Premises Liability Attorneys in Morrow, GA

Owning property comes with certain responsibilities that are owed to the rest of the city. It is your duty to protect lawful, non-trespassing visitors from injuries caused by dangerous conditions on your property. These hazardous conditions may include uneven flooring or sidewalks, unmarked stairs, inadequate lighting, buildings not built to code, dog bites, and even icy, wet, or snow-covered sidewalks, walkways, and stairs that you failed to clear properly. If you’ve been injured in an accident or slip-and-fall in the Atlanta area due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to legal compensation through a premises liability claim.

At Stein & Fox Accident Attorneys, we have over five decades of combined experience representing clients who have been injured on the property of others, and those who have suffered all other types of personal injuries in Morrow. Our firm is dedicated exclusively to the practice of personal injury law, and we have a successful track record with even the most complex cases. We work closely with our clients, and we provide each case with the personalized attention and dedication it deserves.

Premises liability accidents can happen just about anywhere. Some of the most common places were visitors frequently get hurt because of a property owner’s negligence include:

• Grocery stores
• Restaurants
• Retail Stores
• Hotels and Resorts
• Amusement Parks
• Swimming Pools
• Commercial Buildings
• Government Buildings
• Public Parks
• Schools
• Daycare Centers
• Playgrounds
• Construction Sites

It is important to note that the type of visitor you were when you were hurt on the property will be one of the determining factors in whether or not you have a viable premises liability claim. In general, there are three categories of visitors:

• Invitees: This is someone who has explicit permission to be on the property, usually for the financial benefit of the owner. Examples would include customers and patrons, employees, and tenants. The highest duty of care is owed to visitors in the invitee category.
• Licensees: A licensee also has permission to be on a property, but it is usually for their own benefit or for a neutral purpose. Examples of licensees would include social guests, neighbors, and unsolicited salespeople. Visitors in this category are owed the second highest duty of care.
• Trespassers: A trespasser does not have a legal right to be on the property. As such, the only duty of care that an owner/caretaker owes to trespassers is not to engage in any willful or malicious conduct or entrapment that may do them harm.

Damage from Slipping and Falling Can Be Very Serious

A slip-and-fall occurs when a person slips or trips on the premises of another person, resulting in an injury. There are more than eight million slip-and-fall injuries reported in the U.S. every year. In fact, the only cause of injury that ranks higher than slip-and-falls is auto accidents.

Slip-and-falls can cause several types of debilitating injuries, ranging from broken bones, cuts and abrasions to more serious head and brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. Slip-and-falls can be especially dangerous for seniors. It’s been estimated that every year some 16,000 Americans aged 65 and older die from slip-and-fall injuries. Call Stein & Fox LLC today to schedule a consultation and start recovering your claims.

Georgia Premises Liability Claims

When someone is hurt in a slip and fall accident or suffers any other type of injury because of the negligence of a property owner or caretaker, they have a right to compensation. There are two general types of compensatory damages that may be recoverable:

• Economic Damages: These are damages for direct monetary losses that the injured party suffers. Examples include medical expenses, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity.

• Noneconomic Damages: These are losses that are real but more intangible and difficult to quantify. Examples include pain-and-suffering, emotional distress, diminished quality of life, and permanent injury.

Georgia uses a modified form of comparative negligence in personal injury cases. Under this standard, an injured person can recover damages as long as they are found to be less than 50% at fault for the underlying accident or event. So, even if it is determined that you are personally responsible for the accident that caused your injury, you may still be able to collect damages.

All of that said, it is important to note that if you are found to be in any way responsible for your premises liability accident, your damage award would be reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault you share. For example, if you suffered a total of $75,000 in losses and you are determined to be 20% at fault, your damage award would be reduced by $15,000.

When you are involved in a premises liability claim, you can almost always expect that the defendant will try to pin at least some of the blame for the accident on you so they can avoid paying damages or minimize the amount they have to pay. Many property owners have come to believe that slip and fall accidents and similar claims are frivolous and without merit, so they are likely to push back hard against your claim.

Here are some of the possible defenses a property owner might use against you:

• The owner did not know or could not have reasonably known about the hazardous condition that caused your injury.

• The hazardous condition was “open and obvious” to any reasonable person, and therefore you should have seen it and been able to avoid injury.

• The injury was your fault because you were not paying attention to what you were doing (ex: you were sending or receiving a text on your phone when you slipped and fell).

• The injury happened when you were in an area of the property that is restricted to visitors, or where visitors do not usually go.

To help ensure that your case will stand up to the defendant’s argument, it is important to compile as much documentation and evidence as possible. If possible, take multiple photographs of the accident scene clearly showing the hazardous condition and your injury, and obtain statements from any witnesses that saw what happened. Seek immediate medical attention and be sure to follow all of your doctor’s orders.

Finally, get in touch with a skilled and knowledgeable attorney as early as possible. The sooner you retain the services of an attorney, the sooner they can go to work on your case and put together the strongest possible claim.

Your Experienced and Professional Attorneys for Slip-and-Falls in Morrow

Stein & Fox Accident Attorneys has handled many slip-and-fall and premises liability cases in Morrow over the years and knows what actions must be taken to prepare such cases for court. Contact us today at (770) 961-1700 to request a free case review, and we’ll put our legal experience to work for you. Whether you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall, swimming pool accident or fire, we’ll help you protect your rights to seek compensation for your injuries and medical expenses.