Fulton County Premises Liability Lawyer
Property owners’ can be held liable for accidents that happen at their businesses, homes, or on their land. However, the extent of their liability is also dependant on whether the injured person was an invited guest, had a license to be on the property, or was simply trespassing.
If you have been injured on someone’s property, call a Fulton County premises liability lawyer to find out whether the owner may be liable for your injuries. Let a compassionate and capable attorney determine the best legal recourse for you.
Premises Liability Injuries Can Be Severe
Premises liability injuries can result in simple scrapes and bruises or more severe injuries such as head and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), back and spinal cord injuries (SCIs), and multiple broken and fractured bones.
Whatever the injury, chances are that injured victims will face costly medical bills and lose significant amounts of time from work – both of which can gravely affect a family’s financial stability.
Common types of Georgia premises liability lawsuits arise from:
- Worn or frayed carpeting that creates a tripping hazard
- Loose railings and banisters
- Dangerous flooring or stairways without doors that are not clearly marked
- Ill-maintained walkways, driveways, or pathways
- Dangerous property conditions such as untethered dogs, unfenced swimming pools, and unprotected construction debris
How Does One Determine Liability in a Premises Liability Case?
Georgia property owners (or anyone in control of the property) generally have a duty to keep properties reasonably safe and warn of dangerous conditions. However, their liability will depend on whether the injured person was an invited guest, had a license to be on the property, or was simply trespassing. A Fulton County premises liability attorney can explain the different types of guests that could sustain injuries on a person’s property.
Different Types of Guests
Invited guests, or invitees, are generally defined as people who have been either expressly or impliedly invited onto a property for social reasons. In most cases, this consists of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and social group members. Property owners must keep their property reasonably safe for invited guests and warn them of any dangerous conditions.
There are also those who have a license to be on the property. Anyone who has a license to be on a property is known as a licensee. In most cases, this consists of landscapers, yard workers, and housekeepers – anyone who has been invited to the property for their own financial benefit. A property owner’s duty to licensees is less than to invited guests and only requires them to warn of non-apparent dangerous conditions that may create an unreasonable risk of harm.
Do Property Owners Owe a Duty of Reasonable Care to Trespassers?
Property owners do not have any duty to trespassers as they are on the property illegally. However, the law does require property owners to exercise reasonable care to avoid a reasonably foreseeable risk of harm to children caused by an artificial condition such as swimming pools, abandoned tractors, or anything else a child might be apt to investigate.
Keep in mind that anyone injured on someone else’s property only has two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under Georgia’s statute of limitations. Failure to do so could result in being barred from recovery.
Talking to a Fulton County Premises Liability Attorney
If a Georgia property owner failed to take reasonable care of their property or did not warn you of dangerous conditions and you were injured, find out how a Fulton County premises liability lawyer can help you.
A qualified Fulton County premises liability attorney could determine what types of compensation you might be entitled to and whether damages may be covered under the owner’s homeowners’ insurance or commercial liability insurance policy. Do not settle for less than you are entitled to. Call an attorney today and know that you are in capable hands.
