Cleveland, TN Premises Liability Lawyer
An injury lawyer represents individuals who suffered injuries on someone else’s property. In many circumstances, you should not bear the costs of an injury that happened because of the presence of a dangerous condition on a property you were visiting.
To find out whether you may be eligible to collect damages in a premises liability case, you may want to consult with one of our dedicated personal injury attorneys. A Cleveland premises liability lawyer have a deep understanding of premises liability law and compassion for individuals who are suffering from injuries caused by a property owner’s negligence.
Duties of Cleveland Property Owners
Property owners have a general duty to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition by exercising ordinary care. In terms of premises liability, this includes not only maintaining the physical condition and keeping the property reasonably safe from other dangers. A breach of a property owner’s duty to exercise ordinary that results in an injury on their premises may expose them to liability under negligence law.
Negligent Property Maintenance
Indications that a property owner may have breached their duty to exercise ordinary care in the maintenance of their property includes the presence of:
- Slippery floors
- Potholes
- Broken stairways
- Missing railings
- Broken or uneven floorboards
- Poor lighting
- Loose wiring
These types of hazards are often the cause of slip and fall premises liability cases. However, premises liability extends further to other types of dangerous conditions as well. For example, when property owners do not have adequate locks or other security measures in place to prevent intrusion, he or she may incur liability if there is a break in that causes a visitor to be attacked.
Establishing Premises Liability
Establishing premises liability hinges on determining whether the property owner was negligent. Proving a property owner’s negligence involves an analysis of why the injured party was on the property at the time of the accident.
The law in Cleveland distinguishes between three main categories of injured parties: invitees, licensees, and trespassers. A victim’s classification as either an invitee, licensee, or trespasser may determine the duty of care he or she is owed. Invitees are people who enter a property for a business purpose and are owed the highest duty of care.
Licensees enter a property for social reasons and are owed the second highest duty of care. Finally, trespassers are owed the lowest duty of care because they are unlawfully on the premises. Landowners do not owe trespassers ay duty other than to not intentionally inflict injury. Get in contact with a seasoned Cleveland premises liability lawyer for more information.
The Attractive Nuisance Doctrine
The attractive nuisance doctrine is an exception to general premises liability laws. This rule was enacted primarily to protect children who are trespassing. Under the attractive nuisance doctrine, landowners may be liable for injuries that occur as the result of a man-made structure that would naturally entice children to enter the property. Swimming pools are a common example of an attractive nuisance.
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for premises liability cases in Cleveland is only one year. Premises liability claims initiated after one year may be barred from recovery. Seeking necessary medical attention is the most important thing to do immediately following a serious accident. After you received proper medical attention, you may want to reach out to a Cleveland premises liability lawyer to discuss your options.
Schedule a Consultation with a Cleveland Premises Liability Attorney Today
When a negligent property owner causes your injuries, he or she may be liable. However, due to the classifications of visitors, determining liability in these claims is often complex. That is why it may be important to speak with a knowledgeable attorney. If you are interested in learning more about our practice and how we can help you, please call our office to schedule a consultation with a Cleveland premises liability lawyer.
