The commercial and residential property owners in Jefferson County owe a duty to you to keep their property safe. Commercial property owners also owe you an additional duty to regularly inspect the premises for dangerous hazards. When a property owner breaches this duty, you could sustain a serious injury. A personal injury attorney can work to recover maximum monetary damages on behalf of an injured person.

In many cases, a property owner refuses to take responsibility for preventable injuries on their premises. A seasoned Jefferson County premises liability lawyer can help you stand up to a property owner and recover the monetary damages you are entitled too.

Common Causes of Premises Liability Lawsuits

Depending on the location of where your injury occurred, premises liability law provides you with an avenue to recover damages, otherwise known as recoverable losses, for your injuries. A Jefferson County premises liability attorney can help you review your claim and determine its validity.

Accidents involving tripping over debris or unmarked hazards make up a large portion of premises liability claims. Commercial property owners must take extra care to keep floors clear and warn customers of potential hazards.

Negligent security cases are a less common type of premises liability claim. When a property owner should have known about a safety issue and failed to take action, they may face liability for any injuries that occur. This type of claim typically relates to foreseeable violent crime that takes place on the premises.

Animal attacks are another common premises liability issue. In Missouri, an animal attack may result in grounds for a lawsuit even if the animal was not previously violent. Animal attacks are actually more common than most people think and usually involve dogs and cats that are kept as pets.

Construction issues are also a common hazard for premises liability issues. When a building is constructed poorly or allowed to fall into disrepair, injuries become commonplace. An injury victim hurt by falling items, uneven floors, hazardous tripping hazards or loose debris may have a viable claim against the property owner.

Missouri Premises Liability Law

In Missouri, the duty a property owner owes to another person depends on whether that person has permission to enter the land and what their purpose for visiting is. Generally speaking, there are three types of property guests in Missouri: invitees, licensees, and trespassers.

Invitees

An Invitee is owed a higher duty of care than any other property guest. Invitees are invited onto the land for the benefit of the property owner. In most cases, this involves entry as an employee or customer. A property owner owes every invitee a reasonable duty of care to keep the premises safe. What’s more, an owner also owes an invitee a duty to warn of any unseen hazards that are not immediately apparent.

Licensees

Licensees are invited guests onto the property, but are owed less of a duty than invitees. The most common example is as a social guest. A property owner owes a licensee a duty to keep the premises safe.

Trespassers

A trespasser is any person that enters a property without express or implied permission. Generally, a property owner does not owe a duty of care to a trespasser. To learn about exceptions to this general rule, contact a Jefferson County premises liability right away.

Speak with a Jefferson County Premises Liability Attorney

If your injury claim goes to trial, it is up to a jury to determine if your injuries were caused by another party’s negligence. To find out how a Jefferson County premises liability attorney can help you obtain the settlement you are looking for, call one of our trial lawyers right away to schedule a consultation.