Premises Liability Lawyer in Canton, GA

Premises Liability Laws in Georgia

Under Georgia law, property owners are required to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors to the property. While property owners have a duty of care to keep people from harm on their property, the extent of this duty depends on the status of a visitor. There are three main types of visitors to a property:

Invitee – An invitee is a visitor who enters the property for the benefit of the owner or with the owner’s express or implied invitation. For example, retail customers and bar/restaurant patrons are generally invitees. Property owners are responsible for injuries caused by their failure to exercise ordinary care in keeping their property safe.

Licensee – A licensee is a visitor who lawfully enters a property but not for the owner’s benefit. A door-to-door salesperson is an example of a licensee. Property owners still have a duty of care to keep their property safe for licensees, but the standard is less than for invitees. Property owners are simply required to avoid willfully or wantonly causing injury to the licensee.

Trespasser – A trespasser is someone who enters a property without the owner’s permission. Owners are generally only expected to refrain from unlawfully injuring a trespasser, such as by placing traps. However, the law may impose more significant duties toward younger children who trespass on a property due to an “attractive nuisance,” such as a swimming pool or construction site that children would be tempted to play in.

Types of Premises Liability Cases

Examples of premises liability cases that Geiger Legal Group, LLC can help you with include:

Slip and fall accidents
Trip and fall accidents
Inadequate or negligent security
Falling merchandise accidents
Elevator and escalator accidents
Dog bites and attacks
Swimming pool accidents
Amusement park accidents
Playground accidents
Sports facility/gym accidents
Fires and explosions
Exposure to toxic or hazardous chemicals and fumes
Deck/pedestrian bridge/building collapse accidents

Common Injuries in Premises Liability Cases

Premises liability victims may sustain serious injuries because of the property owner’s negligence. Some of the more common injuries in premises liability cases include:

Broken arms, legs, hips, or other bones
Deep cuts and lacerations
Soft tissue injuries to the joints, tendons, or ligaments
Traumatic brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries

Statute of Limitations for Georgia Premises Liability Claims

The statute of limitations for cases involving premises liability in Georgia is generally two years from the date of the accident that caused your injuries. This means that you have two years to file a lawsuit against the property owner if you wish to recover compensation for your injuries through the courts. If you fail to take legal action within this timeframe, you may not be able to recover compensation for your injuries.

Compensation Available in a Georgia Premises Liability Claim

If you were injured because of a property owner’s negligence, you might be entitled to recover compensation for losses that you have incurred, including:

Costs of medical treatment and physical rehabilitation for injuries you suffered
Lost wages or income if you miss work while recovering from your injuries
Loss of future earning capacity due to permanent impairments or disabilities that affect your ability to work
Physical and emotional pain and suffering
Loss of enjoyment or quality of life

How to Prove Negligence in a Georgia Premises Liability Case

Just because you were injured on someone else’s property does not automatically entitle you to recover compensation from the property owner. First, you must prove that your injuries occurred due to the property owner’s negligence.

Proving negligence in a premises liability case requires establishing four elements:

First, you must establish the property owner’s duty of care to you by determining your legal status on the property (were you an invitee, licensee, or trespasser?).
Next, you must show how the property owner breached the duty of care imposed by law. This might include showing that the property owner created hazardous conditions that caused your injuries, failed to remedy a dangerous situation on the property, or failed to warn you about the hazard.
You must also draw a direct link between the property owner’s negligence and your injuries.
Finally, you must show that you incurred losses because of your injuries.

Proving negligence can be challenging, which is why it’s imperative to involve a skilled premises liability attorney. At Geiger Legal Group, LLC, our attorneys have what it takes to prove your case and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Contact Our Premises Liability Lawyers in Canton, GA Today

If you suffered an injury due to a property owner’s negligence, contact Geiger Legal Group, LLC to speak with our Canton premises liability attorneys. Our premises liability attorneys will explain your legal rights and help you evaluate your options. If you choose to hire us, we will work tirelessly to help you seek the compensation you are entitled to. Contact us today for a free case review.

Canton Premises Liability Lawyers