Helping Injured Victims File a Premises Liability Claim
Every time you are the legal visitor of someone else’s property, you have the legal right to expect a certain level of care to prevent injuries from befalling you while you are on their property.
If a business owner or private property owner is negligent in their responsibility to your personal well-being, then they may be held liable for certain economic or non-economic damages if you suffer an injury on their property.
This expectation for a certain level of safety and care while visiting or shopping at someone else’s property extends to the expectation that if there is a dangerous condition, it will be tended to in a timely manner so as to prevent the possibility of serious injuries.
If it is impossible for the property owners to address hazards or dangerous conditions of their property, they must provide adequate warning signs that the dangers exist so as to warn visitors of the risks involved in shopping and/or visiting their property.
Every state has slightly different premises liability laws. Under Florida premises liability law, property owners owe a different level of care to the type of visitors they are hosting, like invitees, licensees, and trespassers.
To better understand the liability that a property owner has for a premises liability accident and any serious or minor injuries that resulted from that accident, it is highly recommended that accident victims contact an experienced premises liability lawyer to discuss their case in more detail.
At , our highly skilled legal team has several years of experience representing complex personal injury cases, including handling premises liability cases. Led by experienced Florida personal injury attorney Zeljka Bozanic, our law firm is highly qualified to represent your personal injury case as you pursue compensation for your injuries.
Our personal injury law firm offers prospective clients a free initial consultation to discuss their unique cases in more detail. Schedule your free, no-obligation Florida premises liability case evaluation today.
What Are Different Types of Premises Liability Cases?
There are several different unfortunate circumstances that may lead to a premises liability case involving minor or severe injuries.
Slippery surfaces, such as wet floors or spills on linoleum flooring, are among the most common examples of premises liability cases. Slip and fall accidents can result in serious or minor injuries. If you have been the victim of a slip and fall accident, you may potentially be able to pursue financial recovery for your resulting losses with a premises liability claim.
Areas in which inadequate security leads to an assault or accident that would have been prevented had there been adequate security could be grounds for premises liability claims.
Construction defects, such as holes in concrete where people walk or exposed electrical wires that could electrocute an unaware person, could be valid grounds for premises liability cases.
Poorly maintained stairways are common locations for trip or slip and fall accidents to occur. If inadequate lighting or a broken step leads to a fall accident, the property owners or the property management staff may be held accountable under the premises liability law.
Handrails and other types of railings are important for keeping people safe on stairways, balconies, and other locations. When these safety measures are not properly maintained, they can do more harm than good, potentially leading to a fall as a person puts their weight on the faulty railing.
If a broken railing or handrail leads to an accident where you suffer injuries and financial losses, seek legal representation from experienced Florida premises liability attorneys at our firm today.
Swimming pool accidents are an unfortunate occurrence at hotels and resorts and even on private property. Drownings (or near drownings), chemical burns, blunt force trauma, and injuries from diving into shallow waters may all be considered valid legal grounds to file a premises liability lawsuit.
Animal attacks, which commonly occur on private property, are other acceptable grounds for premises liability cases. If you are bitten by a dog, consult Florida premises liability lawyers about your dog bite accident case and whether it falls under premises liability law as well.
Negligent security, similar to inadequate security, is another reason to file a premises liability claim. If a business or store does not provide qualified security, they may be responsible for assault by third parties, criminal acts by third parties, and other violence or accidents where, if they did provide adequate security, could have prevented the injuries from occurring.
Potholes, icy sidewalks, broken walkways, and other defects in flooring, parking lots, and pavements are common examples of premises liability claims.
Poorly designed or inadequately maintained parking lots can lead to car accidents and pedestrian accidents. In both cases, you may potentially file a premises liability suit against the Florida property owners responsible for maintaining a faulty parking lot.
Whether you suffered serious or minor injuries, you deserve the right to seek justice and financial compensation for your injuries and other losses. We can help you with this pursuit. Contact Bozanic Law to schedule your free case evaluation with our highly qualified legal staff today.
Where Do Premises Liability Accidents Typically Occur?
While every property owner owes a reasonable ‘duty of care’ to legal visitors, customers, and other guests, there are certain Florida locations that see more premises liability claims than others.
These include:
- Airports
- Amusement parks and resorts
- Apartment buildings, condominiums, and rental properties
- Arenas, stadiums, concert venues, and other entertainment locales
- Businesses
- Commercial properties
- Fairgrounds
- Government buildings
- Hotels and motels
- Junk yards and scrap yards
- Office buildings
- Private or public swimming pools
- Private properties
- Public parks
- Restaurants and bars
- Retirement communities and nursing home facilities
- Schools and college campuses
- Shopping malls
- Sidewalks, boardwalks, piers, and parking lots
- Sports recreational facilities and golf courses
- Warehouses and factories
- Workplaces
Wherever your accident occurred, if you suffered injuries and other losses, you may have a valid premises liability case on your hands. If so, we would be proud to represent your case in and out of the courtroom as you pursue fair compensation for your damages. To learn more, contact Bozanic Law for a free case review.
What Are Common Premises Liability Injuries?
Whenever property owners fail in their duties to their legal guests, accidents can occur, and those accidents may cause serious injuries.
Some common injuries seen in premises liability cases include the following:
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken bones and bone fractures
- Burns
- Car accident-related injuries
- Concussions and head injuries
- Dislocated joints and limbs
- Dog bites
- Exposure to toxic chemicals and the resulting diseases
- Foodborne illnesses
- Loss of limbs and limb amputations
- Loss of sight, hearing, and speech
- Near drownings
- Soft tissue injuries like deep cuts and lacerations, bruises, and strained ligaments
- Whiplash
We take pride in providing caring and compassionate legal services to injured victims in need of legal help as they pursue justice for their injuries. For a free consultation, please contact our Broward County law offices today.
When is a Property Owner Responsible for a Florida Premises Liability Accident?
In Florida, property owners have legal obligations to keep their properties safe and secure for all lawful visitors and customers. If dangerous conditions are not properly tended to in a timely manner, then property owners and their managerial staff must, at the very least, provide adequate warnings of those dangers until the fix can be completed.
When property owners are negligent in their duty, they may be held legally responsible for any injuries caused. If they are liable, then premises liability attorneys at our Broward County law firm can help you recover compensation for your premises liability accident injuries and the financial costs of the accident.
Under Florida law, landowners and property owners may be considered legally negligent if they knew of the dangers or reasonably should have known of those dangers and failed to repair them or provide warning about those dangers.
Do Property Owners Owe Different Levels of Care Depending on the Visitor?
Florida property owners owe different levels of care depending on the situations and guests upon or within their property.
Invitees are those who were specifically invited to enter or remain on the property for the commercial benefit of the property owners. For example, customers shopping at grocery stores or shopping malls would be considered invitees in Florida. The property owners of Florida owe an invitee the highest level of care.
Licensees are typically social guests invited to private property. A licensee may be a friend, family member, or any other social guest invited to private properties. The main difference between licensees and invitees is that licensees are not invited to property for commercial or revenue purposes.
Another major difference is that property owners who invite social guests to their property are not held to the same high level of care that business owners owe to invitees. While businesses should maintain their properties for known dangers and may be held liable for dangers they should have known about, private property owners are only held liable for dangers they did know about.
Trespassers are not granted the same level of care owed to licensees or invitees. That said, Florida property owners are not permitted to intentionally set up hazards or dangerous areas on their premises to guard against trespassers. Security is one thing, but setting up booby traps and other dangers for trespassers is illegal.
How to Prove the Property Owner’s Negligence and Ensure that They Are Held Liable?
With the exception of slip and fall accidents, the attorney representing the plaintiff must provide adequate and convincing evidence that a property owner knew or reasonably should have known of the dangers on their premises.
Additionally, the premises liability lawyers must show that the property owners failed to repair these dangerous conditions and failed to provide adequate warning that those dangers existed.
If the accident resulted in costly medical bills, then it is possible that the property owners may be held liable and responsible for paying those medical bills with their insurance company.
Is it Possible to Receive Monetary Compensation for Your Premises Liability Claim?
With a strong premises liability case, it is possible to recover a fair settlement for your injuries and other losses that were the result of the accident caused by the property owner’s negligence. Your compensation may come in the form of economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages may help compensate you for:
- Past medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Mental health therapy bills
- Funeral costs in the event of a wrongful death
- Lost wages and lost income earning capacity
Non-economic damages may provide fair compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Lost companionship
- Wrongful death lawsuits
Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Broward County Premises Liability Lawyer
Florida property owners have a legal responsibility to protect their lawful guests from letting harm befall them during their time on their premises. If a property owner fails in this responsibility, they may be held financially responsible for any injuries resulting from a premises liability accident.
To prove negligence that the property owner failed in their legal obligation to their guest, it is highly recommended to work with a qualified Broward County premises liability lawyer. Led by Florida premises liability lawyer Zeljka Bozanic, our law firm is well-versed in the legal concept of premises liability claims and would be proud to defend your legal rights as you pursue justice and maximum compensation.
Contact our law firm for a free consultation today.