Premise liability laws hold property owners legally responsible for injuries and accidents that occur on their property. These events can be caused by unsafe conditions, poor property upkeep and any other act that threatens the safety of others.
If you’ve been injured on someone’s property, the Charlotte personal injury experts at the Law Offices of Thomas Bumgardner can help. We make sure that property owners are held accountable. Our legal team has the experience and resources to win what you deserve. We refuse to settle for anything less than your best interests.
What is Premise Liability?
Slip and fall accidents are some of the most common examples of premise liability cases. However, there are several other types of personal injury claims that also fall under the purview of premise liability law. Other examples include dog bites, construction accidents, security negligence, wrongful death accidents, structural failures, occupational injuries and many others.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, compensation for premise liability cases is among the highest of any damages awarded in the U.S. Nearly $4 million is spent each year to compensate premise liability victims.
Plaintiff Classifications
The extent to which an owner can be held liable for depends on the nature of the plaintiff’s presence on the property. Most jurisdictions establish this by determining if the plaintiff is classified as a licensee, invitee or trespasser.
License – individuals who enter the property for some purpose other than commercial business, such as guests and customers. The property owner is only liable if he/she knew the threat of a dangerous condition and failed to make an effort to eliminate the threat. It is also based on whether or not the licensee knew the dangerous condition was present.
Invitees – individuals who were invited onto the property for the commercial benefit of the owner. Examples include restaurant guests, grocery store customers or bank visitors. Property owners must exercise the highest degree of care for invitees.
Trespasser – individuals who enter the property without invitation, regardless of whether or not their intent is unlawful. In these cases, property owners are often not responsible for the safety of these individuals. When property owners become aware of a trespasser, they should exercise ordinary caution.
These classifications can be hard to determine and a premise liability case can be hard to navigate alone. If you think you may have a premise liability case, we recommend giving us a call in Charlotte at (704) 870-4779 and scheduling a free consultation. The Law Office of Thomas Bumgardner is experienced in Charlotte personal injury cases and can deliver the compensation you deserve!
*In no way is this blog meant to provide legal advice.