Premises liability incidents are a significant source of injury in Georgia. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, unintentional injuries, including those stemming from premises liability, rank among the leading causes of injury across the state.
This includes slip and fall accidents, which are among the most frequent causes of premises-related injuries. Lawrenceville is no exception to this state-wide issue, especially in these locations:
- Retail Shopping Centers and Malls: Locations like the Sugarloaf Mills Mall and other local strip malls are common sites for slip and fall incidents due to wet floors, poor maintenance, or uneven walkways.
- Grocery Stores and Supermarkets: Major chains like Kroger or Publix, which are frequently visited, may have slip and fall risks from wet floors, broken tiles, or cluttered aisles.
The short of it is that you should contact a Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer from the Brauns Law Firm to help you file a premises liability claim in Lawrenceville via a free case review
Proving a Property Owner’s Negligence
According to personal injury law, a property owner’s potential negligence rests on whether they owed the accident victim a particular duty under the circumstances.
The extent to which a property owner owes an accident victim a duty depends upon the victim’s status on the landowner’s premises when the accident occurs on the premises.
Business invitees, licensees, customers, and social guests are allowed a duty of care, and property owners have a duty to take reasonable measures to keep these guests safe and keep their premises safe for them.
This duty of care includes:
- Ensuring sufficient security on the property
- Repairing, correcting, or warning visitors to known hazards on the property
- Inspecting their property for any unknown dangers.
Finally, the owner does not owe a duty to trespassers or similar individuals present on the premises without the owner’s permission. However, when the premises owner is aware of known trespassers, such as children who regularly come onto the property despite not having permission, the owner may owe a duty of care to those individuals.
Just because a visitor enters the owner’s premises as an invitee or social guest does not mean that their status will remain the same for the entirety of the visit. For instance, if a customer enters the premises as a business invitee but then decides to trespass in an area reserved for employees, the property owner most likely no longer owes a duty of care to the individual, as the individual’s status has changed to that of a trespasser.
The experienced Lawrenceville premises liability attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can determine if the premises owner in your case violated their duty of care and, as a result, should take responsibility for the accident you experienced and injuries you sustained.
Recovering Damages in a Premises Liability Case
Depending on the injuries you suffered in your accident, you may recover compensation for your injuries, recover various forms of damages and hold the negligent party liable. In some cases, a health care provider may need to be available to causally connect your injuries to the premises accident in which you were involved.
Some of the most common types of damages possible in premises accident cases include compensation for:
- Lost earnings that you incurred as a result of missing time from work due to pain and suffering or for the inability to do your job to attend medical or physical therapy appointments
- Out-of-pocket costs and expenses you incurred as a direct result of the premises accident
- Medical, surgical, and physical therapy bills that were related to your premises accident
- The pain, inconvenience, and suffering you endured as a result of your injuries
- Mental distress and mental anguish, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (otherwise known as PTSD) stemming from your premises accident
- Loss of spousal companionship and family support resulting from your premises accident injuries
It is difficult to know how much your personal injury claim might be worth without having a premises liability attorney assess your case. Our attorneys know how to calculate the damages you deserve.
How to Get in Touch With Us
Don’t let questions or concerns about your case linger. At Brauns Law Firm, we make it easy for you to get the support you need:
- Phone: Call us at 404-205-8792 to speak with our team directly. We’re here to provide immediate answers and discuss how we can assist you.
- Online: Fill out our contact form on our website, and we’ll reach out to you quickly to address your needs.
Take advantage of our free consultation to review your situation and see how we can help.
Reach out today—let us take the weight off your shoulders and work towards the justice you deserve.
Brauns Law Firm: Premises Liability Law Firm in Lawrenceville
At Brauns Law Firm, we pride ourselves on our commitment to securing justice for victims of premises liability incidents. Our firm stands out for its deep-rooted dedication to the Lawrenceville community, where we are actively involved in local events and charities.
Our firm’s approach is client-centered, focusing on personalized care and the relentless pursuit of justice. When you choose Brauns Law Firm, you benefit from a team that not only fights for your rights but also supports the community we serve.
Meet Your Lawrenceville Premises Liability Attorney
David Brauns heads the team with extensive experience in premises liability law. Recognized for his compassionate approach and in-depth legal knowledge, David’s dedication to justice and thorough understanding of the legal system ensures that his clients receive outstanding representation throughout their cases.
Joining David is a skilled team of personal injury attorneys and support staff who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to every case. Each member is committed to providing personalized, effective representation and ensuring clients receive comprehensive support throughout their legal journey.
Together, they work diligently to manage premises liability cases, striving to achieve the best possible results for every client.
Important Initial Advice!
If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property, follow these important steps to protect your case:
- Get Medical Care: Seek immediate medical attention to address your injuries and create an official record for your claim. This documentation is vital for both your recovery and any future legal actions.
- Avoid Social Media: Do not discuss the incident online. Posts about your injury or the accident can be used against you in your case, so it’s best to keep details offline.
- Reject Initial Insurance Offers: Insurance companies might offer a quick, low settlement. Before accepting any offers, consult with a lawyer to ensure you’re not settling for less than what you deserve.
- Be Careful with Communications: Be cautious about what you say to the insurance company or property owner. Avoid admitting fault or making statements that could undermine your case.
- Collect Evidence: Document the scene of the accident with photos, and make sure to photograph your injuries. Gather contact information for any witnesses and keep all related documents, such as medical records and accident reports.
- Contact a Lawyer: Reach out to an experienced Lawrenceville premises liability lawyer from our firm as soon as possible. We will help guide you through the legal process, protect your rights, and work to ensure you receive the full compensation you deserve.
Deadlines
In Georgia, the statute of limitations for premises liability claims is generally two years from the date of the injury. Missing this deadline can result in losing your right to pursue legal action.
It’s important to act promptly and contact a premises liability lawyer in Lawrenceville from our firm as soon as possible after your injury. By addressing your claim within two years and as early as possible, you ensure that all necessary evidence is collected, witnesses are interviewed, and your case is prepared properly.
Gathering Evidence For A Premises Liability Claim
After a premises liability incident, gathering evidence promptly is important to building a strong case. Here’s what you should focus on:
- Police Documentation: If law enforcement was involved, obtain a copy of the police report. This document can provide important details about the incident and establish a record of the occurrence.
- Medical Records: Collect all medical records related to your injuries. This includes initial treatment reports, follow-up visits, and any ongoing care related to the accident.
- Eyewitness Statements: Secure statements from anyone who witnessed the accident. Their accounts can support your version of events and strengthen your claim.
- Photo/Video Evidence: Take clear photos and videos of the accident scene, including any hazards or conditions that contributed to the incident. Visual evidence can be critical in demonstrating the unsafe conditions that led to your injury.
- Examples of Driver Negligence: If the premises involved include a parking area or other location related to vehicle negligence, document any examples of unsafe driving or improper vehicle maintenance that may have contributed to the accident.
Gathering this evidence can be challenging, especially when dealing with the aftermath of an injury.
Contact us today to handle the evidence collection and legal process, ensuring you get the support you need while we work diligently on your case.
What Can I Expect to Pay?
Our personal injury law firm operates on a contingency fee basis for premises liability cases. This means our payment is a percentage of the compensation we secure for you if your case is successful.
This model ensures that our interests are aligned with yours and provides you with access to high-quality legal representation without financial risk. We believe in transparency and will discuss any potential costs and how they are handled during your initial consultation.
Why Choose Us Over Other Lawrenceville Premises Liability Attorneys?
When it comes to premises liability cases in Lawrenceville, Brauns Law Firm stands out from the rest. Our commitment to client-focused service and proven track record of successful outcomes set us apart.
Our extensive experience with premises liability law, combined with our relentless pursuit of justice, means we fight vigorously for the compensation you deserve. Choose us for dedicated representation that prioritizes your needs and delivers results.
Accidents That Might Fall Under Premises Liability
Although slip and fall accidents make up a large number of premises claims, they are not the only ones.
Some of the most common types of premises liability claims stem from:
- Slip and fall accidents – Slip and fall accidents can occur both indoors and outdoors at any location. Slippery floors in restaurants and grocery stores can lead to slip and fall accidents, as well as defective sidewalks and driveways outdoors.
- Boat accidents and injuries – Injuries that occur when a boat owner fails to maintain the premises to ensure they are reasonably safe can lead to a premises liability action when an accident victim suffers an injury while on board the boat.
- Negligent security claims – The owners of parking lots, parking garages, theme parks, hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, bars, and other similar locations frequented by the public owe a duty to ensure that necessary security cameras and security personnel are in place. When these locations do not have sufficient security personnel or technology on the premises, then fights can break out, assaults (including sexual assaults) can take place, and people can suffer unnecessary injuries.
- Elevator and escalator accidents – Building owners and landlords are responsible for making sure that escalators, elevators, and other similar devices used to transport individuals throughout a store or shopping center are in working order at all times and free of serious defects and dangerous conditions. When these devices do not operate properly, and a person sustains an injury as a result, then the accident victim may file a claim against all potentially responsible individuals.
- Swimming pool and drowning accidents – Individuals who operate swimming pools on their premises have a duty to ensure that the premises are kept reasonably safe at all times. This duty includes ensuring that the pool has the required number of lifeguards on duty at all times and the necessary types of emergency equipment and life-saving devices are in place.
- Amusement park accidents – Amusement park owners and operators owe their customers a duty to ensure that all operating rides are in working order and that the park is reasonably free from dangerous conditions and defects. As part of this duty of care, park owners must ensure that rides are inspected regularly to ensure that they are in working order.
If one of these types of premises accidents injured you or a person you love, then you should contact the experienced Lawrenceville premises liability attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC as soon as possible.
We can start investigating your potential premises liability claim right away by speaking with you and interviewing witnesses.
Typical Injuries that Lead to Premises Liability Cases
Accidents that occur on someone else’s premises can result in very serious and debilitating injuries, resulting in the need for weeks or months of medical treatment and out-of-pocket expenses. The injuries that a person sustains on another’s property depend upon the accident itself.
Some of the most common injuries that result from premises accidents include soft tissue injuries, back and spinal cord injuries, traumatic head and brain injuries, internal injuries (such as organ damage or internal bleeding), and rotator cuff syndrome or related shoulder injuries.
If you sustained one or more of these injuries—or some other injury—in an accident on someone else’s premises, you may be eligible for monetary compensation for all of the injuries and damages that you suffered.
The experienced Lawrenceville premises liability attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can help you determine if you are eligible to file a claim for your injuries and, if so, can assist you through every step of the legal process, including litigation in the court system, if necessary.
Locations We Serve
At Brauns Law Firm, we proudly serve a wide range of locations to ensure that more people have access to expert legal support. Below is a list of the injury law areas where we are committed to providing high-quality legal representation.
- Atlanta
- Cumming
- Duluth
- Gwinnett County
- Lawrenceville
- Peachtree Corners
- Stone Mountain
- Suwanee
Lawrenceville Premises Liability FAQ
Many different types of accidents can happen on premises that are owned by another person or entity.
The most common premises accident is a slip and fall accident. These accidents can occur both indoors and outdoors and often result when a premises owner or occupier fails to maintain the premises properly and keep it clean, safe, and free from debris. Indoor slip and fall accidents are common in restrooms, restaurants, and grocery stores, while outdoor slip and falls can occur on sidewalks and in parking garages, parking lots, and driveways.
A slip and fall accident occurs, for example, when there is a puddle of water or a spill on the floor in a restaurant, causing a restaurant patron to fall to the ground and sustain injuries. For the business to be liable, however, it must know about the defect and take reasonable measures (within a reasonable period of time) to either warn about the hazard or correct it.
Accidents that occur on boats and other types of watercraft also fall under the umbrella of premises liability claims. Owners of cruise ships, boats, and yachts are required to keep staterooms, deck areas, and other common areas clean and safe at all times. If a patron suffers an injury while onboard the watercraft, such as in a slip and fall accident on the deck, the accident victim can file a claim or lawsuit against the individual or entity that owns the watercraft.
Premises owners and building owners are also responsible for ensuring that elevators and escalators in operation on their premises are in good working order at all times. These devices transport large numbers of individuals every day, and they need to work well and not malfunction. Moreover, companies that perform repair work on these devices are responsible for undertaking the repairs in a safe, careful, and workmanlike manner.
When premises owners do not keep elevators and escalators on their premises safe or repair companies do not perform repair work properly, and someone suffers an injury as a result, the accident victim can seek monetary damages from the building owner or the repair facility.
Accidents can also occur at amusement parks when rides are not adequately maintained and malfunction, causing riders to suffer serious injuries. Amusement park owners have a duty to regularly inspect all walkways, restaurants, and rides in the park for hazards and keep them reasonably safe for the benefit of all park patrons.
With respect to rides and attractions, personnel have a duty to regularly inspect amusement parks (sometimes several times per day, during peak season) to ensure the rides and grounds are safe for park patrons.
Similarly, inspectors and others who perform repair work on these rides are responsible for conducting any repairs in a safe and workmanlike manner. When an amusement park patron suffers an injury due to a malfunctioning ride, they can file a claim or lawsuit against a potentially responsible person or entity, including the amusement park itself.
In addition to amusement parks and theme parks, swimming pools (including the pool deck surrounding the swimming pool) also contain hazards. Swimming pool owners have a duty to regularly inspect the pool and the premises surrounding it and keep them free from defects.
In addition, the pool owner is responsible for making sure adequate guarding at the pool is present at all times and that a sufficient number of lifeguards are on duty at a given time, based upon the number of bathers in the pool.
Likewise, pool owners must ensure that sufficient rescue equipment and first aid equipment are available for the benefit of pool patrons. If a pool patron sustains an injury or drowns, that patron (or the patron’s loved ones, in the case of a drowning accident) can take legal action against the pool owner or operator for damages.
Finally, injuries that occur on someone else’s premises due to negligent security can bring about a premises liability claim. Premises owners and individuals who own s business, especially shopping malls, stores, bars, hotels, nightclubs, and restaurants, have a duty to ensure that their premises are safe for the benefit of their patrons. Consequently, they have a duty to equip their premises with security cameras or security personnel to keep an eye on what is going on at all times.
In cases where a patron injures another patron on the business premises, such as in the case of an assault, the business owner can be liable if the proper security measures were not in place on the premises.
If you or someone you love sustained an injury on someone else’s premises, you have a legal right to pursue and recover monetary compensation and damages for your injuries. The experienced Lawrenceville premises liability attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can help you determine if you have a valid legal claim against a premises owner, and if so, can help you pursue the compensation you need.
Generally speaking, premises owners have a duty to maintain their properties in a reasonably safe condition for visitors. When they breach this duty of care and a visitor to the premises suffers an injury, any lawsuit can name the premises owner or operator as liable.
The premises owner does not owe the same duty of care to all visitors of a property. The owner owes the highest duty of care to individuals visiting the premises to further the owner’s business interests. When it comes to business invitees, property owners have a duty to warn about or repair all known hazards on the premises. For example, if the owner is aware of a spill on the floor, they have a duty to warn about the spill or promptly remove it. Business owners should also inspect their properties for unknown dangerous conditions regularly.
Licensees, or social guests, are individuals who visit someone else’s premises for a non-business-related purpose, and the property owner owes a high duty of care to these individuals. Specifically, the premises owner is responsible for warning about known dangerous conditions that the visitor could come across upon a reasonable inspection.
Finally, in most cases, trespassers on the property are not owed a duty of care unless they are a known trespasser. For example, if the premises owner is aware that a child regularly trespasses on the premises, they most likely owe some duty of care to protect the trespasser from a known dangerous condition that exists on the premises.
It is also essential to keep in mind that a visitor’s status on the premises can change over time. For example, if a store customer enters the store premises during business hours, they are likely a business invitee. However, if the visitor remains on the premises after hours, the law considers them a trespasser. In that case, the duty of care owed to the visitor by the premises owner can change.
In cases where the owner of the premises owes the visitor a duty of care, they violate that duty of care by failing to take reasonable action to warn about or correct a known hazard on the premises. If the premises visitor suffers an injury as a result, the visitor can assert a legal cause of action against the property owner for damages. To recover monetary compensation for injuries suffered on the premises of another, the property visitor must demonstrate that the injury or injuries actually resulted from the incident that occurred on the premises.
If you have sustained an injury on someone else’s premises, the experienced Lawrenceville premises liability attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can investigate the circumstances surrounding your incident and determine if you have a valid legal claim. If so, we can assist you in pursuing a claim or lawsuit against the premises owner and pursuing compensation for your injuries.
If you sustained an injury on someone else’s premises, you have a period of two years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit against the premises’ owner. Given this relatively short period of time, do not delay when it comes to taking legal action against a premises owner.
If you do not file your lawsuit within this two-year time period, you can no longer file a claim for monetary compensation and damages. The experienced team of Lawrenceville premises liability attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC will make sure that any lawsuit that you file against the premises owner is timely and will work to help you recover the compensation you need.
Premises accidents can lead to severe injuries, including broken bones and fractures. If an individual slips and falls on the premises and strikes their head, it’s possible the victim will suffer one or more traumatic head and brain injuries. If the accident victim lands on their back, the accident victim can suffer a serious spinal cord injury, accompanied by some type of paralysis. Finally, if the accident victim strikes their shoulder on the ground, the accident victim can suffer a serious rotator cuff injury.
If you suffered one or more injuries while visiting someone else’s premises, it is possible you needed medical treatment or physical therapy as a result and could not work during the time period you were recovering. Fortunately, all of these damages are compensable.
When you file an insurance claim or lawsuit against a premises owner, you can file a claim for monetary compensation and damages. As part of your claim, you can recoup the costs of your medical bills and lost wages, as well as seek recovery for all of the mental anguish, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and inconvenience that you endured as a result of the injuries suffered in your premises accident.
If you suffered an injury to such an extent that you could not continue in the same line of work, you could file a claim for loss of earning capacity. Likewise, you can recover compensation and damages for the inability to use a body part, for loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of spousal support and companionship. Damages can also be for permanent injuries, including disability or disfigurement.
The knowledgeable legal team of Lawrenceville premises liability lawyers at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can help you recover the damages you deserve for the injuries suffered on someone else’s premises due to the premises owner’s negligence.