The Duchess of Cornwall, the wife of Prince Charles, lost her brother late last month after he slipped and fell outside of a bar in New York City. Though the details of the fall are not entirely clear, his death calls into question whether any unsafe conditions were present and whether the bar’s owner might be held responsible for the man’s death. Of course, it is not known if the duchess’ brother’s family members will file a premises liability lawsuit or not, or even if there is enough evidence to support the bar owner’s or the city’s negligence.
When someone is injured on an individual, company or city’s property, he or she can often file a premises liability lawsuit. In order to succeed with the lawsuit, however, the property owner must have failed in its duty to keep safe conditions on the property. So, when a person is injured, the victim and his or her attorney must have enough evidence to convice a judge and jury that the owner was negligent.
The 62-year-old brother had been out celebrating when he slipped and fell outside of a bar at the Gramercy. According to reports, the man was trying to light a cigarette outside of the building when he fell. He was conscious and told paramedics that his head hurt when they arrived on the scene, so they took him to Bellevue Hospital. Sadly, he died that same day.
Unfortunately, these kinds of accidents happen all too frequently. Though it may be hard for property owners to keep their property clear of unsafe conditions, it is a duty that they owe to the people they allow on their property.
Source: New York Daily News, “Camilla Parker Bowles’ brother dies in New York hospital after smashing head,” Lachlan Cartwright and Ginger Adam Otis, April 23, 2014
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