Clearwater Premises Liability Attorney
Property owners have many obligations in Florida. They must pay property taxes and not use their premises for an illegal purpose. Property owners also must take reasonable steps to prevent injury to visitors. At The Reep Law Firm, we have represented many people injured in various accidents due to a property defect. After an accident, call us to speak with our Clearwater premises liability attorney. We can review if you have a strong legal case and how much your injuries might be worth.
Were You Injured by a Property Defect?
Few people enter or store or visit a friend and expect to be injured. But many hazards can lead to accidents:
- Hazardous floors, which cause a person to slip or trip. Some defects include standing water, wet leaves, condensation, uneven floorboards, and loose carpets. Visitors might slip or trip because stairs are crumbling or floorboards are buckled.
- Glare or strong lighting, which temporarily blinds someone and leads them to fall down the stairs.
- Malfunctioning elevators and escalators which can stop abruptly or force someone to the ground.
- Improperly shelved goods, which fall and land on a customer, causing injury.
- Swimming pool defects, including a pool which does not keep children from falling in the water.
- Electricity problems, which can lead to electrocution, fires, or burns.
- Inadequate security, leading to preventable violent crimes, such as rape or homicide. Property could be missing locks or other security features necessary, depending on the amount of crime in the area.
Whether the owner is liable for your accident depends on many factors, including why you are on the property. Business owners must provide the highest degree of care to their customers. Generally, that means they need to search for defects by regularly inspecting the premises and then fixing them in a reasonable manner. For example, if a pharmacy sees that a customer has dropped a bottle of water on the floor, they should mop it up.
Not all visitors are owed the same degree of care. Property owners owe few duties to those who enter without permission, unless the trespasser is a child.
After an accident, try to document the hazard. We recommend taking photographs to show the state of the hazard on the day you were injured. If possible, use your phone. You can also talk with witnesses and get their name and a way of contacting them.
Our objective as your law firm is to help make a solid legal claim for compensation. Property owners and their liability insurers scrutinize every accident claim. Large companies also have entire departments dedicated to handling accident cases. We have requested damages for medical treatment, pain, limited mobility, lost income, property damage, and other losses.
Speak with a Clearwater Premises Liability Attorney Today
The Reep Law Firm can help anyone hurt in a property-related accident. Too many property owners are negligent, failing to perform even routine inspections or warn visitors of a hazard. Contact us to speak with a Clearwater premises liability attorney in a free consultation. We will analyze why you were on the property and whether the owner took reasonable steps to protect you.
