Visiting a neighbor’s house for a backyard barbecue should not be a dangerous activity. Neither should a simple trip for a few groceries at the local supermarket. However, accidents resulting in devastating injuries frequently occur when people are away from their own homes.
If you recently suffered a serious injury while on someone else’s property, consult a knowledgeable attorney on your rights to pursue compensation in a personal injury suit. A Kennesaw premises liability lawyer could help you obtain the resources you need to move forward after a serious accident.
How do Premises Liability Claims Work?
When people suffer injuries away from their own homes, they might be eligible to obtain compensation for their injuries. Under Georgia law, landowners, business managers, landlords, and caretakers have a legal duty to maintain safe premises. If an unsafe condition on a property causes an unsuspecting visitor to get hurt, a Kennesaw lawyer could help hold the property’s owner legally responsible.
However, Georgia law sets forth different requirements for property owners depending on the type of visitor. The relationship between the visitor and the property owner makes a difference in the ability to pursue damages in a premises liability claim.
Invitee
Invitees are people who visit a place for the mutual benefit of both parties. Customers at a shopping mall, contractors performing work on a house, or clients at an accountant’s office are all examples of invitees. Landowners owe the highest degree of care to licensees. They need to use ordinary efforts to keep their premises reasonably safe. If an invitee sustains an injury because a property owner failed to maintain the property, the landowner could be liable.
Licensee
Licensees are people who visit another person’s property for their own benefit. Property owners are not held to as high a degree of care for licensees. Generally, they are only liable for recklessly or wantonly harming the licensee.
Trespasser
Trespassers are people who enter a property unlawfully without the owner’s permission. Landowners cannot willfully injure trespassers. For example, they cannot set booby traps on their land to catch trespassers.
A knowledgeable attorney in Kennesaw could help injured victims determine what class of visitor they were and what duties the property owner owed them.
Common Types of Premises Liability Accidents in Kennesaw
Some of the types of hazards that could give rise to a lawsuit include the following:
- Slippery floors
- Uneven walking surfaces, such as due to bunched-up carpets
- Inadequate lighting
- Broken stairs, steps, or handrails
- Obstructions or debris on a floor
- Wet or icy sidewalks, entryways, parking lots, or driveways
- Inadequate security, such as broken locks
At the Gunn Law Group, our skilled team of lawyers could investigate the accident to look for evidence pointing to the property owner’s liability. Our local attorneys could look at the circumstances of the accident and investigate the hazardous condition that led to the injury. Depending on how open and obvious the danger was, how long the landowner knew about it, and whether there were any warnings or attempts to repair or remove the hazard, an injured victim may be eligible to pursue compensation.
Reach Out to a Kennesaw Premises Liability Attorney
Hazardous conditions on another person’s property can lead to serious injuries. Homeowners and business owners should keep their lands and places safe for visitors. When they allow dangerous conditions to develop, they should be held legally responsible for the resulting injuries.
If you suffered an injury while on someone else’s property, you should consult with a knowledgeable Kennesaw premises liability lawyer. The team at the Gunn Law Group could work to help you recover money from the careless property owner. Reach out to discuss your potential claim today.