When moving around on another person’s property, you should never have to worry about being injured. Property owners must ensure their premises are safe. They have a legal duty to take reasonable care to prevent injuries that may emanate from various poor conditions on the premises.

Among the conditions that property owners should regularly check is premises lighting. If you have been injured due to poor lighting, you have a right to hold the property owner accountable and file a compensation claim. You can consult a personal injury law firm in Boston to evaluate your options.

What Constitutes “Inadequate” Lighting?

When a property lacks sufficient lighting in areas like the stairways or parking lot, trip and fall accidents may happen. Inadequate lighting reduces visibility and poses a danger to guests and tenants. It makes it difficult to see the path you’re trying to navigate. In addition to slips and falls, poor lighting may also contribute to incidents of violent attacks in poorly lit areas.

Problem Areas for Poor Lighting

Common problem areas for poor lighting include the following:

  • Staircases and stairwells
  • Indoor walking paths
  • Outdoors
  • Exits
  • Swimming pools

Owners must inspect their property to identify hazards and take steps to rectify them or provide warnings about them. If you pursue a case against a property owner for injuries sustained due to poor lighting, your lawsuit will be stronger if you prove that the owner failed to adhere to lighting regulations. A skilled Boston premises liability lawyer can investigate the case to establish the details.

What Are the Most Common Injuries Due to Poor Lighting?

Poor lighting makes it hard to avoid safety hazards when it’s too dark. Slip and fall accidents are the most common incidents in poor lighting conditions. Misjudging steps, shapes, distances, and sizes in the dark is easy. Besides, avoiding slippery floors and parking lot potholes at night may be impossible. 

It’s also a lot more difficult to spot something to grab to break your fall in the dark, which increases the risk of sustaining more severe injuries. Trip and fall accidents expose you to injuries like the following:

  • Cuts and abrasions 
  • Bone breakages and fractures
  • Injuries in the soft tissues, for example, ligament tears and sprains
  • Spinal cord injuries 
  • Traumatic brain injuries 

While the majority of falls are preventable, poor lighting only increases the risk that they’ll happen. An injury due to poor lighting subjects the property owner to legal liability for the damages. Our renowned premises liability attorney in Boston, MA, handles such cases and can help you pursue compensation. 

How Can I Prove That Poor Lighting Was the Reason for My Injuries?

Proving liability in a premises liability case can be complex. It takes more than saying you were injured on the property because of poor lighting. You must show that the property owner was negligent in their duty to maintain the lighting in good working condition. You also must show that they failed to warn you about the hazards they knew or should have known about.

Presenting evidence in a premises liability claim can be challenging, but an experienced premises liability attorney in Boston can help you piece together the following pieces of evidence:

Surveillance Footage

Most premises have CCTV cameras, and video recordings of the area before and during the accident can help prove your case. They can show how long the site has had poor lighting, assisting the attorney in tying the injuries to the condition.

Photos

Photos of you immediately after the slip and fall at the accident scene can help show the hazard that led to the injuries. It can paint a picture of how the accident happened and also capture other essential details you may not be aware of, which could help your case.

Eyewitness Testimony

If there were people who saw the accident happen, their testimony could shed light on what happened and the circumstances surrounding your injury, including the poor lighting in the area. Their deposition can be supporting evidence to the surveillance footage and photos or may be valuable in the absence of the two.

Medical Bills

Records of your emergency treatment following the accident can help prove that your injuries happened due to poor lighting conditions. That’s why it’s crucial to seek treatment as soon as possible after an accident. Waiting until later may provide a leeway for the defendant to argue that you got the injuries elsewhere and not at their premises.

How Can I Hold a Property Owner Responsible for Injuries Sustained Due to Poor Lighting?

The first step in holding a property owner responsible for your injuries is to file a formal complaint with the help of an understanding Boston premises liability attorney. The complaint outlines how you sustained the injuries and how poor lighting conditions contributed to or worsened the situation. Your lawyer will also help you state how Boston premises liability applies to your claim. 

Finally, the attorney will state your demands for relief based on the findings of their investigation of your case. Some damages you can recover include, but are not limited to:

  • Medical expenses 
  • Loss of earning capacity and lost income
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Pain and suffering 

Once the paperwork is complete, the attorney will file it with the appropriate court and serve the defendant. Once the other party replies, you can start building your claim. 

Fight for Your Rights with skilled Representation in Boston

Property owners have a duty to provide a reasonably safe environment for tenants and visitors, including adequate lighting. They should exercise foresight in the sudden changes in the brightness level of various areas to protect people from injuries that may be caused by temporary blindness. If you or your loved one sustained injuries on someone’s property, you could hold them liable for the damages.

Our law firm has skilled and knowledgeable premises liability lawyers who can help you build a strong case. We can take care of everything for you, including facilitating medical care, handling your paperwork, gathering evidence, and defending your rights in court. Contact us to schedule a FREE consultation.