Columbus Premises Liability Lawyer
Georgia premises liability lawsuits generally involve injuries sustained while on someone else’s property. That property can be someone’s home, a business, or even a park. Someone is always responsible for the condition of a property and may be help responsible for injuries which result. If you have been injured on a property, contact a Columbus premises liability lawyer as soon as possible. A distinguished personal injury attorney can discuss your situation with you and determine your legal options so that you can make an informed decision about what is best for you and your family.
Typical Premises Accidents
Georgia premises liability accidents can be as simple as a slip and fall at the grocery store to falling in an unmarked ditch in a state park. Some of the most common premises liability accidents include dangerous and defective property conditions such as ill-maintained steps, railings, worn and frayed rugs, spills and fallen debris which should have been cleaned up, and sidewalks or pathways that are not considered safe.
However, premises liability can also be triggered by dog bites, swimming pool accidents, elevator accidents, and anything which might cause someone to trip and fall. Regardless of how an accident occurs, premises liability injuries can result in significant medical costs, lost wages and income, pain and suffering and more.
Classifying Roles in Liability Cases
Georgia property owners, both private and public, generally have a duty to keep their premises safe. However, liability will depend on why a person was on the premises in the first place. Georgia premises liability accident claims can be complex. However, a Columbus premises liability lawyer can explain how these laws pertain to lawsuits and who might be held responsible for injuries. In many cases, homeowners’ insurance or commercial premises insurance policies cover damages.
The law differs depending on whether that person was an invitee, a licensee, or a trespasser. Invitees have been invited onto a property, whether expressly or impliedly. They include friends, family members, and neighbors. The owner of the property (or anyone who controls the property) has a duty to keep it reasonably safe for anyone invited onto it. Licensees have express or implied permission to enter it. However, the owner, tenant, or person controlling the property, has a lesser duty to licensees and merely has to warn them of non-apparent dangerous conditions that may create an unreasonable risk of harm.
What Does it Mean to be a Trespasser?
Trespassers have no legal right to be on the property and there is generally no duty to warn of dangerous conditions. However, the person in control of the property does have a duty to exercise reasonable care avoid a reasonably foreseeable risk of harm to children caused by artificial conditions on the land such as debris which might attract kids or swimming pools that are not properly fenced.
How an Experienced Columbus Premises Attorney Can Help
If you have been injured at a store, in a park, or at your friend’s house due to a slip and fall or by dangerous or defective property conditions, contact a Columbus premises liability lawyer to review your situation and determine who might be responsible for the medical bills, lost income, or pain and suffering which resulted from the accident. Keep in mind that Georgia’s statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is only two years from the injury date, so contacting an attorney sooner than later is always in you and your family’s best interests.