence. Photographs of the scene and closed-circuit video clearly depict the accident. Interviews and statements from witnesses who observed the accident can be helpful for your case. Reports from law enforcement and the medical team who provide for your care are valued additions to the evidence for your case. You will also need to prove that you were legally on the property.
The statute of limitations is two years from the date of the accident. We want to work with you and start building your case as soon as possible. It is vital that we gather evidence while it is still available. Videos can be deleted, and witnesses can have foggy memories as time passes. Compiling the evidence in your favor is a process that is better completed with time and expertise. This is not something you want to rush. Our seasoned attorneys will deftly acquire the facts and evidence to support your case. Don’t delay in contacting our personal injury team to review your case and explore your legal options.
Obtaining Compensation for Inadequate Lighting Injuries
There is no cookie-cutter answer to the potential compensation available for injuries caused by inadequate lighting. An important factor is the kind of accident experienced and the related injuries. Physically, your injuries can range from uncomfortable to life-threatening. Healthcare is expensive; emergency room and ambulance rides can break the bank. Extended hospital stays, ongoing home care, medications, and physical therapy all add to major expenses you are unprepared for.
When an accident occurs, you suffer emotionally as well. The trauma related to an accident (or assault if that is the case) can lead to anxiety, insomnia, and stress. If you are unable to work, you may worry about providing for your family. If you are seriously injured, there may be a loss of consortium and your mobility may be affected, leaving you isolated. Considering all of the relevant factors in your case, our attorneys will determine the full scope of your damages and advocate for the total compensation you are entitled to.
Contact Our Mercer County NJ Personal Injury Attorneys for Assistance with Your Inadequate Lighting Case
Contact the law offices of Cohen & Riechelson at (609) 528-2596 or (215) 337-4915 for immediate assistance if you or someone you love was injured as a result of insufficient lighting on a commercial or residential property in New Jersey. One of our personal injury attorneys will evaluate every component of your premises liability case in order to ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve.
Serving Lawrence, Monroe, Titusville, Hopewell, Ewing, Trenton, Princeton, Hamilton, and throughout Burlington, Mercer, Camden, and Middlesex County in New Jersey, our legal team is here to help. If you or someone you know would like to know more filing a lawsuit for injuries in an accident caused by lack of sufficient lighting on someone else’s premises, call us today at (609) 528-2596 or contact us online to receive a free consultation.
