When you go to the grocery store for food, the hardware store for tools, or even to a bar for a drink with friends, you should feel safe at these places. The owners and managers of these establishments have a duty to protect people visiting their properties from hazards and other unsafe conditions that could hurt them. Unfortunately, some owners neglect this duty and put their patrons at unnecessary risk.
If you or a loved one has been injured at a store, parking lot, or another business property, you may have grounds to take legal action against the landowners with help from an experienced premises liability attorney. A Mount Dora commercial property premises liability lawyer from Largey Law Firm could guide you through this process and provide advice on how to recover compensation for your injuries.
Establishing Responsibility To Maintain the Property
In general, all property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe for visitors. For instance, they must make an effort to fix tripping hazards such as broken stairs and loose materials on the ground, or, at the very least, warn others about the hazard so they can avoid it. This responsibility includes providing adequate lighting for visibility and reasonable security measures, especially in areas with higher crime rates.
An experienced property injury attorney could help hold commercial property owners and managers in Mount Dora accountable for negligently putting visitors in danger. Examples of situations where injured patrons may have a claim could include:
- Slip and falls due to spills on the floor
- Falls down stairs due to a broken railing
- Electrical shocks from exposed wiring
- Cuts from protruding nails
- Physical attacks at a bar with no security guard
Victims may be able to recover financial compensation for their medical costs, lost income while they cannot work, and emotional distress.
Who Is Eligible To File a Claim?
Although property owners have a general duty to keep everyone safe, the law provides some exceptions. Therefore, it is important to first determine the victim’s status on the premises at the time of the injury. For example, an invitee is a person who is welcome onto another’s property with the express or implied permission.
However, a trespasser is someone who enters the premises without permission and, often, without the owner’s knowledge. The landowner may not be held responsible for the safety of this category of visitor under Florida Statutes § 768.075, as long as there is no intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
Additionally, injured invitees should remember that there is a two-year statute of limitations to file their case under Florida Statutes § 95.11. If they do not file within this window, it becomes very difficult to recover anything.
That is why it is vital to seek guidance from a premises liability attorney as soon as possible after suffering injury on commercial property in Mount Dora. A knowledgeable lawyer could help determine the proper visitor status and ensure that everything is filed on time.
Contact a Mount Dora Premises Liability Attorney About a Commercial Property Case
If you have been hurt while on a commercial property, it can feel intimidating to go up against a big corporation and its insurance company. Let a Mount Dora commercial property premises liability lawyer from Largey Law Firm handle this process.
Our firm takes a hands-on approach and listens to your story to begin planning an effective strategy. Call Largey Law Firm to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
