The owners of a property have an obligation to keep visitors safe. This includes protecting them from temporary hazards and other dangers that may result in any foreseeable injury. Even with this basic concept, it can be difficult to obtain fair compensation after an accident. If you have experienced harm at someone else’s home or business, seeking advice from a knowledgeable personal injury attorney should be your next step.
A Cocoa premises liability lawyer is prepared to fight for you. At Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law, our attorneys strive to understand how an event has impacted your life and can pursue full compensation from all liable parties. Retain our services today.
Generally, all property owners must take reasonable actions to protect guests on their premises. Even so, state law separates these guests into three categories depending upon their reason for entering the property and whether they had permission to do so. This categorization will determine the steps that a property owner must take to provide protection.
Trespassers enter a home or property without permission. Owners must only refrain from causing harm to trespassers through intentional acts of violence.
Invitees have the permission of the owner to be on the premises and are typically there for the owner’s benefit. This is the case for shoppers in a grocery store or patrons in a restaurant. Invitees can expect protection against known hazards and dangers about which the owner should know.
Licensees are also present with the owner’s permission but for their own benefit. This usually involves visitors to a party or hunters using someone’s land. For licensees, the landowner must only warn the guest about known hazards.
This basic framework applies to all premises liability cases. It could cover accidental falls, injuries due to structural failures, and even incidents where a property owner failed to provide adequate security against a crime. An adept Cocoa premises liability attorney can provide more information about the duties of property owners to keep guests safe.
Property owners and insurance companies might put up a fight concerning their obligation to provide compensatory damages following a premises liability incident. Some defendants will argue that the injured party did not do all they could to prevent the harm.
The concept of comparative negligence under Florida Statute § 768.61 states that a person who shares a portion of the blame for an accident cannot collect full compensation for their losses.
According to Fla. Stat. § 95.11, there is also a time limit that may affect some cases. The statute of limitations in these scenarios is four years from the date of an injury. Insurance companies often attempt to draw out negotiations to allow this to deadline to expire. Our Cocoa premises liability attorneys had prior experience representing insurance companies and have inside knowledge of these tactics. This knowledge could put an injured person in a much better position to demand appropriate compensation.
A variety of incidents could cause injury on someone’s property. These injuries can also range significantly in severity, from bumps and bruises to catastrophic events like paralysis, and even wrongful death. If you had permission to be somewhere and got injured, you might be able to collect compensation for your losses.
A Cocoa premises liability lawyer is ready to fight for you and hold the negligent landowners responsible for their failure to keep you safe. With our extensive knowledge and experience, we are prepared to protect your legal rights and pursue the payments you deserve. Give us a call now to set up your free consultation.
