Whether it’s a grocery store, office building, or one of Columbus’ popular shopping centers, property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe and free of hazards for visitors.
Failure to meet this duty can have severe consequences, as a person injured on another’s property may develop serious, even lifelong medical conditions. Slip and falls are more common — and more serious — than you would think. In fact, falls are the third leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., accounting for nearly 32,000 deaths in 2014, according the National Safety Council.
If your accident was caused by the carelessness of a property owner, you shouldn’t be on the hook for your expensive medical bills. Property owners in Columbus and the surrounding areas have a responsible to maintain their properties in a reasonably safe condition to protect visitors, and in some cases, trespassers from harm. While there are many types of premises liability cases, ranging from elevator accidents to negligent security claims, these types of cases most commonly involve slip and fall accidents.
The premises liability attorneys in our Columbus office may be able to help you recover compensation for the injuries you have suffered while on another’s property. Our attorneys can work with you to help you receive payment for the damages you have incurred, including medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
To contact us today in regard to your claim, please complete our free, no obligation case review form today.
How Our Columbus Slip and Fall Attorneys Can Help
Prepare your Claim: A Columbus slip and fall attorney will review the facts of your trip and fall accident to determine if you have a viable claim for damages. In preparing your claim, your attorney may:
- Collect evidence, such as photographs or video surveillance footage of the scene of the accident
- Interview any witnesses who may be able to offer testimony regarding the cause of the accident
- Determine who may be held liable for the damages you have suffered
- Review Columbus police reports and accident records
- Gather and review all pertinent medical records to understand the extent of your injuries
Work with Medical Experts: Your attorney can work with medical experts who may be used to evaluate the extent of your injuries and explain to a jury how the slip and fall accident caused your injuries. The medical expert may also be used to explain any future medical care that will you will need as a result of the accident.
Secure Compensation for Your Injuries: By filing a slip and fall lawsuit, you may be able to receive compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In cases involving severe injuries that render you unable to return to work, you may be able to receive compensation for your reduced earning capacity.
Elements of a Slip and Fall / Premises Liability Claim
If you have suffered an injury as a result of a dangerous property condition, you may have a viable claim for damages if the following two elements are satisfied:
- The property owner knew or should have known that the property contained a dangerous condition
- The property owner did not repair the dangerous condition or provide notice to visitors regarding the dangerous condition
In general, a property condition is considered dangerous if:
- It presents an unreasonable risk of harm to the people on the property, and;
- A reasonable person would not have anticipated that the condition existed.
Georgia’s “Attractive Nuisance” Doctrine
In addition, the law in Georgia imposes a duty on property owners to keep their premises free from any hazards that might attract and injure children.
Under this doctrine, property owners can be held liable for injuries that occur to trespassing children who are hurt by unsafe property conditions, such as inadequately secured pools and trampolines, as well as abandoned appliances and equipment.
If your child has been hurt because of an unsafe condition on a neighbor’s property, our slip and fall attorneys may be able to help you secure compensation for the damages you have incurred.
Other Types of Premises Liability Lawsuits Our Attorneys Handle
Our Columbus premises liability attorneys do not limit their practice to slip and fall claims. We also represent clients in the following types of cases in Georgia:
- Swimming pool accidents, including cases involving improperly secured or supervised pool areas
- Escalator and elevator accidents
- Assaults due to negligent or inadequate security
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals or toxic materials, including mold and lead paint
- Injuries from falling objects
- Failure to warn a visitor of a dangerous condition on the property
- Inadequate maintenance
- Injuries at restaurants and bars
- Exposed tree roots
- Dog bites
- Collapsed decks and balconies
- Defective stairs and railings, including broken steps and missing handrails
- Accidents caused by uneven terrain or slippery surfaces
Our Columbus attorneys handle claims involving negligent property conditions at construction sites and other dangerous work locations. If you are an employee injured at a dangerous worksite, you may be able to seek damages through Georgia’s workers’ compensation system.
In addition, your attorney may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against any third parties (such as a sub-contractor or manufacturer of a defective piece of equipment) if their negligence contributed to your injuries.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a slip and fall accident, please complete the case review form for no-cost, no-risk evaluation from our Columbus office. Our attorneys may be able to recover compensation for your losses.