Kathleen Boland v. Columbia Properties Anchorage LP, doing business as Anchorage Marriot

Anchorage, Alaska personal injury lawyer represented the Plaintiff on sued on a premises liability negligence theory.



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In Alaska, premises liability law dictates that property owners have a duty to maintain a reasonably safe environment for lawful visitors and can be held responsible for injuries caused by hazardous conditions on their property. This means they must address potential dangers like slip and falls, inadequate security, or dog bites if they knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to fix it.

Key aspects of Alaska premises liability law:



Duty of Care:

Property owners owe a duty of care to lawful visitors, such as invitees and licensees, to ensure their safety.



Negligence:

Liability arises when the property owner's negligence, or failure to exercise reasonable care, results in injury to a visitor.

Types of Visitors:



Invitees: Those invited onto the property for the owner's benefit (e.g., customers in a store).



Licensees: Those on the property with the owner's permission, but not for the owner's benefit (e.g., social guests).

Trespassers: Those on the property without permission. Generally, owners don't owe a duty of care to trespassers, but there are exceptions, such as for attractive nuisances.



Common Scenarios:



Slip and Fall Accidents: Wet floors, icy walkways, or uneven surfaces can lead to liability.



Inadequate Security: If a property owner fails to provide adequate security measures (e.g., lighting, security cameras) and a crime occurs, they may be liable.

Dog Bites: Owners are responsible for controlling their dogs and can be held liable for bites that occur on their property.



Other Hazards: Defective stairwells, falling objects, fire hazards, and other dangerous conditions can also result in liability

Settled for an undisclosed sum and dismissed with prejudice.