Charlotte Premises Liability Attorney

TOP-NOTCH PREMISES LIABILITY IN CHARLOTTE

Have you slipped and fallen on someone else’s property? Were you bitten by a dog at somebody’s home? If so, you may be able to seek compensation with the help of a Charlotte premises liability attorney.

When you’re a guest, you reasonably expect the property owner to remove hazards that could hurt you, and North Carolina law agrees with that sentiment. Property owners have a duty to keep their properties clear of hazards, but unfortunately, not all of them do.

If a company’s or person’s negligence caused you harm, here’s what you need to know from a car accident lawyer in Charlotte.

premises liability

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability is a law that says property owners owe a reasonable duty of care to guests who are legally on their properties. Guests may include tenants, employees, customers, or anyone in a place that’s open to the public.

Property owners are obligated to:

  • Limit dangerous conditions (for instance, keeping aggressive dogs in a fenced-off area not accessible to guests)
  • Conduct maintenance to keep their property free of hazards
  • Warn guests of potential hazards

If a property owner doesn’t comply with premises liability rules, you can bring a claim against them. To sue the property owner and win, your Charlotte premises liability attorney will need to prove these elements:

  • The property owner owed you a duty of care
  • There was a dangerous condition on the property which the owner knew about or should have known about
  • The property owner didn’t fix, address, or warn guests of the hazardous conditions
  • You were injured as a result of their negligence
  • Your injuries caused damages, such as lost wages and medical bills

Premises Liability Laws In North Carolina

According to North Carolina premises liability laws, only guests who were legally on someone’s property can seek damages from the property owner.

Property owners owe no duty of care to trespassers on their property. For example, if a burglar breaks a window, climbs through, and cuts themselves, the homeowner bears no responsibility for their injury.

One exception to this is if the property owner purposely injured the trespasser. For instance, setting up traps to injure trespassers would be a violation of premises liability laws. The law calls this “foreseeable harm” because the property owner knew their actions could hurt someone.

Children are also exempt from the trespassing exception because they’re not old enough to know right from wrong, which means adults have a duty to protect them. This is true even if they trespass on someone else’s property.

Property owners are responsible for minimizing “attractive nuisances” to children. Attractive nuisances include swimming pools, junk piles, trampolines, and playground equipment at someone’s home.

For example, if a homeowner failed to put a fence around their swimming pool and a child fell in, they would be responsible for that child’s injuries.

Types Of Premises Liability Cases We Handle

An accident due to property owner negligence can leave you feeling angry, and rightly so. Had that person or company been more careful, you wouldn’t have been hurt in the first place. 

Because of their irresponsibility, you’re stuck with piles of medical bills and injuries that could take a long time to heal. You might have to take time off work to recover, costing you a paycheck your family desperately needs.

At Yale Haymond Law, PLLC, we handle all types of premises liability cases, including:

  • Slip-and-fall accidents
  • Escalator and elevator injuries
  • Dog bites
  • Crimes resulting from negligent security (you were robbed or assaulted because a security guard wasn’t paying attention, for example)
  • Smoke inhalation and burns
  • Electrical shocks
  • Swimming pool and water park accidents
  • Flooding-related accidents, including illness caused by mold inhalation

DAMAGES YOU CAN SEEK IN A PREMISES LIABILITY CASE

If you were harmed because of a property owner’s negligence, you may be eligible to seek the following damages through a compensation claim:

  • All medical bills related to your injuries, including emergency care, follow-up visits, surgery, medications, and physical therapy
  • Property damage
  • Lost wages if you must take time off work to recover
  • Lost earning potential if you can no longer work at the same job you held before the accident

CHOOSING THE RIGHT ATTORNEY FOR YOU

Let Us Help You Seek Justice

Property owners owe you a duty of care, and if they fail to uphold that duty, a Charlotte premises liability attorney will help you hold the negligent party responsible. At Yale Haymond Law, PLLC, our attorney has years of experience assisting clients with premises liability cases in Charlotte, NC.

For a free consultation with a drunk driving accident lawyer or other experienced legal professional, call us at 704-800-HELP (4357) today.