Fort Oglethorpe Slip and Fall Lawyer

Each time you step onto another person’s property, whether private or commercial, you should be able to expect that the owners have taken reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their visitors. Unfortunately, properties are sometimes poorly maintained. Depending on the conditions, there may be risks that can cause someone to slip and fall, such as spills, ice or unsecured flooring.

If you are injured because of hazards on a property, an experienced Fort Oglethorpe slip and fall lawyer could help you hold the responsible party accountable and recover damages for the losses you incurred. Specifically, a capable personal injury attorney at our firm could guide you through the claims process and stand up for your rights to compensation.

Eligibility for Filing Slip and Fall Claims

In Georgia, property visitors are classified into three different categories. According to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, property owners and managers owe a certain degree of duty to each type of visitor to protect them from harm, including slip and fall injuries.

Individuals invited onto a property by an owner or manager, either expressly or impliedly, for a purpose that is lawful are known as invitees. If an owner or manager fails to exercise care to keep the premises safe, he or she may be liable to an invitee for injuries sustained. Similarly, licensees are individuals permitted to be on a property by an owner or manager, expressly or impliedly, for his or her own interests or convenience. An owner or manager of property can be held liable for injuries suffered by a licensee that is wanton or willful.

Finally, trespassers are individuals who enter property without the owner or manager’s permission. They may only recover damages for injuries that were willfully or deliberately caused by the property owner or manager. For more information, get in touch with a Fort Oglethorpe slip and fall lawyer.

Proving Negligence in Fort Oglethorpe

In Fort Oglethorpe, victims who suffer injuries because of a slip and fall on another’s property may have a cause of action against the owner or manager based on negligence.

Like many states, however, Georgia adheres to comparative fault law. If the plaintiff in a slip and fall case is partially at fault for the incident that caused his or her injuries, he or she could only recover damages if he or she is found to be less than 50 percent responsible. If the plaintiff is between one and 49 percent responsible, the number of damages he or she can recover would be reduced in proportion to his or her percentage of fault.

Damages Available

Plaintiffs in Fort Oglethorpe can seek compensatory damages for the injuries suffered as a result of a slip and fall accident. Compensatory damages are meant to help put a plaintiff in the financial position they were before the accident. These may include both economic damages such as medical expenses and lost wages as well as noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Statute of Limitations

The time period in which a plaintiff must bring a cause of action for a personal injury from a slip and fall accident, also known as the statute of limitations, is generally two years. After that, a plaintiff may be barred from recovery.

Speaking with a Fort Oglethorpe Slip and Fall Attorney

If you suffer serious injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence, an experienced and compassionate Fort Oglethorpe slip and fall lawyer could help you pursue much-needed compensation so you can focus on your recovery. Our attorneys could review the details of your situation and consult specific laws regarding the type and amount of compensation you may be entitled to. Call us today to discuss your case.