Columbus Premises Liability Lawyer

People assume that they are safe when entering a property for business or visitation. Unfortunately, accidents and injuries due to unsafe property conditions are a common cause of many injury claims. If you were hurt while on someone else’s property, you may be facing medical bills and missed time at work while feeling unsure of how to proceed.

However, if you suspect your injuries were due to a property owner’s neglect or malicious behavior, reach out to a Columbus premises liability lawyer to discuss your legal options. A dedicated injury attorney could assess the circumstances of your injury and determine if you have legal grounds for a claim for compensation.

Defining Premises Liability

According to Georgia law, all proprietors and managers of any building, dwelling, or business establishment have a legal responsibility to safely maintain that area to ensure the well-being of anyone conducting lawful business on or inside of it. A breach of this duty that results in an injury may, therefore, leave a property owner liable.

The area that a landowner must safely maintain may legally extend beyond a building, however. Spaces that are additionally considered part of a dwelling or premises include driveways, parking lots, and garages. For more information about premises liability law in Columbus, reach out to a knowledgeable lawyer.

The Classifications for Premises Visitors

Before a case on the foundation of premises liability can proceed, it is crucial to determine the legal status of the victim. When someone enters a property, they are legally considered either an invitee, licensee, or trespasser. This determined designation may significantly affect the validity of a case and the likelihood of its success.

Invitee

An invitee is someone the property owner, organization, or business invites onto the premises to conduct lawful practices such as shopping, visiting, or receiving the services that the establishment offers. As a result of this invitation, the property owner owes a high degree of safety toward invitees.

Licensee

A licensee is invited onto the premises, but often to perform some specific function for the establishment’s owner; an example of a licensee is a contractor executing a construction project.

Trespasser

A trespasser is someone who has no legal purpose for appearing on the premises. Someone found to be trespassing has the lowest chance of successfully pursuing compensation due to this status.

How Negligence is Determined in Premises Liability Cases

Merely because someone sustained an injury on someone else’s property does not guarantee that he or she is entitled to compensation, however. For a successful claim, a victim must first demonstrate that a property owner was negligent. To accomplish this, the law mandates that the following elements be shown:

  • The property owner neglected to alert individuals of any potential hazards
  • The landowner was aware of a problem that may result in an injury and yet failed to address this issue in a timely fashion
  • The hazard that existed caused the victim’s injury
  • The injuries the victim sustained are directly related to these property conditions

A Columbus premises liability attorney might be able to gather the evidence needed to prove these factors by examining medical reports, conducting witness interviews, consulting with accident experts, interviewing doctors, and investigating the accident scene.

Modified Comparative Negligence

If an injured person seeking compensation is deemed to be more than 50 percent liable for his or her own damages, they cannot receive compensation. This is because Georgia applies the legal principle of modified comparative negligence to all injury cases. Because of this, it may be essential for a victim to have a Columbus premises liability lawyer on his or her side to assess the circumstances of an injury and determine the potential for a judgment of comparative negligence.

Call a Columbus Premises Liability Attorney

If you were injured on someone else’s property, consider reaching out to a Columbus premises liability lawyer to discuss your legal right to file a claim for compensation. A successful claim can provide recovery for lost wages, medical bills, mental anguish, and other losses.

Instead of navigating the claims process alone, a dedicated attorney could work tirelessly to build a thorough and persuasive claim for compensation. However, the statute of limitations in Georgia places a two-year time limit from the date of an incident to file a claim. For a free case review and to get started on your claim, call a legal professional today.