Premises Liability Lawyer in Massachusetts

If you've been injured on someone else's property in MA, you're likely dealing with medical bills, missed work, and a lot of uncertainty about what comes next. You didn't cause the dangerous condition that hurt you, and you shouldn't have to bear the financial burden alone.

Massachusetts premises liability law holds property owners accountable when their negligence leads to injuries on their land or inside their buildings. Whether you slipped on an icy walkway, tripped over broken flooring in a store, or were hurt because of poor security at an apartment complex, you may have a valid premises liability claim.

Attorney Jason Ranallo has been representing injured people across Massachusetts since 2002. As an experienced premises liability lawyer in Massachusetts, he understands how to investigate these claims, identify the responsible parties, and fight for the compensation you're owed. Contact our office at 781-344-6200 for a free case evaluation.

Premises liability is the area of personal injury law that deals with injuries caused by unsafe conditions on someone else's property. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 231, Section 85, property owners and occupiers have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors.

This duty of care means property owners must regularly inspect their property, fix known hazards in a reasonable timeframe, and warn visitors about dangers that aren't immediately obvious. When they fail to meet this standard and someone gets hurt, they can be held financially responsible for the resulting injuries.

Property owner negligence can take many forms. A landlord who ignores a crumbling staircase for months, a store manager who doesn't put up wet floor signs after mopping, or a homeowner who knows about a rotting deck board but never repairs it are all examples. For a deeper look at how these cases work, visit our guide on understanding premises liability in Massachusetts.

Premises liability claims in Massachusetts cover a wide range of situations. Here are the most common types of cases our firm handles:

Slip and Fall Accidents

These are the most frequent premises liability claims we see. Falls caused by icy sidewalks, wet floors, uneven pavement, torn carpeting, or poorly maintained stairs can result in broken bones, head injuries, and chronic back problems. Massachusetts winters make ice and snow hazards especially dangerous. If you've been injured in a fall, our slip and fall accident lawyers can help you pursue a claim.

Inadequate Security

Property owners, particularly those who manage apartments, parking garages, hotels, and retail spaces, have a responsibility to provide reasonable security measures. When broken locks, missing lighting, non-functioning cameras, or absent security personnel allow assaults, robberies, or other crimes to occur, the property owner may share liability for the victim's injuries.

Dog Bites on Property

Massachusetts follows a strict liability standard for dog bites under M.G.L. c. 140, Section 155. If a dog injures you on someone else's property, both the dog's owner and the property owner may be liable. A landlord who allows a tenant to keep a known aggressive dog, for example, could face a premises liability claim. Learn more about your rights on our dog bite and animal attack injuries page.

Swimming Pool Accidents

Pool owners in Massachusetts must comply with state and local safety codes, including fencing requirements, gate latches, and depth markings. Drownings, near-drownings, slip and fall injuries on pool decks, and diving accidents caused by missing safety features or inadequate supervision can all give rise to premises liability claims.

Elevator and Escalator Injuries

Building owners are responsible for maintaining elevators and escalators according to state inspection standards. Malfunctions like sudden stops, doors closing on passengers, or escalator entrapment can cause serious injuries. When poor maintenance or skipped inspections are to blame, the building owner or management company can be held responsible.

Massachusetts law places specific obligations on anyone who owns, leases, or controls property. These responsibilities include:

• Conducting regular inspections to identify potential hazards
  
  
• Repairing dangerous conditions within a reasonable time after discovering them
  
  
• Posting clear warnings about known hazards that cannot be immediately fixed
  
  
• Maintaining common areas, walkways, staircases, and parking lots in safe condition
  
  
• Complying with local building codes, fire codes, and safety regulations
  
  
• Removing snow and ice from walkways and entrances in a timely manner

Commercial property owners, like shopping centers and restaurants, face a higher standard because they invite the public onto their premises for business purposes. Residential landlords also carry significant responsibility for maintaining shared spaces such as hallways, stairwells, and parking lots.

To win a premises liability claim in Massachusetts, you need to establish four elements:

1. Duty of Care

The property owner owed you a legal duty to maintain safe conditions. This is established by showing you were lawfully on the property.

2. Breach of Duty

The owner failed to meet that standard. Maybe they knew about a broken handrail for weeks and did nothing, or they should have known about standing water near an entrance but never checked.

3. Causation

The unsafe condition directly caused your injury. There has to be a clear connection between the property hazard and the harm you suffered.

4. Damages

You suffered actual losses because of your injury, including medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, or other measurable harm.

Building a strong case requires evidence. Photographs of the hazard, witness statements, incident reports, maintenance records, surveillance footage, and medical documentation all play a role. As your premises liability attorney in MA, Jason Ranallo will handle the investigation and evidence gathering so you can focus on recovery.

In many states, the level of care a property owner owes depends on why you were on their property. Massachusetts simplified this in 1973 with the landmark case Mounsey v. Ellard, which largely eliminated the old trespasser/licensee/invitee distinctions. Today, Massachusetts property owners owe a duty of reasonable care to all people lawfully on their property.

That said, your reason for being on the property still matters in practice:

• Invitees (customers, clients, delivery workers) are owed the highest level of care. Property owners must actively inspect for and correct hazards.
  
  
• Licensees (social guests, friends visiting a home) are owed a duty to warn about known dangers that aren't obvious.
  
  
• Trespassers generally receive limited protection, though property owners still cannot create intentional hazards or traps. Massachusetts does provide additional protections for child trespassers under the "attractive nuisance" doctrine.

Understanding your legal status helps determine the strength of your claim. A property owner negligence lawyer can assess the specifics of your situation and advise you on the best path forward.

If you're injured on someone else's property in Massachusetts, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:

• Current and future medical expenses, including surgery, rehabilitation, and prescription costs
  
  
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity

• Pain and suffering
  
  
• Emotional distress

• Permanent disability or disfigurement

• Loss of enjoyment of life



• Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injury

Massachusetts follows a modified comparative negligence rule. You can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault for the accident, as long as your share of responsibility doesn't exceed 50%. Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For instance, if you're awarded $100,000 but found 20% responsible, you'd receive $80,000.

It's also worth knowing that Massachusetts has a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Waiting too long to file could mean losing your right to pursue compensation entirely. The sooner you speak with a premises liability lawyer, the better your chances of preserving important evidence.

Premises liability extends beyond retail stores and private homes. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are also required to maintain safe environments for their residents. When these facilities fail to meet that standard, the results can be devastating. Our firm handles a significant number of nursing home abuse and neglect claims as a specialized area within premises liability.

Both Massachusetts and Federal laws provide patients with certain rights when staying at a nursing home. Nursing homes need to provide their residents a safe and clean environment, the right to proper medical care, the right to make decisions about medical care, and daily attention which is free from abuse and neglect.

Nursing home neglect has been defined in 105 CMR 155.003 as a failure to provide the goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness. In determining whether or not neglect has occurred, the following standards below apply.

Conditions of Patient or Resident Neglect

• An individual has failed to provide appropriate care, treatment, or service to the patient or resident; and their failure to provide the treatment, care, or service to the patient or resident is either intentional or the result of carelessness; and as a result of the failure to provide treatment, care or service, the individual has failed to maintain the health or safety of the patient or resident as evidenced by harm to the patient or resident or a deterioration in the patient or resident's physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse and neglect can happen in a number of ways. Research suggests that abused elders die earlier than seniors who are well cared for, even with no chronic or life-threatening conditions. Remember, abuse of any type can significantly impact your loved one's health and quality of life.

Common causes of injuries are from:

• Neglect: Neglect is the most common unintentional nursing home abuse, generally occurring when a facility has poor management or oversight. Some common reasons of neglect are management issues, overcrowding, or understaffing.

• Physical Abuse: Physical abuse includes violent behavior such as unexplained bruises and cuts, torn or bloody clothes, broken bones, etc. Unnecessary use of restraints might also be considered physical abuse.

• Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse involves humiliation, ignoring the patient, isolating them, and intimidating them through yelling, threats, and mocking. Sometimes abusers even threaten patients in order to keep them quiet about the abuse so they won't share it with others.

• Financial Abuse: Financial abuse is again among the most common form of non-physical abuse of the elderly. An unscrupulous caregiver may misuse the elder's checks, accounts, and credit cards, or forge signatures, steal the patient's identity, or authorize withdrawals or transfer of money.

Nursing home neglect often includes wrongful death, fractures, broken bones, slip and falls, malnutrition, significant weight loss, verbal abuse, physical abuse, failure to provide proper personal hygiene, failure to provide sufficient medical attention, failure to prevent bed sores, or failure to protect patients or residents from hazards. 

Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

To prevent your loved one from being subject to any of these forms of abuse, it's vital to know the common warning signs of nursing home abuse and neglect. Watch for the following:

• Untreated medical conditions

• Bruises, cuts, abrasions, or other injuries

• Unacceptable unhygienic conditions

• Sudden and unexplained weight loss

• Changes in behavior

• Sexually transmitted diseases or infections

• Unusual financial transactions

• Problems with staff and disorganization in the facility

• Direct complaints from your loved one

It is important to note that if warning signs are consistent with underlying medical problems, you should always follow up on any potential problem. If the problem persists, get in touch with a nursing home abuse lawyer. Attorneys with expertise in nursing home abuse can evaluate your case and help you to ensure that your loved one is in the best possible environment.

How Can a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Help?

Nursing home abuse cases are a complicated area of personal injury law so it's important to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer for guidance on these matters. Additionally, they will be able to rightfully handle and preserve evidence in your case if you are looking for justice in a settlement or through legal proceedings.

Attorney Jason Ranallo has helped individuals who were injured by nursing home neglect and abuse for over a decade and is passionate about achieving justice for our most vulnerable loved ones. You can rest assured that by having the Law Offices of Jason M. Ranallo, P.C. working for you, your case is in the hands of an experienced, compassionate, knowledgeable, and aggressive attorney who knows how to get results.

The Law Offices of Jason M. Ranallo, P.C. will provide you with the personal attention and skill that each case needs. We will handle every aspect of your nursing home and neglect case, and will go to trial if a full and fair settlement agreement cannot be reached.

Victim of Nursing Home Abuse? Get in Touch

The Law Office of Jason M. Ranallo, P.C. is committed to aggressively and compassionately representing victims and their families in all nursing home abuse and neglect matters. We can help with the following:

• Filing a lawsuit against a nursing home

• Gathering evidence, records, and information

• Filing the claim in court

• Preparation for Trial

• Resolving the claim by either settlement, mediation, arbitration or trial
  

Unsafe property conditions can change someone's life in an instant. Medical treatment, time away from work, and ongoing pain can quickly become overwhelming, especially when the injury could have been prevented. Having the right legal guidance early in the process can make a significant difference in protecting your claim and holding negligent property owners accountable.

The Law Offices of Jason M. Ranallo, P.C. represents injury victims throughout Massachusetts in premises liability and negligence claims involving unsafe homes, businesses, apartment complexes, nursing facilities, and other properties. If you or a loved one has been hurt because a property owner failed to maintain safe conditions, contact our office today for a free consultation at 781-344-6200.