Whose manhole is it?

Who is responsible for a manhole in a planting strip? The city, the building owner, or the business? Or, all three?

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Retail Store Slip and Fall Cases

Slip and fall cases in retail stores are common. Human factors studies and common experience show that when we are shopping our eyes are where retailers want them, on their goods. Also when we are shopping we often are carrying goods or have a shopping cart filled with items obstructing our view. We have the […]

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Injury in Northgate Mall Parking Lot

Many innocently and reasonably assume if they are injured on business property the business’s insurance will pay the personal injury claim, or at least the medical bills. In fact, the claim will almost certainly be denied, even if it is meritorious. A recent Court of Appeals case (although not one of our cases) illustrates how […]

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Recent Slip and Fall Appellate Decisions

In the past few months the Washington Court of Appeals has decided several slip and fall cases (none represented by our law firm). In each of the cases, the injured person lost in the trial court, and then lost again on appeal. [1]  Slip and fall cases are difficult personal injury cases, as these results […]

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Landlord Not Liable When Deck Step Collapsed

Contrary to a commonly held belief, when someone is injured on another’s property it is sometimes difficult to prove liability.  Though not one of our cases, a recent Court of Appeals case illustrates this point. A woman was leaving her boyfriend’s home when she realized she had left her cell phone. When she returned for […]

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Proving a Slip and Fall Injury Case

People injured because of a slip and fall accident may be legally entitled to fair compensation for their injuries. Nevertheless, slip and fall personal injury claims can be among the most difficult claims to pursue. Contrary to a commonly held belief, if you are a social guest and slip and fall on someone else’s property, […]

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Recent Premises Liability Decisions

Two recent appellate decisions illustrate some of the challenges injured parties face in premises liability claims. Our firm did not participate in either of these cases. Chair Collapses and Injures Customer Mark Haubrich went to a pizza place with a friend. They sat outside on the deck. About forty-five minutes later Haubrich’s chair broke where […]

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Recreational Use Statute

Recreational use statutes encourage landowners to open land for public recreational use by providing the landowner immunity from liability for personal injury.  The purpose of the recreational use statute is to encourage the opening of lands to the general public that would otherwise be closed. Immunity under the recreational use statute applies only if 1) […]

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Christmas Cheer and a Broken Arm

Suzette worked for Frontier Bank. In December 2009, her employer instructed her to visit some local businesses that did their baking with Frontier Bank. Suzette visited one such business, walked out, and headed next door to another business. Before she reached the next door Suzette found herself on the ground. She had seen no obstruction […]

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Injured Woman Sues School District

A woman frequently visited a high school to use its running track. On one occasion she took a different route, one that required her to step down from the bleachers onto the track. She did not accurately perceive the rise that separated the bleachers from the track surface. As she took the step, she fell […]

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