Alachua County Premises Liability Lawyer
Did you sustain an injury on another person’s property in Alachua County, Florida? If so, you may have a premises liability claim against the at-fault party for your pain and suffering, medical bills, other financial expenses, and more. Allen Law Firm, P.A., can help you obtain the compensation you need to get back on your feet.
We’re one of North Central Florida’s preeminent personal injury law firms. Our Alachua County premises liability lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience, and we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our deserving clients. With that kind of success, you can rest assured that you’ll be in good hands if you hire us.
If you’re ready to get started, contact us today at (877) 255-3652. We offer a free initial consultation to review your case, and we’re available 24/7 to take your call.
How Allen Law Firm, P.A., Can Help You With a Premises Liability Claim in Alachua County
Understanding your legal rights and options can be difficult after you’ve been injured on someone else’s property in Alachua County, FL. The truth is that just about any type of property owner can be held liable. However, that doesn’t mean things will be easy. This area of the law often involves filing a claim against a powerful corporation or government entity.
Fortunately, we’re more than up to the task. At Allen Law Firm, P.A., our Alachua County personal injury attorneys aren’t afraid to take anyone to court or the negotiating table. We know what it takes to secure a favorable outcome, even in the most complex premises liability cases. If you choose us to represent you, we can help by:
- Thoroughly investigating your case to identify who’s liable, collect evidence, and determine the full extent of your damages
- Enlisting the aid of experts as needed to further strengthen your claim
- Taking care of all the communications and paperwork involved in your case
- Negotiating with the at-fault party on your behalf to reach a settlement agreement
- Filing a lawsuit against the opposing party if they refuse to settle
Would you like to begin establishing an attorney-client relationship, or do you just want to learn more? Call today to set up your free consultation with a trusted premises liability attorney in Alachua County.
Premises Liability Law in Florida
Premises liability law encompasses the idea that owners and managers of property must keep the areas they maintain reasonably safe for visitors. From there, the key determination is what exactly “reasonably safe” means.
The answer is that it depends, in part, on your relationship to the type of property your accident took place on. Florida law recognizes three broad categories of visitors: invitees, licensees, and trespassers.
Invitees
Invitees are generally owed the highest level of protection under Florida law. There are two types of invitees, public and business. For example, you would be considered a public invitee if you visited a local park and a business invitee if you went to a retail store.
Owners and managers of these types of properties must take certain measures and precautions to keep their premises safe. For instance, they must generally perform regular inspections to make sure their property is free from dangerous conditions, even those that aren’t obvious. In some instances, a warning may suffice instead if the issue cannot be fixed promptly.
Licensees
Licensees are still owed significant protection, but usually less than invitees. There are also two categories of licensees: invited and uninvited. For instance, an invited licensee would be a dinner guest at a friend’s house, and an uninvited licensee would be a door-to-door salesman.
Property owners and managers must still provide warnings of any dangerous conditions that aren’t obvious, but regular inspections of further potential dangers are not required.
Trespassers
Trespassers are owed very little protection under Florida law. A trespasser is a person who enters a property without permission. There are generally no requirements to provide warnings or conduct repairs and inspections like there are for the other two categories.
However, there is an exception for children in some cases under the “attractive nuisance” doctrine. Under this doctrine, certain property owners may be required to take precautions to prevent injury to child trespassers. A swimming pool is a likely example of an attractive nuisance.
How Valuable Is My Alachua County Premises Liability Case?
Premises liability cases often involve a complex evaluation process. As each case involves its own facts and circumstances, each has a unique value. However, this process is critical. You only have one chance to obtain compensation for your injuries. If you demand too little, you may walk away with less than you deserve.
Our Alachua County premises liability attorneys will cut no corners in properly assessing your case’s value. Factors that may play a role include:
- The nature of the injuries you’ve sustained
- Whether you share any responsibility for the accident
- Your age at the time of the accident
- Whether you will make a full medical recovery
- The extent to which the accident will impact your life going forward
Generally speaking, the cases involving the most catastrophic, debilitating injuries are worth the most. Nonetheless, other factors can play a larger role in some circumstances.
The best way to determine how much your case is worth is to contact a personal injury lawyer for a free initial consultation. At that time, the attorney can look into the facts of your case and offer personalized insight.
We Can Help With Any Type of Premises Liability Claim in Alachua County, Florida
When property owners in Alachua County, Florida, fail to keep their premises free from dangerous conditions and someone is injured as a result, they may be held liable for the consequences.
Our premises liability attorneys in Alachua County can help you with any type of claim in this area of the law, including but not limited to the following:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Amusement park accidents
- Public park accidents
- Sidewalk accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Dog bites
- Negligent security
- Negligent property maintenance
- Hotel accidents
- Assaults and other types of criminal acts
- Explosions and fires
- Shopping mall accidents
We can help you obtain compensation if you’ve recently sustained an injury in a premises liability incident. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Premises Liability Accident in Alachua County?
Florida law allows you to recover two forms of compensatory damages after a premises liability accident: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages represent the financial losses you’ve experienced, such as:
- Medical bills
- Decreased earning capacity
- Therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages reflect the other types of losses you may have incurred, including:
- Pain and suffering
- PTSD, anxiety, and other similar conditions
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
Punitive damages might also be available in cases involving extreme conduct from the at-fault party. However, punitive damages are rarely awarded unless the defendant acted with, for example, an intent to cause harm.
How Do I Establish Liability in a Premises Liability Case?
Establishing liability in a premises liability case often means proving that the property owner was negligent. Four legal elements go into a negligence claim:
- Duty of Care
- Breach of Duty
- Causation
- Damages
The first two elements relate to the discussion above regarding visitor status. For instance, trespassers generally aren’t owed a duty of care, and it is generally easier to establish breach in the context of a business invitee as opposed to an uninvited licensee.
In personal injury cases, the injured party has the burden of proof to establish their claim. You must submit enough evidence to satisfy the “preponderance of the evidence” standard, which is essentially a “more likely than not” standard. Types of evidence you may submit include:
- Security camera footage, if available
- Medical records
- Eyewitness testimony
- Expert analysis and testimony
The experienced premises liability lawyers with Allen Law Firm, P.A., can handle your negligence claim from start to finish while you focus on your medical recovery. Call today if you’d like further information.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Premises Liability Claims in Florida?
Florida recently changed its statute of limitations for most personal injury cases. By default, you’ll have four years to file your claim if your accident occurred on or before 3/23/2023. If your accident took place after that date, you’ll have just two years instead.
However, there are many exceptions to these deadlines, depending on the facts of the case. If you submit your claim too late, you’ll lose your ability to recover compensation. For that reason, it is best to promptly contact an Alachua County personal injury lawyer to confirm the correct deadline for your situation.
Schedule a Free Case Review With an Experienced Alachua County Premises Liability Attorney
If you or a loved one were recently injured on someone else’s property in Alachua County, FL, you may have a valid premises liability claim to assert. If you hire Allen Law Firm, P.A., to represent you, you’ll be putting an award-winning legal team with a wealth of experience and resources on your side.
Our Alachua County premises liability attorneys work on contingency, so you’ll only pay us attorney’s fees if we obtain compensation for you. It also won’t cost you anything upfront to hire us.
We’re available 24/7 to take your call at (877) 637-0028. Contact us today to set up your free initial consultation.
