Wesley Chapel Premises Liability Attorney
No one expects to be injured while running errands or shopping. But accidents happen just the same. Some hidden danger on the property causes a person to fall or suffer serious, sometimes life-changing, injuries.
Premises liability is the legal field which identifies a property owner’s duties to visitors. Specifically, the law makes owners accountable when they create hazards or refuse to fix or warn of hazards that are naturally occurring.
If you were injured in a business or government building or while visiting a friend, you might have a claim for compensation. Contact a seasoned Wesley Chapel premises liability attorney to learn more.
Were You Injured on Someone Else’s Property?
A premises liability claim can be brought for various accidents, such as:
- Slip and falls
- Trip and falls
- Falling merchandise
- Dog bites
- Food poisoning
- Electrocution
- Swimming pool accidents
- Amusement park injuries
- Hotel or motel accidents
- Negligent security
If you were injured in public or on private property, consider meeting with a premises liability attorney in Wesley Chapel for a case review.
Is the Property Owner Responsible?
Generally, you must have been injured by some hazard on the property. And the owner’s responsibility will depend on why you were there.
If you were injured in a business, the owner is responsible if they did not use reasonable care to keep the property reasonably safe. In practice, this means they created a hazard, or they didn’t fix a hazard they knew about or should have discovered. For example, if the store knew there was a big pothole in the parking lot, they should put sawhorses around it or fix it. They can’t wait for someone to break an ankle one day because they stepped in it. The same duty applies if the pothole has existed for weeks but the store never inspected their property.
In other cases, an owner might owe lesser duties to those on the property. For example, if you entered the property for your own convenience, then the owner only needs to warn you of hazards you can’t discover on your own. But they probably don’t have to go ahead and fix it or search out hidden hazards.
Trespassers are owed the least protection unless they are children. Often, no financial recovery is available unless the owner laid a trap to intentionally injure the person trespassing.
Who Else Might Be Responsible?
In addition to the property owner, other parties might share responsibility for upkeep. For example, we might end up suing:
- Tenants or lessees
- Property management companies
- Government entities
- Contractors or subcontractors
While injured, it can be hard to know who is in control of the property. An investigation is impossible if you are laid up with a concussion, broken bone, or other injury. Helpfully, an attorney can perform the necessary legwork to ensure all responsible defendants are added to a lawsuit or claim.
Most businesses should have insurance that can pay compensation to an injured customer. Similarly, a private citizen might have a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy which can also pay compensation.
Let Us Help with Your Premises Liability Claim in Wesley Chapel
Businesses and other property owners are never eager to admit fault for an accident. At Moore Law, we understand how to build up a case so that our clients receive meaningful compensation for their injuries. To learn more about the services we offer, call to schedule an appointment.
