Premises Liability – Met Lane Law Firm

PREMISES LIABILITY LAW

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Why Choose Met Lane & Associates?

Sadly, if you've been injured on someone else's property, you could face huge medical bills. But, if someone else caused your injury due to negligence, you shouldn't have to pay these bills! Call Met Lane, an experienced Premises Liability Lawyer in Carrollton, GA, at 770-834-4107. Attorney Met Lane is here to fight for your rights if you get hurt in a premises liability accident. We want to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. That way, you can recover and get back to your life as soon as possible.

Common Premises Law Types You Might Have Problems With

Contact Attorney Met Lane in Carrollton, GA, today to schedule a free consultation if you need help with your premises liability or slip & fall case. Call us today at 770-834-4107.

Do I have a premises liability claim?

Getting hurt on someone else’s property doesn’t always mean you have a case. But, if the accident happened because of negligence by the property owner, you might have a premises liability claim. You may be able to hold the property owner responsible for your injury, depending on the circumstances.

Premises liability claims are based upon negligence, so you must prove that:

The property owner was responsible for keeping the property reasonably safe and failed to meet this responsibility
The owner (or occupant) of the premises either knew or should have known about the danger of injury
The injury was caused by actions or conditions within the owner/operator’s control
Their negligence led to a dangerous situation that resulted in your injuries
You should receive compensation for the losses caused by your injuries

The case’s specific facts will usually determine liability in premises liability cases. Other important considerations include:

The length of time the unsafe condition existed and whether the owner had time to discover and correct it
Whether the steps taken to repair the hazardous condition were adequate
Was the claimant’s carelessness a contributing factor to the accident?

Owners must take reasonable caution to keep visitors safe.

When a property owner is negligent, people get hurt. Premises liability cases often arise when the property owner has failed to maintain the property and the walkways to the property safely. A premises owner can be held liable if someone gets hurt on his or her property for a variety of reasons. Among the reasons a property owner may be held responsible for an accident are:

Failing to remove foreign objects from the floor
Failure to repair defects in the property
The owner’s failure to appropriately design their premises or make repairs
Failure to warn about hazardous conditions on the property
The owner’s failure to remove ice, snow, or water
Negligent security measures

A property owner can be held liable for injuries sustained on their property if they failed to correct or warn about the dangerous condition.

Dangerous Situations

Slip-and-fall accidents are a type of premises liability case, but many other types of accidents can happen due to hazards on a property. Some everyday dangerous situations include:

No signs on wet floors
Poorly lit parking lots
Improperly stored objects
Negligent security guards
Unprotected construction sites
Poorly maintained staircases
Inoperable elevators and escalators
Snow and ice that has not been removed

These are all examples of situations that can cause severe injuries. However, these situations can be prevented if the property owner takes reasonable precautions.

What compensation can I recover in a premises liability case?

Damages in a premises liability case is the monetary amount to replace what you lost in the accident. There are three types of damages in a Georgia premises liability case.

Economic damages, like medical costs and lost wages if you can’t work.
Damages that aren’t material are called non-economic damages. Examples include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of quality of life.
Punitive damages are only available in very extreme cases. This type of damage is meant to punish the property owner for being malicious or doing something offensive. Punitive damages require special proof and court procedures.

Why contact a premises liability lawyer for your case?

Personal injury cases are a very specialized area of law that requires a high level of skill and experience. In the same way you would seek a specialist for cancer treatment, you should find a personal injury lawyer who knows how to successfully manage your claim. In order to recover from your injuries, you need an attorney who will be there for you throughout the process.

We at Met Lane, Attorney at Law, are here to guide you every step of the way. Our team:

Communicates or negotiates on your behalf with insurance companies
Collects and reviews evidence and witness statements
Obtains medical records and information about injuries
Consults with the parties responsible for the injuries, their lawyers, and other parties, if applicable
And more

You can rest assured that your case will receive the attention and time it deserves when you work with us.

Contact a Premises Liability Lawyer Today For Free a Consultation

A fall or another accident is likely to leave you in a lot of pain. You'll probably rack up medical bills trying to get better. You might even be unable to work for a while. Losing your income can make an already challenging situation worse. If you're injured, your life might never be the same again. Someone else was careless, and now you're paying the price. However, you may be entitled to compensation. Unfortunately, receiving the compensation you deserve can prove challenging. A business owner may try to claim that they are not responsible. They may even blame you for your injuries. Insurance companies will try everything in their power to undermine your claim at every step of the way. Hiring a premises liability attorney will help you level the playing field and focus on your recovery. In addition, you will have the best chance of maximizing your compensation if you hire a lawyer.

WHO MAY BE LIABLE IN A PREMISES LIABILITY CASE?

A premises liability case may involve multiple parties. Georgia law imposes a duty of care on anyone with control over a property. Parties that might be liable, besides the owner, include:

A tenant or renter (ex: leasing a space for a shop or restaurant)
A property manager or third party that manages the premises for the owner
A company hired to provide security at the property
Condominium or homeowners associations
Others, depending on the situation

There are three types of property owners: residential property owners, commercial property owners, and governmental property owners.

Residential Property

Landlords and homeowners might be liable for injuries on their property.

Below are some examples of negligence on residential properties:

The landlord could be liable for your injuries if defective construction caused your accident. Similarly, landlords are responsible for injuries caused by their failure to repair the property.
Landowners might be responsible for your injuries if they knew about some hazard on their property that wasn’t obvious to others, such as a hole covered by long grass.
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to seek compensation from the landowner if you were injured due to a cracked, uneven, or obstructed walkway.
Residential property owners can also be held liable for injuries caused by inadequate or no lighting.

Commercial Property

You may only bring a claim against a business, such as a grocery store or a restaurant, if you were lawfully on the premises. The term “lawfully on the premises” means you weren’t trespassing or stopping by after business hours. Entering closed areas such as storage areas or employee break rooms is also trespassing.

Business owners and employees may be liable for premises liability injuries if:

The premises were unsafe because of someone’s negligent actions.
The business owner knew there were dangerous conditions but failed to fix them.
The owner should have known about the dangerous conditions, but failed to take reasonable steps to discover and correct them.

Examples:

When an employee spills water, food, cleaning product, or something else on the floor and does not clean it up, the business owner may be liable for the resulting accidents and injuries.
A business owner may be held responsible for injuries caused by damaged stairs, ramps, floor tiles, or carpets if they do not repair them.
If equipment, merchandise, or trash is left in aisles or other areas where customers walk, businesses may be responsible for injuries resulting from these hazards.

Government Property

Suing a government entity or employee is extremely difficult. You usually cannot sue a government agency or government employee in Georgia. However, the Georgia legislature can waive this immunity. As an example, the Georgia Tort Claims Act allows you to sue the government for the misconduct of its employees.

It ultimately depends on the county, city, or town laws whether or not you can sue a Georgia government entity.

In most cases, filing a claim against a government agency or an employee is very different from filing a lawsuit against a landowner or a business. Contact Premises Liability Attorney Met Lane in Carrollton, GA, for experienced legal advice on these matters.

CONTACT AN EXPERIENCED LAWYER TODAY

When you're facing a problem, small or large, that requires legal help, we're here to provide the direction you need. We offer a comprehensive range of legal services, including business law and personal injury. Call us at 770-834-4107 or fill out the form below for your free consultation with Carrollton Lawyer Met Lane.