The Most Common Reasons For Premises Liability Lawsuits
“Premises liability” sounds like an abstract legal term, because it can cover a wide variety of accidents, and even some incidents that are not accidental at all. If you see the phrase “car accident lawsuit” in a headline, you can instantly imagine what the events must have been that led to the lawsuit, but most people do not have nearly as clear a mental image when they see a headline that includes the words “premises liability lawsuit.” Slip and fall accidents in supermarkets are covered under premises liability laws, but the same laws apply to accidents where a bar serves alcohol to someone that they should reasonably know is at high risk of driving drunk. As long as you can prove that the owner of the property caused the accident by failing to keep the property in a safe condition, you have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit. To find out more about whether the accident that caused your injuries qualifies, contact a Columbia premises liability lawyer.
What Counts as Premises Liability?
You can file a premises liability lawsuit if you got injured at a place of business or at someone else’s private residence, and the owner of the property knew or reasonably should have known that the area was unsafe but did not take reasonable measures to prevent accidents. These are some common reasons for premises liability lawsuits in South Carolina:
- Slippery floors – Slip and fall accidents are the most common kind of premises liability claim. These accidents occur when the employees of stores and restaurants do not clean spills in a timely manner or do not place “caution” signs to show which areas of the floor have been recently mopped.
- Dram shop liability – This rule applies when a bar or restaurant serves alcohol to a patron who is visibly too drunk to drive and does not take measures to ensure that the patron does not drive after drinking. The drunk driver has the right to file a dram shop liability claim, and so does anyone else injured in the drunk driving accident.
- Uneven floors – Trip and fall accidents are almost as common a cause of premises liability lawsuits as slip and fall accidents.
- Dog bites – The owner of a dog is responsible for injuries caused by a dog. Most dog bite claims arise from incidents where the dog should have been on a leash but was not.
- Falling objects – Many premises liability claims arise from incidents where items fell from a shelf in a store, or even where the shelf itself collapsed.
No matter the cause of the accident, plaintiffs in premises liability lawsuits have the right to seek compensation for their accident-related medical expenses and lost income, and sometimes also for pain and suffering.
Let Us Help You Today
The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you determine whether the accident that caused your injuries is covered under premises liability law. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Source:
nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-premises-liability.html
