Athens / Hartwell Premises Liability Attorneys Serving Northeast Georgia
Skilled Slip and Fall Lawyers with over 50 years of combined experience
Accidents can happen anywhere, from shops to stairwells. Slip and fall accident victims can face serious injuries, mountains of medical bills, and an inability to work. That can add up to financial stress that leaves you feeling trapped and looking for legal advice to get compensated for your losses.
Are you attempting to recover from an injury suffered on someone else’s property because of their negligence?
You don’t have to worry about the legal system any longer. In Athens, in Hartwell and throughout Northeast Georgia, The Van Dora Law Firm, LLC, has experienced premises liability attorneys who will empower you and fight for your interests in and out of court.
Slip and Fall Victims Suffer for Property Holders’ Negligence
All slip and fall accidents fit into a broader category of premises liability lawsuits. That category includes any time you are hurt on someone else’s property because of something they did, or unreasonably failed to do. The most common slip and fall lawsuits are against shop owners and restaurant franchises who fail to keep their floors clean and dry. However, a premises liability lawsuit can be filed against anyone with control over the property, including:
- Residential land owners
- Tenants
- Apartment management companies
- Retail stores franchisees and shopping mall owners
- Restaurant owners
- Event spaces (like theaters or stadiums)
- Hospital maintenance companies
- Commercial landlords
These property owners and managers have a duty to keep their property safe for invited visitors (invitees), including patrons in their stores or guests in their homes. There are also some protections for people who had a legal right to be where they were (licensees), and even people, especially children, who end up where they don’t belong (trespassers).
Common Types of Premises Liability Injuries
Slip-and-fall cases may be the most widely known type of premises liability, but you don’t have to hit the ground to be compensated for your injuries. Premises liability could include injuries caused by:
- Vicious animals
- Escalator or elevator malfunctions
- Fire alarm or fire safety violations
- Falling equipment or merchandise
- Structural collapse of railings, stairs, decks, or balconies
- Unmarked hazards like dark stairs or construction areas
- Pool injuries or illnesses
You may even be able to recover if someone attacked you while you were on the property and the private security on site didn’t step in to help. Anytime a property owner’s negligence causes a dangerous condition on the property, you have the potential to recover for the injuries caused by that condition.
The Landlords’ Defense: They Didn’t Know
For years, Georgia residents with slip and fall injuries lost their premises liability lawsuits to one common defense: the landlord or property manager didn’t know about the dangerous condition. However, several years ago, the Georgia Court of Appeals issued a case saying that property owners can’t turn a blind eye to the condition of their property. Now, you and your personal injury attorney simply must demonstrate that the store staff or property management company should have known if they had taken ordinary care to inspect their property. That still isn’t always easy, but slip and fall lawyers know how to build a case that shows the owners failed their duty to watch and take care of the premises.
Free Consultation with Georgia Personal Injury Lawyers Who Protect Your Rights
At The Van Dora Law Firm, LLC, our personal injury legal team has one overriding objective at every stage of the legal process: to win the maximum financial compensation you deserve. In a slip and fall case, that can include recovering lost wages, replacing damaged personal property, and being compensated for your health care costs. You may even be able to recover damages based on your physical pain and suffering and emotional trauma. In the most serious, wrongful death cases, your family may be able to recover for the loss of your loved one’s income, care, and support, as well as pay for funeral and burial expenses.
We take every personal injury case on a strict contingency fee basis. You won’t owe us any attorney fees unless we win your case. That means even if you aren’t sure about your options, you have nothing to lose by contacting us to discuss your accident.
