Premises Liability Lawyer in Richmond VA
If you were hurt on someone else’s property in Richmond or Central Virginia, Collier & Collier can determine who was responsible and hold them to it. Case reviews are free, and you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
No Recovery,
No Fee
80+ Years Combined
Attorney Experience
4.7 Stars
on Google
Practicing Personal Injury Law
Since 1973
If You Were Hurt on Someone Else’s Property in Richmond
You may have been told this was your fault. The store manager mentioned the wet floor sign. The property manager asked why you were over there in the first place. Insurance companies say it on purpose, before anyone has looked at what happened.
Virginia property owners have a legal duty to keep their property reasonably safe. When they know about a hazard and do nothing, that’s a premises liability claim. Whether you have one depends on facts that can be documented, and that documentation disappears fast.
What Makes Virginia Premises Liability Claims More Difficult
Contributory negligence. If you’re found even slightly at fault, an insurer can deny your claim entirely. It’s the defense you’ll hear most often.
The open and obvious argument. Owners claim the hazard was visible enough that you should have avoided it. Lighting, signage, and sight lines decide whether that holds up.
Notice. You have to show the owner knew about the hazard, or should have, and had time to fix it. Maintenance logs, prior complaints, and surveillance footage are what prove it.
Your status on the property. Virginia owes a customer or tenant more than a social guest, and a social guest more than a trespasser. Insurers sometimes argue for a lower category than the one that applies.
Types of Premises Liability Cases We Handle
Slip and Fall
Wet floors, ice, poor lighting, broken handrails, and unmarked steps in stores, restaurants, parking lots, and apartment buildings. These claims turn on whether the owner knew about the hazard and left it there.
Learn moreConstruction Accidents
Falls from heights, scaffolding and ladder failures, falling debris, and equipment injuries. We don’t handle workers’ comp, but injured workers often have a separate third-party claim worth more than the comp claim.
Learn moreSwimming Pool Accidents
Drownings and near-drownings at apartment complexes, hotels, and neighborhood pools. These cases usually turn on the barrier: a fence too low, a gate that didn’t self-latch, a broken lock nobody fixed.
Learn moreInjuries on Government-Owned Property
Injuries on a public sidewalk, in a government building, at a school, or at a municipal pool come with a much shorter timeline.
Virginia generally allows two years from the date of injury under Virginia Code §8.01-243. But claims against a city, town, or county require written notice within six months under §15.2-209, and other government entities carry their own deadlines. Claims against the Commonwealth of Virginia have a one year notice deadline. Miss the notice window and the longer deadline of two years stops mattering.
Serving Injured Victims Across Richmond and Central Virginia
Our premises liability lawyers represent clients throughout Richmond, Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Hanover County, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, Glen Allen, Short Pump, Ashland, Bon Air, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, Powhatan, Prince George, and New Kent.
We know the Richmond-area courts that hear these cases and the adjusters who handle them.
Premises Liability Claims We Handle in Richmond, VA
Why Choose Collier & Collier
Our attorneys bring more than 80 years of combined experience to every case, but we’re still a small, family-operated firm. You’ll talk directly with the attorneys and staff handling your case.
Premises claims are won on evidence with a short life. Footage gets overwritten. Hazards get repaired. We move early to preserve that proof, and we prepare every case as though it’s going to trial, which puts us in a better position when it’s time to negotiate.
We work on contingency, so there’s no upfront cost and no hourly bill while your case is pending.
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Frequently Asked Question
Talk to a Richmond Premises Liability Lawyer Before the Evidence Is Gone
You generally have two years to file in Virginia, and far less if a government entity owns the property. The sooner we hear from you, the more we can protect. Call Collier & Collier at (804) 364-5200 for a free case review.
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