Columbus Premises Liability Lawyer

Getting hurt while visiting another person’s property can often serve as grounds for civil litigation against the landowner or the person responsible for managing their property on a daily basis. However, if you are not familiar with how Georgia state law governs personal injury cases of this unique nature, you will likely have very low chances of getting any compensation at all—let alone enough to account for all the short- and long-term losses that a serious injury can cause.

If you want a fair chance at a positive resolution to your claim, seeking help from a seasoned Columbus premises liability lawyer is a virtual necessity. Once retained, a dedicated personal injury attorney could guide you through every step of the litigation process and work diligently to build you the strongest claim possible.

Recovering Comprehensively for Injury-Related Losses

Like anyone else who causes an accident in Georgia, a landowner whose negligent failure to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition may be liable to pay for every economic and non-economic loss a visitor sustains because of an ensuing injury. Compensable economic damages could consist of:

Emergency hospital bills
Future rehabilitative care
Lost work income
Lost long-term earning capacity
Any damage done to personal property

Recoverable non-economic damages may include:

Physical pain from injuries
Emotional or psychological trauma
Pain and suffering
Lost consortium
Lost overall quality of life

An experienced Columbus property liability attorney could go into more detail about losses that could be factored into a particular claim during a private initial consultation.

Navigating Premises Liability Laws in Columbus

Notably, Georgia state law does not hold property owners liable for injuries that occur on their property—even those stemming directly from their own negligence—in every situation. According to Official Code of Georgia §51-3-1, landowners are expected to exercise ordinary care in keeping their property in safe condition for invitees, which are people like store customers who are visiting lawfully for the owner’s financial benefit. However, under O.C.G.A. §§51-3-2 and 51-3-3, property owners are only liable for injuries caused to:

Licensees visiting for their own benefits
Trespassers visiting without permission or lawful authority if those injuries stem from the owner’s “willful and wanton” misconduct

Additionally, any degree to which a plaintiff is deemed responsible for causing or worsening their damages through their negligence could result in a proportional reduction of their damage award’s value or even bar them from recovery completely, in accordance respectively with O.C.G.A. §§51-12-33 and 51-11-7. A knowledgeable lawyer’s help could be vital to understanding and navigating around these possible legal issues during a premises liability claim in Columbus.

Get in Touch with a Columbus Premises Liability Attorney

Filing a lawsuit or making a settlement demand after being injured by dangerous conditions on another person’s land can be complicated on both legal and practical levels. Even if it seems obvious that a property owner or manager’s negligence directly led to your injuries, effectively demanding restitution for ensuing losses can require certain legal expertise.

The assistance you might need is available from a tenacious Columbus premises liability lawyer. Call David Bence today to discuss your options.