When you visit a hotel, casino, grocery store, or apartment complex in Las Vegas, you expect to be safe. Property owners have a legal responsibility to keep their land and buildings free from dangerous hazards. If they fail to do this and you get hurt, you shouldn’t be left paying for their mistakes.

At The Super Lawyer, we help victims of negligence fight for the compensation they need to recover. If you were injured on someone else’s property, our Las Vegas premises liability lawyers are here to listen to your story and explain your legal options.

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability is a specific area of personal injury law. It holds property owners and managers accountable when unsafe conditions on their property cause an injury. It is not enough to simply get hurt on someone’s property; you must prove that the owner was negligent.

In Nevada, this means showing that the owner knew—or should have known—about a danger and failed to fix it or warn you about it. Whether it is a spill on a casino floor or a broken light in a parking lot, owners have a duty of care to keep visitors safe.

Common Premises Liability Accidents in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a busy city with millions of visitors. Unfortunately, this means accidents happen frequently. We handle a wide range of cases, including:

• Slip and fall accidents: These are the most common claims. They can happen due to wet floors, spilled drinks, or freshly mopped tiles without warning signs.
• Trip and fall accidents: Caused by uneven sidewalks, torn carpeting, or loose cables.
• Negligent security: If a property lacks proper lighting, security guards, or working locks, and you are assaulted, the owner may be liable.
• Pool accidents: slippery decks, lack of supervision, or faulty gates.
• Elevator and escalator accidents: Malfunctions due to poor maintenance.
• Falling objects: Items falling from high shelves in stores.

Understanding Your Status: Invitee, Licensee, or Trespasser

Under Nevada law, the duty of care a property owner owes you depends on why you were on the property. There are three main categories of visitors:

1. Invitee

An invitee is someone who has permission to be on the property for business purposes. This includes shoppers in a store, guests in a hotel, or patrons in a casino. Property owners owe the highest duty of care to invitees. They must actively inspect the property for dangers and fix them.

2. Licensee

A licensee is someone who enters the property for their own purposes with the owner’s permission, such as a social guest at a friend’s house. Owners must warn licensees of known dangers but are not always required to inspect for unknown ones.

3. Trespasser

A trespasser is someone on the property without permission. Generally, owners owe very little duty to trespassers, except they cannot intentionally harm them. However, there are exceptions, especially involving children.

Proving a Premises Liability Claim in Nevada

Winning a case requires more than just showing your injuries. To succeed in a claim, we must prove the four elements of Nevada negligence:

1. Duty: The property owner owed you a duty of care (e.g., you were a customer).
2. Breach: The owner breached that duty by failing to maintain a safe environment.
3. Causation: The dangerous condition directly caused your accident.
4. Damages: You suffered actual harm, such as medical bills or lost wages.

Actual vs. Constructive Notice

A critical part of these cases is proving “notice.” We must show the owner had:

• Actual notice: They knew the hazard existed (e.g., a customer told them about a spill).
• Constructive notice: The hazard existed long enough that they should have known about it through regular inspections.

Evidence Needed to Build Your Case

Property owners and insurance companies often try to deny liability. They might argue you were clumsy or that the hazard was “open and obvious.” To fight this, we gather strong evidence, including:

• Surveillance footage: Casinos and stores in Las Vegas have cameras everywhere. We work quickly to secure this footage before it is deleted.
• Maintenance logs: These records show if the owner was inspecting the property regularly.
• Witness statements: People who saw the accident can verify your version of events.
• Incident reports: The official report you filed with the business immediately after the injury.
• Photos of the scene: Pictures of the hazard (like the wet floor or broken step) are vital proof.

Compensation You Can Recover

A serious injury can change your life. You may be unable to work or enjoy your daily activities. We fight to recover compensation for:

• Medical bills: Emergency room visits, surgeries, physical therapy, and future medical needs.
• Lost wages: Income you lost while recovering from your injury.
• Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress.
• Loss of earning capacity: If your injury prevents you from returning to your old job.

Statute of Limitations in Nevada

Time is limited when filing a lawsuit. In Nevada, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases, including premises liability, is generally two years from the date of the injury. If you miss this deadline, you will likely lose your right to sue. Additionally, evidence like video footage can disappear in just a few days, so it is important to act fast.