An interesting multi-defendant residential slip and fall lawsuit filed in O’Fallon, Missouri displays how personal injury claims can sometimes be extremely complex and involve multiple different areas of law. An O’Fallon man was recently sued by a local carpenter when he fell from a structure he was working on at the defendant’s home. The defendant had built the structure with lumber from a nearby hardware store.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that the defendant failed to provide a safe working structure by using unsafe materials sold by the hardware store. The plaintiff’s claim seeks more than $50,000 in compensatory damages from both the homeowner and the hardware store, plus punitive damages and costs.
Injury Claims Brought Against Multiple Defendants
It is not uncommon for liability for an accident to extend to multiple parties. In this scenario, both the homeowner and the hardware store can be held liable for the carpenter’s injuries due to the applicability of both premises and product liability.
Premises liability is the legal concept that homeowners have a duty to make a reasonable effort to ensure the safety of guests and workers that may visit their property. Likewise, product liability laws make it so product makers can be held liable for injuries their customers should suffer due to defects in the design, manufacture, or improper warning labels on their goods.
This is just one of the countless ways in which multiple parties can be held liable for an accident.
For example, say a truck driver skips a mandatory vehicle inspection and fails to notice that his truck is fitted with defective tires that have been recalled by the manufacturer. As a result, the truck blows a tire en route to its destination and causes a collision, injuring another driver. In this scenario, liability could be applied to both the truck driver for failing to maintain his vehicle and the tire company for their faulty products.
If you have been injured in an accident you believe was not your fault, it is vital you retain the services of a skilled personal injury lawyer who can review the circumstances of your case and identify all responsible parties on your behalf. Proving liability can be an uphill battle, especially when it involves multiple parties beyond those who are obviously negligent. It is important you make sure you have a legal team on your side that fully understands the applicable laws to maximize your chances of securing the compensation you deserve.
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