The representation of individual property owners has been a specialty of Mr. West’s throughout his nineteen-year career as a trial lawyer. He has represented owners across a wide spectrum of properties, from undeveloped lots and single-family residences, to large apartment buildings. The legal responsibilities of property owners and landlords can expose such clients to significant damage claims, arising out of a myriad of scenarios.
Individual property owners are most commonly sued by invited guests and authorized workers, as well as other individuals that the owner should have expected to be present on their property. Mr. West has extensive experience representing homeowners in such cases, involving an expansive universe of claims, such as premises liability/dangerous conditions, animal owner incidents, defamation, lack of parental supervision, sexual assault/rape, intentional torts, third-party criminal assaults, as well as claims by workers in a variety of professions hired to perform tasks on the property.
Mr. West also has significant experience in representing landlords sued by tenants residing at rental properties. These cases typically involve claims of breach of the warranty of habitability, breach of rental contract, wrongful eviction and alleged mold exposure, but can also overlap with standard premises liability claims based on dangerous conditions, third-party criminal assaults, and injured workers on the property. In representing landlords, Mr. West has developed a successful strategy for responding to claims for payment of back rent, medical expenses, attorneys’ fees, and punitive damages.
View on Website: Homeowner / Landlord Liability