Entering someone else’s property (with permission) comes with the right to expect that the owner or manager has taken all necessary steps to address hazards or explicitly warn you of any issues that may lead to an accident. Whether you are visiting a residential home, public space, government building, or commercial location, you should be able to go about your visit without a threat of being injured or killed due to an avoidable or correctable problem. In the unfortunate event that you or a loved one is hurt or suffers fatal injuries due to a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation through a premises liability claim or lawsuit.
Trying to make sense of your situation and get an idea of your legal options can be difficult, especially as you struggle to recover from injuries or come to terms with the death of a loved one. Instead of taking on this additional process on your own, partnering with a personal injury attorney is one of the best ways to improve your chances of getting the compensation you deserve while allowing yourself the emotional space to focus on your healing and getting your life back on track. Finding a lawyer, though, might be more complicated than you expect, but fortunately, 1-800-Injured can make this step simple.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Find a Premises Liability Attorney in Jacksonville
1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service. Instead of going through the process of searching out law firms, submitting consultation requests, and juggling communications with several attorneys, we will connect you with a proven, diligent premises liability attorney for a free consultation. During this consultation, you will be able to talk about the specifics of your situation, such as the type of hazard that caused your accident, the nature of your injuries, and more. Once the attorney has a clear understanding of your circumstances, they will be able to provide you with legal advice on how best to move forward and give you an idea of what you can expect as their client.
Read more about premises liability cases below, and contact us as soon as possible to be connected with an attorney in your area.
What Is Premises Liability?
Premises liability is the explicit legal expectation that a property owner will provide a safe environment for visitors free of avoidable hazards and dangerous conditions. Things like wet floors, unstable floors, bunched carpets, missing handrails, or improper lighting are all issues that a property owner or property manager is expected to be aware of and fix as soon as possible. Claiming ignorance of a hazardous condition is typically not enough to avoid liability for an accident, but a victim will need to show that the defendant should have known about the issue if they were not aware of it already.
When a visitor is injured on someone else’s property, the owner may be held liable for the resulting damages through a civil action, either an insurance claim or lawsuit filed through the Florida civil courts. There may or may not be resulting criminal charges, as well, but these two legal avenues are separate from each other and will have little or no bearing on the other’s outcome.
Common Examples of Premises Liability Accidents
The following examples are some of the most common premises liability accidents in the United States, but if your accident is not listed below, simply contact us as soon as possible to learn about your rights and options during a free consultation with an experienced premises liability attorney in Jacksonville, Florida.
Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents
Slips, trips, and falls are the most common types of premises liability accidents. They can be caused by slippery floors, uneven or bunched carpets, debris, and several other hazardous conditions that may cause someone to fall and hurt themselves. This type of accident can lead to serious, permanent, or even fatal injuries depending on many different factors. One of the most common causes of a slip and fall is a wet floor, which is why the ubiquitous “WET FLOOR” sign is so common to see in grocery store aisles and in front of public bathrooms to warn people.
Floor Collapses
Structural failures like collapsed floors can be catastrophic for anyone in the area, and a property owner’s failure to warn visitors of this hazard, divert traffic from the problem location, or bar access to the structure entirely will typically expose them to liability and the obligation to compensate all who are impacted by this type of incident. Partial or full collapses, open flooring, or any other type of situation that causes someone to fall to a lower level have the potential to be fatal, and an injured victim or surviving family may be entitled to substantial compensation based on the many damages they suffer as a result.
Improper Lighting
Stairwells, parking garages, and walkways are all areas that can be dangerous for people in the dark, and the risk of an assault or robbery may increase if these areas are not adequately lit. In addition to the risk of suffering injuries resulting from a crime in these dark areas, there is the equally significant risk of stumbling or falling as you try to see where you are going. Lighting is the responsibility of a property owner, and any injury suffered due to their failure to provide adequate lighting should be compensated fairly.
Elevator and Escalator Malfunctions
Elevators and escalators are common methods of moving between floors in many types of multi-floored buildings and typically function as expected because they receive the maintenance and attention required to run safely. A failure to keep up-to-date on maintenance for these machines can lead to disastrous results. Anyone injured in an elevator or escalator accident may be entitled to compensation from a property owner, manager, or contracted maintenance company responsible for routine upkeep.
Regardless of who is specifically liable for your injuries, partnering with an experienced premises liability attorney in Jacksonville is one of the best ways to have a clear and comprehensive understanding of your legal rights and fighting for the money you deserve while also giving your recovery the attention it requires.