From downtown Detroit skyscrapers and Eastern Market storefronts to Dearborn shopping centers and Livonia apartment complexes, Wayne County property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. When they cut corners on maintenance, ignore hazards, or fail to provide adequate security, innocent people suffer serious injuries.

At Logeman & Iafrate, P.C., we've spent more than 45 years standing up for injury victims throughout Michigan. We've held negligent property owners accountable in cases throughout Wayne County, including Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Taylor, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Wyandotte, and surrounding communities.

Legal Duty of Property Owners in Wayne County

Michigan law imposes different duties on property owners depending on why a visitor is on the property:

• Invitees—customers at stores, restaurants, entertainment venues, and other businesses. Owners must inspect the premises, fix known hazards, and warn of dangers that a reasonable inspection would have discovered.
• Licensees—social guests and others whose presence is permitted but not for business purposes. Owners must warn of known hazards but generally have no duty to inspect.
• Trespassers—people who enter without permission. Owners generally owe only a duty to refrain from willful and wanton misconduct, except when children are attracted to dangerous artificial conditions.

Most Wayne County premises liability cases involve invitees injured at commercial establishments. We know how to establish the property owner's duty and breach in these complex cases.

Common Wayne County Premises Liability Hazards

Snow and Ice Hazards

Wayne County winters create dangerous conditions at apartment complexes, shopping centers, gas stations, restaurants, and office buildings. Property owners who fail to clear snow, salt walkways, and address icy conditions create serious liability. Many municipalities—including Detroit—have local ordinances requiring timely snow removal, and violations can establish negligence.

Wet Floors, Spills, and Trip Hazards

Retail stores, grocery stores, and restaurants regularly create hazardous conditions through poor maintenance practices. Spilled liquids, recently mopped floors, torn carpeting, uneven thresholds, and cluttered aisles all cause slip-and-fall accidents that result in serious injuries.

Broken Stairs, Railings, and Elevators

Defective staircases, missing or broken handrails, and malfunctioning elevators cause catastrophic injuries. Property owners must maintain these features in safe operating condition and address known defects promptly.

Negligent Security

Apartment buildings, hotels, parking garages, and shopping centers in high-crime areas have a duty to provide reasonable security measures. Inadequate lighting, broken locks, missing security cameras, and absence of security personnel can expose property owners to liability when violent crimes occur on the premises.

Dangerous Conditions at Public Venues

Detroit is home to major sports venues, casinos, concert halls, and entertainment districts. When these venues have unsafe conditions—defective seating, broken railings, inadequate crowd control—injured visitors may have premises liability claims against the operators.

Apartment and Rental Property Hazards

Landlords in Wayne County have legal duties to maintain rental properties in reasonably safe condition. Broken stairs, defective porches, faulty electrical wiring, broken locks, and pest infestations can all form the basis of premises liability claims against landlords.

The Open and Obvious Doctrine and Its Exceptions

Michigan's open and obvious doctrine is a common defense in premises liability cases. Under this rule, property owners generally don't have to warn of hazards that visitors can see and understand. However, the doctrine is not absolute:

• Special aspects exception. When a hazard poses an extreme risk of severe harm—regardless of whether it's open and obvious—the property owner can still be liable.
• Distraction exception. When conditions exist that distract a reasonable person from noticing an obvious hazard, the doctrine doesn't bar recovery.
• Effectively unavoidable condition. When visitors have no reasonable way to avoid the hazard, the condition isn't truly avoidable.
• Reasonable foreseeability. Property owners who know that visitors will encounter a hazard despite its obviousness may still have a duty to address it.

These exceptions are highly fact-specific. Our attorneys analyze every premises liability case to identify the legal theories that preserve your right to compensation.

Compensation You May Recover

Victims of Wayne County premises liability incidents can pursue compensation for:

• Past and future medical expenses—emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, prescription medications, and ongoing treatment
• Lost wages—income lost during recovery
• Diminished earning capacity—when injuries prevent you from returning to your previous work or earning the same income
• Pain and suffering—physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disability—compensation for lasting impairments
• Out-of-pocket expenses—transportation, home modifications, and household help during recovery

For severe injuries requiring lifetime care, economic damages alone can reach millions of dollars.

Special Rules for Government Property Claims

Many Wayne County premises liability incidents occur on government property—the Detroit Institute of Arts, city recreation centers, public libraries, county buildings, or the Detroit People Mover. Claims against government entities have unique requirements:

• Strict Notice of Claim deadlines—often 60 to 120 days
• The governmental immunity act limits liability in many circumstances
• Damage caps may apply
• Specific court procedures must be followed

Missing these deadlines permanently bars your claim. Our attorneys understand these procedural requirements and ensure all deadlines are met.

What to Do After a Wayne County Premises Injury

Taking the right steps immediately after an incident protects your health and strengthens your legal claim:

1. Report the incident to the property owner, manager, or appropriate employee. Request a copy of any incident report.
2. Document everything—take photos and videos of the hazard, your injuries, lighting conditions, and surrounding area before conditions change.
3. Get witness information—collect names and contact information from anyone who saw your fall.
4. Seek medical attention immediately—some injuries like concussions and internal injuries may not be apparent right away. Prompt medical care also creates documentation of your injuries.
5. Preserve physical evidence—keep the clothing and shoes you were wearing.
6. Don't give recorded statements to insurance adjusters without speaking with an attorney first.
7. Contact an experienced premises liability attorney as soon as possible.

Why Wayne County Injury Victims Trust Logeman & Iafrate

Premises liability cases require thorough investigation, knowledge of Michigan premises liability law, and the willingness to take insurance companies to trial. Our firm has built a reputation over 45 years of standing up to well-funded insurance companies and corporate property owners. We have recovered substantial compensation for clients injured by:

• Negligent snow and ice removal
• Unsafe conditions in retail stores and restaurants
• Dangerous conditions at apartment complexes
• Inadequate security leading to assault
• Defective staircases and railings
• Improperly maintained public spaces

We work on a contingency-fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win. This levels the playing field against well-funded insurance companies and corporate defendants.

Get Legal Help After a Wayne County Premises Liability Injury

If you've been injured on someone else's property in Wayne County, contact Logeman & Iafrate, P.C. for a free consultation. We represent injury victims throughout Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Taylor, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Wyandotte, and surrounding Wayne County communities.

Call us at (734) 994-0200 or fill out our online contact form. We handle premises liability cases on a contingency-fee basis—no fee unless we win.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.