St. Petersburg Premises Liability Attorney

Premises liability is a legal concept in personal injury cases. A St. Petersburg premises liability lawyer can support those who have experienced an injury caused by an unsafe or defective condition on someone’s property.

Personal injury liability cases are based on negligence. A St. Petersburg premises liability lawyer can help you prove that a property owner was negligent and, therefore, responsible for your injuries.  If a property owner is negligent, that means they failed to use reasonable care to protect visitors to their property.

men with injured arm

Who’s Liable For Your Injuries?

Simply being injured on someone’s property does not mean that the property owner was negligent. Your St. Petersburg personal injury law firm has to be able to demonstrate that the property owner knew or should reasonably have known that the premises were unsafe and failed to act. 

Lewis & Castagliola can help you to secure fair and just compensation in your liability claim. Our experienced St. Petersburg injury accident attorneys offer a free no-obligation consultation to discuss all of the pertinent details of your claim. Read on for more important information about premises liability law and how we can be of service to you.  

What Is a Premises Liability Claim?

Premises liability occurs when a property owner, landlord, or manager is negligent. If their negligence leads to an injury or loss, they can be held liable for the ensuing damages. Liability claims can occur on residential, government, and commercial properties. Anyone can be liable for an accident depending on the circumstance. 

Common Causes of St. Petersburg Premise Liability Accidents

There are several causes of liability accident injuries. Some of the most common premises liabilities occur in the following situations:

  • There is a lack of maintenance and general upkeep of the property 
  • Accidents involve swimming pools and lack of supervision
  • When business owners fail to provide the proper security necessary to create a reasonably safe environment for others
  • Someone slips and falls because of defective staircases, accumulation of ice or snow, wet floors, oily floors, hidden extension cords, unsecured rugs or carpets, thresholds, and loose or broken floors, sidewalks, steps, or stairs
  • Unrestrained dogs can cause injuries, whether or not the animal has aggressive tendencies. If a dog injures someone because of lack of training, absence of a fence, or failure to leash, the owner should be responsible for damages. 

Premises Liability Claim Cases

Although this list won’t include all of the cases of premises liability, it will consist of some of the most frequent cases our St. Petersburg premises liability lawyers have seen at Lewis & Castagliola:

  • Dimly lit property
  • Unsafe walkways
  • Unsafe structures
  • Wet floors without proper signage 
  • Snowy or icy walkways
  • Lack of proper security
  • Falling objects
  • Elevator accidents
  • Escalator accidents
  • Automatic door failures
  • Fires
  • Electrocutions and faulty wiring
  • Explosions
  • Building collapses
  • Toxic substances
  • Improperly signed hazards
  • Poor conditions at a construction zone
  • Dog bites

What Types of Injuries Are Common in Premise Liability Claims in St. Petersburg?

The severity of your accident injuries will affect the amount of financial compensation you receive at the conclusion of a premises liability claim. The most common injuries in premises liability accidents include head injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and burn injuries. There are many types of premises liability injuries, ranging from relatively minor injuries to wrongful death.

St. Petersburg Premises Liability Lawyer

A premises liability lawyer represents victims who have suffered an injury that was caused by some type of unsafe or defective condition on someone else’s property. Premises liability is defined by the owner’s “duty of care” or the obligation that a property owner must meet to ensure the safety of their visitors. A premises liability lawyer can help you with your claim.

Common Defenses to Premises Liability Claims

Property owners can only be held responsible for the property they control. An experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney can review your case to ensure that the appropriate person is named as the defendant in your lawsuit. Defendants have to be aware of a hazardous condition before they can be held liable for it. 

“I Didn’t Know”

Your attorney can gather evidence that demonstrates that the defendant knew, or should have known, about the hazard but failed to act. Your legal team can investigate whether the danger was clearly marked and refute any claims that you could have exercised reasonable care to avoid it.

Comparative Negligence

If the defendant argues that you were partially responsible for your injuries, it can reduce your settlement and financial reward. Your attorney will work to ensure that you aren’t undeservedly blamed for the injuries you’ve sustained. 

Unforeseeable Third-Party Conduct

If your injuries were caused by unforeseeable third-party conduct, you may be eligible to file a premises liability claim for your injuries. Although the defendant may claim there was no way they could foresee what happened, when people are attacked or otherwise injured by a third party while on someone else’s property, they may have a liability claim for negligent security. 

How Duty of Care Plays a Role in Your St. Petersburg Liability Case

Florida requires property owners to exercise reasonable care in the ownership and maintenance of their property concerning all persons who might enter that property. A failure to do so may create liability when a visitor suffers an injury due to negligent maintenance. 

How to Prove a Florida Premises Liability Lawsuit

If a property owner has neglected their duty of care to you, Lewis & Castagliola is standing by to discuss your right to compensation. In order to recover compensation, you and your St. Petersburg premises liability attorney have to prove the following:

  • The defendant owned, leased, occupied, or controlled the property in question
  • The defendant was negligent in the use or maintenance of the property
  • You were harmed, injured, or suffered damages
  • The defendant’s negligence was a significant factor in causing that harm

A skilled injury lawyer can help you gather the vital evidence required to build a strong case. Available damages include:

  • Past and future accident-related medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of earning ability
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress 

What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims in Premises Liability Cases?

Damages include all the types of compensation that the victim receives for their losses. If someone is in an accident, they suffer financially and emotionally. The categories of damages include all the types of legally recognizable losses available for compensation, including economic and non-economic losses. 

With the help of experienced legal representation, you can determine which categories are applicable to your case so that you can take the legal steps to claim them through a personal injury lawsuit. 

Schedule a Case Evaluation With Lewis & Castagliola Right Away

Lewis & Castagliola is based in St. Petersburg and represents clients throughout Florida, including Central Florida on the Gulf Coast. Once we review your claim, we can begin working on your case. We will leave no stone unturned when we investigate your injuries and who’s responsible for your accident. We believe that communication is imperative, so we will stay engaged with you about the development of your case. 

You don’t have to struggle financially after your personal injury. Get the help of a dedicated law firm that can get you back on track. Contact Lewis & Castagliola Law for a free consultation.