Columbus Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere, at any time, and for any reason. Whether the accident occurs due to icy or ill-maintained sidewalks, frayed carpeting, or slick areas where food or liquids spilled, injuries can often be serious and require medical attention. Anyone who has slipped and fallen on a property where dangerous conditions existed should contact a Columbus slip and fall lawyer to review the situation and determine their options. In most situations, the owner of the property and their insurance company may be liable for whatever injuries were sustained on the property. If this has occurred to you, it may be critical to contact a distinguished personal injury lawyer regarding the facts of your case.

Accidents Caused by Dangerous Conditions

Georgia slip and fall accidents can actually be quite complex as liability will depend upon why the injured person was on the property and how the accident occurred. Determining why the injured person was on the property is important.

In Georgia, the duty to warn others of dangerous conditions depends on whether the person was an invitee, a licensee, or a trespasser. An invitee includes anyone invited onto the property such as friends, family, or neighbors. That invitation can be express (an invitation to a party) or implied, the person in control of the property has a duty to keep the property reasonably safe for anyone invited onto it.

Licensees are those who generally enter a property for their own purposes, such as salespeople. While they have not been invited, they may have express or implied permission from the owner, tenant, or person controlling the property to enter it. Whoever controls the property only has a duty to warn licensees of dangerous conditions that create an unreasonable risk of harm which are not apparent (for example, a broken railing or a rotted step).

Defining Trespassers

Trespassers have no right to be on the property and there is generally no duty to warn them of dangerous conditions. An exception to that involved children who must be warned of dangerous conditions or dangers which might attract them. If construction is occurring on a property and a bulldozer is parked on the front lawn, it is foreseeable that a child might be curious enough to see how it works. Anyone who has been harmed from local construction should contact a Columbus slip and fall lawyer immediately.

Children are an exception to this rule. The person in control of the property has a duty to exercise reasonable care avoid a reasonably foreseeable risk of harm to children caused by artificial conditions on the land such as swimming pools and things that would knowingly attract children to the property. Premises liability accident claims can be complex and accidents can result in injuries requiring hospital visits, medical costs, lost income, and emotional and physical pain and suffering. An experienced Columbus slip and fall attorney can explain how these laws pertain to their situation.

Hiring an Attorney

If you have been injured on someone else’s property, it is important to keep in mind that Georgia’s statute of limitations for filing a personal injury slip and fall lawsuit is only two years from the injury date. Regardless of how a slip and fall injury occurred, it is safe to assume that insurance company representatives will be involved. Sadly, they rarely have your best interests at heart. That is where a Columbus slip and fall lawyer can help by leveling the playing field and making sure that someone is looking out for your best interests – whether a lawsuit if filed or a settlement is involved.