Contact us today for a free case review with one of our dedicated, knowledgeable Tampa Premises Liability Accident Lawyers. You’ll learn more about how our firm may be able to help you recover financial compensation for the losses you’ve incurred.
Personal Injury on a Tampa Property?
Property owners in Tampa have a legal obligation to maintain their property for visitors. Owners are required to fix any conditions on the property that might cause a visitor to suffer a personal injury in Tampa or to warn visitors of the presence of these hazards.
Therefore, when a property owner fails to address hazardous conditions on their property and a visitor is then injured, that visitor may be entitled to seek financial compensation for their injuries and losses. This type of case is known as a “premises liability action.”
Brooks Law Group for You!
If you’ve sustained an injury on someone else’s property, the Tampa premises liability lawyers of Brooks Law Group can help you. For over 20 years, our attorneys have worked hard to fight for the rights and interests of our clients. You deserve a law firm that will diligently and professionally pursue the compensation you need.
When you, therefore, choose us to help with your premises liability case, you can trust that our attorneys will work diligently to fight for the best possible outcome in your case. We understand how daunting and frustrating the legal system can seem. Let our knowledgeable Tampa premises liability attorneys handle all the hard work of investigating your claim and dealing with insurance adjusters and defense lawyers while you focus on your recovery.
What Is Premises Liability in Tampa?
A premises liability claim arises when a visitor is injured by a defective or hazardous condition of a property. Common premises liability cases include slip and fall accidents, dog bites and attacks, and swimming pool accidents.
However, not every injury that occurs on another property will give rise to a premises liability case. An injured accident victim may only pursue a claim for premises liability in Florida if a property owner was negligent. Under Florida premises liability law, a property owner is negligent if:
- The property owner or occupier owed the victim a duty of care.
- The property owner or occupier breaches that duty.
- The breach causes a visitor to be injured.
- The visitor suffers damages as a result of the breach.
A property owner’s duties usually involve undertaking reasonable efforts to keep their property free of hazardous conditions that might cause someone injury.
Premises Liability Laws in Florida
Florida premises liability law requires property owners and occupiers to maintain their premises in a safe condition for visitors to the property. However, the specific duty or level of effort that a property owner or occupier owes under Florida law depends on the type of visitor. Florida law generally recognizes three different categories of visitors and imposes certain duties upon property owners and occupiers with respect to each category of visitor as follows:
Invitee
An invitee includes any person who lawfully enters a property for the benefit of the property owner or occupier. Florida law further separates invitees into two subcategories: public invitees and business invitees. Public invitees are invited onto property meant for public use, such as a family visiting a local park or visitors to a music festival. Business invitees visit a property to conduct business, such as patients at a doctor’s office or customers in a store.
Property owners and occupiers owe invitees the highest duty under Florida law. They must regularly inspect the property to discover possible hazards. They must also correct hazards they know about or should know about or warn invitees about them.
Licensee
A licensee refers to a visitor who lawfully enters the premises for their own benefit. Examples of licensees include social guests, letter carriers, delivery drivers, or utility technicians. Property owners or occupiers owe licensees a duty to repair or remedy any dangerous or defective conditions of the premises known to the owner or to warn the licensee of the existence of such conditions.
Trespasser
A trespasser includes any person without lawful right or authority to enter another’s premises. Property owners and occupiers generally do not owe a trespasser a duty to protect them from dangerous or hazardous conditions. Instead, property owners are only required to refrain from intentionally causing harm to a trespasser, such as by setting up traps intended to injure them. However, Florida law provides an exception to this rule for children, with property owners required to secure or make safe certain features or conditions of their property known as “attractive nuisances” – for example, a swimming pool.
Common Causes of Premises Liability in Tampa
Premises liability refers to a wide variety of accidents and incidents that a visitor to a property may suffer. Common premises liability cases in Tampa include:
- Slippery floors
- Broken staircases
- Potholes and broken pavement
- Obscured holes, trenches, or wires in lawns or fields
- Broken or malfunctioning elevators or escalators
- Obstructed walkways
- Inadequate lighting
- Construction site hazards
- Fires and explosions
- Exposed electrical wires or power lines
- Toxic fumes or chemicals
- Environmental contamination
- Broken locks, gates, or windows
- Inadequate or negligent security
- Unsafe or unsecured swimming pools
- Unsafe or unsecured trampolines
- Broken or defective amusement or recreational equipment
- Unsecured, vicious dogs, or other bites or attacks from pets
Types of Injuries
A premises liability accident can result in any number of injuries to an accident victim. Some of the most common injuries suffered in premises liability accidents include:
- Severe lacerations (cuts) or contusions (bruises)
- Dislocated joints
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries, such as sprains or tears of ligaments, muscles, or tendons
- Burns
- Electrocution
- Toxic exposure
- Infections and disease
- Crush injuries
- Drowning injuries, including brain damage or lung damage
- Internal organ injuries or internal bleeding
- Neck and back injuries
- Herniated or ruptured spinal discs
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Head injuries, including skull fractures or eye or ear trauma
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Stab wounds, gunshot wounds, and blunt force trauma injuries
- Amputations
- Scarring or disfigurement
Average Compensation for Premises Liability Injuries
If you have been injured in a premises liability accident, you may be entitled to compensation for losses that you have or will suffer due to your injuries. These losses may include:
- Costs of medical treatment, including hospital bills, surgeries, and also other medical procedures, doctor’s appointments, medications, and other out-of-pocket expenses like medical equipment purchases.
- Long-term rehabilitation and care, such as physical or occupational therapy, or home health services.
- Lost income and earning potential if your injuries
- cause you to miss time from work
- leave you with disabilities that prevent you from returning to work
- or earning the same income you did prior to your injuries.
- Compensation for physical anguish, but also emotional or mental distress.
- Loss of enjoyment or quality of life, which may be caused by physical disfigurement or disability, by the inability to enjoy life’s activities, or by the loss of life expectancy.
- Loss of consortium, which provides compensation to a spouse or close family members for the loss of your
- companionship
- guidance
- and society due to your injuries.
Every case is different. The potential compensation you may be entitled to receive depends on the specific circumstances surrounding your claim and the type of damages you sustained. Therefore, you should call our firm today to learn more about the possible compensation involved in your case.
Contact a Premises Liability Lawyer in Tampa at Brooks Law Group Today
If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property, you may be able to pursue financial recovery for your injuries and losses. Contact Brooks Law Group today for a free consultation to speak with an experienced premises liability lawyer in Tampa. We can discuss your legal rights and options for seeking the recovery and justice that you deserve.
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