Dekalb County Premises Liability Lawyers
Property owners owe a duty of care to all individuals they invite or allow onto their property. This duty includes the responsibility to fix dangerous conditions or warn people of the potential hazards. When a landowner fails to uphold this duty, serious injuries may result.
If you are injured due to a hazardous condition on someone else’s property, a DeKalb County premises liability lawyer may be able to assist you. Your dedicated personal injury attorney could provide advice on your potential claim, help identify negligent behavior, and work with you to pursue appropriate compensation.
Types of Premises Liability Cases
Individuals who sustain injuries due to dangerous property conditions could endure years of physical and emotional suffering. Common injuries include muscle strains, sprains, and broken bones, but the consequences of these accidents can also include nerve damage, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
If an injured individual needs long-term or lifelong medical treatment due to a property owner’s failure to maintain a secure premises, medical expenses and lost wages may factor heavily into an ensuing civil claim. Medical bills can demonstrate the expenses a victim has incurred due to an injury, while medical records could establish the injuries suffered and the necessity of past, present, or future medical treatment.
Furthermore, if an individual is forced to take time from work or can no longer perform the duties of their job, their financial security could be significantly impacted. Accordingly, these losses can make up a significant portion of the total damages sought when filing a claim for compensation in court.
After facing losses of these magnitudes, a potential plaintiff may benefit from speaking to a DeKalb County premises liability lawyer. A diligent attorney could gather evidence of medical expenses, lost wages, and other applicable losses, and then work to present this harm effectively to the court on an injured individual’s behalf.
Classification of Injured Individuals
The duty that a property owner owes to an individual who enters their land varies based on that individual’s legal classification at the time of injury. Under Georgia law, landowners owe different duties of care to invitees, licensees, and trespassers. These classifications are critical to determining the potential for a successful premises liability claim in DeKalb County.
A property owner owes the highest duty of care to an invitee, a category typified by a customer shopping at a store. The owner may be civilly liable if their failure to exercise ordinary care in maintaining safe premises leads to an invitee’s injury.
Licensees, while not customers, are those who are otherwise lawfully on the premises. Property owners may be liable for any “willful or wanton injury” that a licensee suffers while on their property, according to Official Code of Georgia §51-3-2.
Finally, as per O.C.G.A. §51-3-3, a property owner does not owe a duty of care to a trespasser. Since a trespasser does not have permission to be on the property, the property owner must only refrain from willfully injuring them.
Speak with a DeKalb County Premises Liability Lawyer
Injuries sustained due to a property owner’s negligence can be devastating. Severe pain, emotional trauma, and mounting medical expenses combined with the necessity of following a doctor’s orders or a treatment plan can make recovering feel nearly impossible.
If you are injured due to a property owner’s negligence, you deserve to have an ally by your side. A dedicated DeKalb County premises liability lawyer could work with you to determine the cause of your injury and identify potentially negligent parties. Contact an attorney today to schedule an initial consultation and begin working on your legal claim.
