Albany Premises Liability Lawyer
If you suffered an injury on someone else’s property, you may be able to recover damages under Georgia premises liability law. Premises liability cases usually involve a personal injury that was the result of a dangerous condition on a property. Know that a devoted Albany premises liability lawyer could be ready and able to help you pursue your claim. Read on to learn more about how a skilled injury attorney could offer you their assistance today.
Hazardous Property Conditions
Premises liability cases may be caused by unsafe conditions such as:
- Missing floorboards
- Torn carpeting
- Defective balconies
- Faulty staircases
- Icy sidewalks
- Loose wires
- Poor lighting
- Clutter on the floor
Know that those who have suffered an injury due to these types of conditions can rely on a professional Albany premises liability lawyer to help them recover compensation for their resulting damages. Reach out to a qualified injury attorney to learn more.
What Duty of Care is Owed by Property Owners?
Pursuant to Georgia law, property owners and occupiers must use ordinary care to maintain their premises in a safe condition. In this context, a property owner is the legal owner of the property whereas an occupier is an individual who was substantially in control of the property at the time of the injury. While the issue of identifying a property owner is fairly straightforward, determining whether someone was an occupier of the property will depend on the facts of a particular case.
A property owner will probably not be liable for personal injuries incurred by individuals on his property if he did not act negligently. However, owners or occupiers may be liable for injuries resulting from the presence of hazardous conditions that they knew about or should have known about. If an owner or occupier was, in fact, aware of a dangerous condition and failed to adequately repair or warn visitors about those dangers, this can also trigger liability.
What are theTypes of Visitors in Albany Premises Liability Cases?
The specific level of care owed to plaintiffs will depend on their status as either an invitee, licensee or a trespasser. A skilled Albany premises liability lawyer will be able to describe one’s relationship to the property owner in more detail.
Invitees
Property owners owe the highest duty of care to invitees. Invitees are people on a property for business reasons to benefit the owner. If someone is a customer at a retail store, restaurant, hotel or bank, they most likely have invitee status. Property owners will be liable to invitees for injuries that occurred because the owner failed to exercise reasonable care to keep the premises and its approaches reasonably safe from foreseeable injuries.
Licensees
Unlike invitees, licensees are not visiting a premises for a business purpose and are not in a contractual relationship with the landowner. They are visiting a property for their own interest, convenience or gratification (see O.C.G.A. § 51-3-2). Guests at a social gathering, police officers, and firefighters are examples of common types of licensees. Owners must exercise ordinary care to prevent a known or reasonably expected risk of injury due to a dangerous act or condition.
Trespassers
Trespassers are individuals who are unlawfully present on a property without permission. Property owners owe trespassers the lowest standard of care in Albany. Property owners only must abstain from preparing mantraps or pitfalls or injuring the trespasser willfully or wantonly. These rules apply regardless of whether someone has mistakenly or deliberately trespassed on another’s property.
How an Albany Premises Liability Lawyer Can Help
The categorization of a visitor as an invitee, licensee, or trespasser can turn on small details. Working with an Albany premises liability lawyer who understands the nuances of this practice area could greatly benefit your case. An experienced premises liability attorney can work to help you recover damages against landlords, retailers, and restaurant owners in premises liability lawsuits. If you suffered a serious injury on someone else’s property, reach out to a dedicated Albany premises liability lawyer to schedule your initial consultation today.
