Dade County Slip and Fall Lawyer

While not all slip and fall incidents result in serious injury, many cause a person to suffer debilitating personal losses. When someone’s injuries from a fall could have been avoided if the property owner had observed their legal duty of care, the injured party may need to seek legal help. A Dade County slip and fall lawyer could fight to hold the property owner responsible if that person’s negligence caused you to suffer serious injuries in a recent fall.

Understanding the Slip and Fall Laws in Georgia

Slip and fall laws outline the legal duty owed by property owners to various individuals who enter their land. It is important to understand that property owners’ legal liability and the degree at which they may be found responsible to pay the injured party’s damages depends on the legal duty they owed the claimant at the time of the incident.

Property owners owe the highest legal duty to invitees, such as shoppers at a store (see Official Code of Georgia § 51-3-1). According to the statute, property owners must use rational care to check the premises for potential hazards and take the necessary steps to ensure the property is secure for invitees.

If the injured party is classified as a licensee, which is someone who is legally allowed on the property but is not there to benefit the owner, the injured victim would need to prove that the property owner was aware of the dangerous condition and neglected to resolve it.

Trespassers are a third category of visitors that the law recognizes. A property owner owes a very slight duty to trespassers; property owners are required to avoid intentionally or recklessly injuring them. A slip and fall attorney in Dade County could investigate the circumstances at play if you were injured, and work to determine the extent of the property owner’s duty and whether he or she could be liable for damages.

Compensation Available to Victims

A Dade County attorney could help people pursue an array of compensation for their slip and fall injuries. After suffering injuries in a serious fall, someone could be forced to miss substantial time from work and incur significant medical expenses. These losses and others could be recoverable in a slip and fall claim, including the person’s pain, suffering, emotional anguish, psychological distress, loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of life, and punitive damages.

Deadline to Pursue Slip and Fall Injury Damages

The deadline to pursue slip and fall damages is two years from the date that the incident takes place. This means that in most cases, victims must file their slip and fall lawsuit within two years of being injured, or they could be rendered ineligible for monetary damages.

Discuss Your Case with a Dade County Slip and Fall Attorney

If a property owner’s carelessness or intentional misconduct caused you to sustain severe injuries, you ought to talk your case over with a lawyer. A Dade County slip and fall lawyer could negotiate on your behalf for a fair a settlement with the property owner’s insurance company. An attorney could also fight for your rights before a judge or jury if efforts to reach a settlement with the insurance company are futile.

To discuss your potential case with a lawyer, contact our office today and book your introductory case consultation.