DeKalb County Premises Liability Lawyer

With the privilege of owning property often comes a responsibility to protect invited visitors. Generally, all landowners, whether they are business owners or private homeowners must provide protection to those they allow onto their property. When they fail to do so, and a visitor is injured, that landowner could be held legally responsible. These injuries could happen in many ways.

Perhaps a store owner does not clean up a spill in an aisle. Or maybe a homeowner fails to warn a guest about a broken step. These are common examples of premises liability cases. In general, an injured person may argue that the landowner failed in their responsibility to protect the injured person. He or she may also argue that the landowner should compensate them for medical costs, lost wages, and emotional anguish. A DeKalb County premises liability lawyer could help you hold landowners liable for their negligence.

A dedicated injury lawyer could advocate for your rights and fight for fair compensation. Injuries often produce significant expenses from medical treatment and may also prevent a person from working which could lead to a loss of income. Compensation could help address those unexpected costs.

The Classes of Visitors in DeKalb County

Every person that enters another’s land in DeKalb County typically has legal protections under the law. However, the level of this protection may depend upon the visitor’s reason for entering the land and whether the landowner invited them. Georgia law states that there are three classes of visitors.

Trespassers

These are people that may enter land without permission. This may also refer to guests who stay after the landowner says that they must leave. O.C.G.A. §51-3-3 says that landowners generally have no duty to warn trespassers of any danger and must only refrain from intentionally or wantonly injuring them.

Licensees

Licensees are visitors who may enter the land for their own benefit or interests. A classic example here is a guest who attends a house party. According to O.C.G.A. §51-3-2, licensees have the same level of protection as trespassers and owners typically must only refrain from intentionally injuring them. This could be viewed as an anomaly in premises liability laws around the country.

Invitees

Invitees are invited onto land for the property owner’s benefit. This applies to all shopkeepers or the owners of movie theatres. Under O.C.G.A. §51-3-1, landowners typically must exercise reasonable care to keep their land safe. Whether the care taken prior to the injury was reasonable is often a question for a jury during a potential trial phase of a case.

The Sources of Premises Liability Claims

A premises liability claim generally needs to originate from an injury that happens on another’s property. This could include inside the building itself as well as parking lots and sidewalks. As a result, premises liability cases may arise from slips and falls on temporary spills, from stepping into potholes or cracks in the pavement, or even from poor security that could lead to an assault.

This often means that an injured individual could potentially claim compensation for almost any type of injury as long as he or she can prove that the landowner’s failure to exercise reasonable care contributed to the injury. This compensation may include payments of medical bills as well as compensation for any loss of income from missed time at work and mental anguish associated with the incident. A DeKalb County premises liability attorney could help form demand packages asking for maximum compensation.

Let a DeKalb County Premises Liability Attorney Handle the Details

A common source of personal injury in Georgia and around the country is landowners who do not protect their visitors. Property owners generally have a duty to protect their invited guests from harm. Exactly how far this duty extends depends upon why the visitor was on the land, but most visitors should be protected from all reasonably expected sources of injury.

When landowners fail to provide this protection, they could be civilly liable for any damage that results. A DeKalb County premises liability lawyer could work with you, investigate your claim, gather evidence, and hold negligent landowners responsible for their actions. Contact a knowledgeable injury attorney today and begin evaluating potential legal options.