Were you injured on someone else’s property in Savannah, GA? If so, a Savannah premises liability lawyer can help you seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more than a decade, Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers has fought tirelessly to uphold the rights of accident victims throughout Savannah and surrounding areas. We can review your legal rights after a premises liability accident. Contact us today at (912) 335-1909 for a free case review.
If you were injured in an accident on someone else’s property, including a business or public property, contact Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers to discuss a potential premises liability lawsuit. Our experienced premises liability lawyers in Savannah handle cases involving Savannah catastrophic injuries, spinal cord injuries, Savannah brain injuries, and wrongful death claims.
How Our Savannah Premises Liability Lawyers Can Help After an Accident
If you were injured on someone else’s property, you have legal rights and may be entitled to compensation. The Savannah premises liability lawyers at Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers have extensive knowledge and experience in Georgia premises liability and personal injury law. Our dedicated legal team is here to guide you through your claim and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. You can trust us to help by:
- Investigating the accident and identifying all at-fault parties
- Gathering evidence to establish liability
- Identifying each path for financial recovery
- Compiling information about the full extent of your injuries
- Preparing a demand letter that sets out your legal claim
- Negotiating for maximum compensation
Contact us today for a free consultation with a Savannah personal injury attorney.
What Is Premises Liability?
Georgia law outlines specific obligations for property owners and occupiers to ensure the safety and proper maintenance of their premises to prevent injuries to visitors. The level of care required varies based on the visitor’s legal status, such as invitee, licensee, or trespasser. For example, if the property owner or occupier fails to uphold the relevant duty of care and a visitor is injured as a result, the visitor may have legal grounds to file a personal injury case.
Where Do Premises Liability Accidents Occur?
Premises liability accidents can occur anywhere, including:
- Grocery stores
- Shopping malls
- Businesses
- Clubs
- Restaurants
- Theaters
- Friends’ houses
- Apartment complexes
- Hotels or motels
- Office buildings
- Concert venues
- Public property
- Medical facilities
- Nursing homes
- Hospitals
If you were injured on someone else’s property, reach out to an experienced premises liability lawyer who can evaluate the circumstances and explain if you have a right to seek compensation.
Common Causes of Premises Liability Accidents
Premises liability cases can take many forms in Georgia, including the following:
- Lack of maintenance: Many premises liability accidents, including slips and falls, are due to negligent maintenance. Property owners may be responsible for injuries caused by dangerous conditions on the property related to lack of maintenance, such as broken light fixtures, staircases, or flooring. Loose floorboards, handrails, or steps can also cause these injuries.
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- Dog bites: Dog owners can be held liable when their dog bites someone unprovoked who is legally upon the property. Landlords can sometimes be held responsible for these injuries when they are aware that a dog is dangerous and allow them to stay on the property.
- Negligent security: Property owners can sometimes be held liable for the criminal actions of others, such as when store customers are injured while robbed. They may be held liable when they are aware of crime in the area and fail to take proper safety precautions, such as hiring security guards, installing security cameras or systems, or fixing broken locks or windows.
- Elevator and escalator accidents: Faulty elevators and escalators can lead to injuries to visitors. Property owners are responsible for maintaining these aspects of their property.
- Swimming pool accidents: Visitors can be harmed when public pools are not properly maintained, lifeguards are not paying attention, or fail to train lifeguards properly. In some cases, property owners know that children appear on their property uninvited to swim in their pool but fail to put up a fence or otherwise protect children from this attractive nuisance.
Let our experienced premises liability lawyers evaluate the circumstances surrounding your accident and explain your legal rights.
Who Is Responsible for Premises Liability Accidents in Georgia?
The party responsible for creating the hazardous condition or failing to maintain the property may be legally responsible for resulting accidents. This could include:
- Property owners
- Renters
- Landlords
- Business
- Government agencies
- Dog owners
- Contractors
- Property management companies
- Employers
Many times, these parties have insurance policies in place to pay claims. Our experienced lawyers can evaluate the available coverage and fight for fair compensation.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win My Premises Liability Case?
As a plaintiff in a premises liability case, you will need to establish the four following legal elements to prove your right to compensation:
The Standard of Care
Georgia law specifically designates three classifications of visitors and the accompanying legal responsibilities (standard of care) for the property owner:
- Invitee: Invitees are people with the property owner’s express or implied permission to come onto the property. Property owners and occupiers owe the highest standard of care to invitees, who are there for their benefit. They are held responsible for injuries that occur when they fail to exercise ordinary care to keep the premises and approaches safe.
- Licensee: Licensees are lawfully on the property but are not customers, servants, or trespassers. Property owners must not willfully or wantonly cause injury to them.
- Trespasser: Trespassers are not lawfully on the property. Property owners owe them no duty of care besides not causing a willful or wanton injury.
Understanding the standard of care owed to different types of visitors is the essential first step for determining liability in a premises liability case.
Breach of Duty of Care
Next, you must show that the property owner did something or failed to do something that breached their duty of care. For example, the property owner may have failed to follow building codes, put up warning signs after digging a trench, or clean up spills in their store. Photos or videos of the accident scene may help establish this element.
Causation
Causation can be a difficult element to prove because you must directly link the property owner’s breach of duty to the injury. It’s not enough to show you were injured; you must show the dangerous property condition injured you. An experienced lawyer can help prove this element by:
- Reviewing accident reports
- Interviewing witnesses
- Requesting surveillance footage
- Reviewing inspection records
If a lawyer files a lawsuit in your case, they can use various discovery methods, including interrogatories, depositions, and subpoenas, to obtain additional evidence to prove your claim.
Damages
Finally, you must be able to show you suffered damages due to the accident, such as medical expenses, lost income, or pain and suffering. Our experienced lawyers can help prove all the elements of your claim and ensure you receive compensation for all of your losses.
We Help Fight for Compensation After All Injuries
Premises liability can cause serious injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
- Broken legs, hips, arms, wrists, or ankles
- Catastrophic injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
Our legal team can review your medical records and work with your healthcare providers to understand the full extent of your injuries and fight for fair compensation for them.
What Is My Premises Liability Accident Case Worth?
Every premises liability case is different. The value of your case depends on various factors, including:
- The nature and severity of your injury
- The value of your medical bills
- Whether the injury caused permanent disabilities
- Available insurance
- Whether you contributed to the accident
- The extent of your pain and suffering
An experienced attorney can evaluate your claim and inform you of its worth.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Premises Liability Claim?
You may be able to recover compensation for economic and non-economic damages you sustained because of the accident. Economic damages are typically monetary in nature, and can include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Property damage
Non-economic damages are harder to add up and might include compensation for losses such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Scarring and disfigurement
An experienced lawyer can fight to secure fair compensation on your behalf, no matter what losses you suffer.
Can I Still Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed for the Accident?
Georgia’s modified comparative fault law prohibits accident victims who are 50% or more at fault for accidents that injured them from recovering any compensation. If you are less at fault for the accident than 50%, you can file a claim and seek compensation, but your damages will be reduced by your degree of fault. Georgia courts are tasked with apportioning fault between the parties and others who contributed to the accident.
For example, if an accident victim is found to be 15% at fault for an accident and suffered $100,000 in damages, the court would reduce their damages by $15,000 in proportion to their degree of fault. An experienced attorney can fight to defend you from insurance companies and defendants who try to blame you for the accident. If you were partially at fault for the accident, your lawyer can try to negotiate down the degree of fault assigned to you so you can maximize your recovery.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Georgia?
You have a limited time to file a lawsuit after you were injured by someone else’s negligence. Under Georgia’s statute of limitations, this is two years from the accident date. However, this deadline might vary depending on the specifics of your case, which is why it is always a good idea to contact a lawyer for help. If the deadline passes, you can forfeit your right to recover compensation through the court.
Contact Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Review
If a negligent property owner was responsible for your injuries, you have the right to hold them responsible. A Savannah premises liability lawyer can investigate the details of your case, gather evidence, and fight for fair compensation. Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers can explain your legal rights and options during a free case review. Contact us today to schedule yours.
Our personal injury law firm in Savannah, GA, also provides:
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