Premises liability cases, i.e. slip and falls or trip and falls, are a very commomn cause of personal injury cases in Florida. At the grocery store, post office, a walk around your neighborhood or even on a family vacation to a theme park, if there is ever a hazard on someone else’s property that should have been fixed and causes a person to get hurt, they may have grounds to file a premises liability claim.
Property owners and managers have a duty to keep the premises of their properties free of dangerous conditions that can lead to injuries. If you believe you were hurt on someone else’s property because they failed to address a hazard, you have the right to speak with a premises liability lawyer in Deerfield Beach.
What are the Basics of a Premises Liability Claim?
The owners and/or caretakers of a property have a certain obligation to keep the property in conditions that are safe for visitors. When they do not live up to this expectation, people can get seriously injured. Anyone who is seriously injured due to the negligence of a property owner or manager has the right to pursue a premises liability claim in order to recover compensation for all accident-related expenses.
Some common examples of situations that involve premises liability include:
- A lack of maintenance creates a dangerous situation that injures someone
- Poor security results in injury
- A slip and fall incident
- Animal attacks
- Amusement Park accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Snow/ice accidents
- Elevator/escalator accidents
Reviewing the potential areas where you can be hurt can help you avoid injury in the first place. However, it is also important to understand the issues where a land or property owner is responsible for ensuring your safety.
Who May Pursue a Premises Liability Claim in Florida?
Generally, visitors to a property –– such as welcome guests in a place of business or person’s house –– may pursue a premises liability claim if it can be shown that they sustained injury on the property and that the injury occurred due to the property owner or manager’s negligence.
Trespassers, on the other hand, have the least legal recourse if injured since they were not supposed to be on the property at the time they were injured. Owners tend to be protected from claims made by trespassers if the owner does not hurt the trespasser on purpose and, in some cases, has reasonable warnings for non-obvious dangers.
Property Owners and Managers Have a Duty to Keep Property Safe
The responsibility to maintain property falls on the owner, or if they do not control the property, it falls on the shoulders of whoever does. The general assumption is that the property is safe for people to be on, especially with businesses and public spaces.
The key idea that separates a responsible owner from a non-responsible owner is whether or not a reasonable time to find and fix the issue has passed. If a spill just happened moments ago and someone slips, the owner did not have time to find the water and put a sign-up.
Hiring a Deerfield Beach Premises Liability Attorney for Your Claim
One of the most important steps you can take following an injury from a premises liability accident is to contact a premises liability attorney in Deerfield Beach to discuss your claim. There may be several steps involved in the claims process and tight deadlines that cannot be missed. An attorney will gather all the evidence of your claim and provide professional documentation so you can attend to your medical appointments and focus on healing.
The sooner you touch base with a reputable premises liability lawyer, the sooner you can resolve your claim. At Waring Law, we provide free consultations, both in person and over the phone. Please contact us today at (954) 388-0646 or fill out our contact form to get the ball rolling on your case. We look forward to working with you to resolve your legal issues quickly and effectively.