Our Gainesville, Georgia personal injury lawyers are ready to fight for you if you’re in a scary premises liability accident. Weaver Law Injury Attorneys have decades of experience standing up for people who have been injured and left without support. We go after business owners who refuse to accept responsibility for their negligence.
After an accident, don’t wait to get the help you need to recover physically and financially. For a free consultation, contact us today.
Will I Need a Lawyer After Getting Hurt on Someone’s Property?
If you get hurt in a public place like a store or at your apartment complex, such as in a fall, and the blame falls on the business owner or operator, you should consider calling a lawyer. If your injuries are only minor, you may not need legal help with your claim. But a case involving something like a broken bone, a knee sprain, or head trauma can be much more complex. Because the hospital bills will be higher, insurance companies will work harder to rob you of the support you need to recover.
Our Gainesville Premises Liability Lawyers can fully investigate your accident and compile evidence that shows the owner was fully negligent. This leaves them liable for all of your medical bills and lost income while you can’t work. However, not every victim receives the same level of support. The bottom line is that your lawyer can often get you much more for your injury than you could by handling your claim yourself.
Premises Liability Laws in GA
The owners and operators of the places you live, work, and shop all owe you more than just the right to purchase products or put a roof over your head. These places that invite you in must also see to your safety while you are there.
Georgia legal statutes state clearly the legal responsibility property owners and business owners must accept.
Georgia Code Title 51 Torts Chapter 3 – Liability of Owners and Occupiers of Land § 51-3-1 (2020)
“Where an owner or occupier of land, by express or implied invitation, induces or leads others to come upon his premises for any lawful purpose, he is liable in damages to such persons for injuries caused by his failure to exercise ordinary care in keeping the premises and approaches safe.”
Under these laws, landlords must maintain safe grounds around apartment complexes. Grocery store chains like Publix and Walmart are charged with protecting customers in the journey from the parking lot to the furthest aisles. When accidents could have been prevented, victims have the right to file a claim and seek help in recovery.
These business and property owners won’t automatically accept 100% fault, though. Their insurance adjusters will try to blame the victims for their accidents or try to downplay a medical report, simply as an excuse to reject a claim. It can pay to have an attorney closely safeguarding a case to make sure the fault stays with those who caused the accident.
Common Premises Liability Dangers around Gainesville GA
The stops we make each day and even the places we call home can be full of accident hazards. If repaired or cleaned up in a reasonable amount of time, they rarely cause issues. But when owners and operators neglect to act and let people come upon these hazards unaware, major injuries could result.
Managers and employees must not accidentally create these types of hazards for visitors. They must also monitor the actions of visitors and remove any dangerous messes they leave behind before someone else can get hurt.
- Unmopped floors after spills, leaks, and on rainy days leading to slip-and-fall hazards
- Trip-and-fall hazards like cords, rugs, trash, and boxes left out
- Missing “wet floor” and “do not enter” signs and caution tape
- Falling objects from overhead or flying objects from defective machinery
- Escalators or elevators malfunction
- Unsafe staircases
- Structural defects, including collapsed decks and balconies
- Burns and electrocutions
- Exposure to hazardous substances
- Dog bites and other attacks from unattended animals
- Negligent security in parking lots, garages, exits, or other locations leading to assaults
- Insufficient protection and guarding of swimming pools
- Inadequate maintenance of a property
When a serious injury is involved, businesses will fight even harder to avoid paying all of those medical bills. Larger corporations and store chains might also have corporate lawyers ready to attack your case and try to find ways to reject your claim. Be ready and speak to a lawyer if you feel your injury isn’t being taken seriously.
Support for Victims Injured at Campgrounds Around Gainesville GA and Lake Lanier
What to Do After a Premises Liability Accident
A customer may spill a drink on the potato chip aisle at your favorite grocery store. You step in it and slip backward, hitting your head on the edge of a shelf. A property management company may leave the stairwell with rotting steps unrepaired until you take a tumble and break an ankle.
In the moments after premises liability accidents like these, you may be in shock and a good deal of pain. But these are also moments where the best proof to back up the injury claim you’ll eventually have to file can be found.
You’ll want to get evidence of what happened and why it happened. See to your safety first, and then, if you are left strong enough, try to get all the evidence you can collect at the scene.
- Dial 911 and request an ambulance if you are hurt. Allow them to take you to the emergency room if needed. If you must leave the scene, ask someone with you or a helpful bystander to document the scene for you.
- Take photos of the hazard that caused you to fall. Show any injuries that you can visibly see. Show any warning signs that are out or are missing.
- Alert a business or property manager. Owners and corporate officials will want an incident report prepared, and this can serve as evidence in your favor.
- Find out what witnesses saw and get their contact information.
- Don’t admit fault or say that you are “okay” and aren’t injured. After an investigation and a doctor’s exam, you may find out you were wrong on both counts. Let your lawyer determine who was at fault.
- See your doctor, even if you’ve already taken a ride to the hospital. Get any new pain examined and current injuries rechecked. Follow the doctor’s advice, including going to physical therapy and seeing specialists.
- Contact a lawyer. If your injury is serious, you’ll want a skilled Gainesville GA Slip-And-Fall Lawyer to start an investigation immediately. Your lawyer will want to reach out to witnesses quickly before they become hard to reach and request any surveillance footage before it’s erased. Talk to a lawyer if an insurance company is trying to blame you for the accident.
What Kinds of Things Can Earn Support in a Premises Liability Accident Claim?
Another benefit of having a lawyer on your case is that every hardship that you’ve endured will be listed in your claim submitted to the insurance company. This alerts the commercial insurance companies of those at fault what you’ll be expecting them to cover.
If you accidentally leave damages off this list, they can end up as bills you and your family will have to cover yourselves.
Your Weaver Law Injury Attorneys representative demands support for every hardship, and some things you might not have realized could boost your injury settlement check total:
- Past and future medical costs for treating accident-related injuries
- The value of any lost wages from missed time at work while you recover
- The subjective costs of the physical pain you suffer and will suffer
- The emotional trauma victims go through as they get discouraged through a difficult recovery and are forced to give up participation in some family activities
- The projected value of losses in your future earning potential if you are severely injured and unable to return to your usual job
- The cost of travel to doctors and out-of-area specialists, especially while you can’t drive due to injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have to go to court to earn support after my premises liability accident?
Not usually. Businesses don’t like to hear the words “lawsuit” or “trial” because going to court is costly and embarrassing. If you have a lawyer who represents the threat of a lawsuit, insurance companies will often work harder to make victims happy in a settlement offer. The vast majority of personal injury cases are settled before a judge and jury get involved.
What if I don’t have the extra money to pay a premises liability accident lawyer?
You don’t need any money to hire Weaver Law Injury Attorneys to represent your case. We don’t charge our clients any upfront money. First of all, we don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. If we lose, you don’t owe anything. If the case is successful, you still won’t have to struggle to pay our attorney’s fee. Our payment comes out of the settlement money you receive.
How Long Do You Have to File a Premises Liability Accident Lawsuit in Georgia?
You typically have two years from the accident’s date to file your lawsuit in a personal injury accident case. Georgia’s laws lay out this time limit, known as the statute of limitations. If you don’t file within the time allowed in your case, you could lose your right to bring an injury claim. Do not put off talking to a lawyer about your case.
Talk to a Gainesville Premises Liability Lawyer Now
If you’ve been seriously injured in a premises liability accident in Gainesville, Georgia, contact Weaver Law Injury Attorneys today. We’ve been serving North Georgia for more than 20 years and continue to help victims earn more for their recoveries.
Our premises liability accident attorneys in Gainesville offer a free consultation to review your case and answer your questions. Contact us online to schedule your free consultation. There’s no obligation for this free case review.
