Atlanta Premises Liability Lawyer

Each year, thousands of people suffer serious injuries and even death from unsafe conditions that were unknown to them. Companies must take steps to ensure that their customers are safe when visiting business locations.

Through a premises liability claim, a negligent business or property owner in Georgia can be held legally responsible for a victim’s injuries. 

At Ponton Law, our Atlanta premises liability attorney fights aggressively to help victims and families get justice and full compensation. If you or someone close to you was hurt because of the negligence of a business or property owner, we can help. To set up a free, no-obligation consultation with a Georgia premises liability lawyer, please do not hesitate to contact our Atlanta office today.

What is Premises Liability?

Premises liability is a legal doctrine that requires businesses, landowners, and operators to protect guests from known risks. Businesses must take steps to inspect their property and to eliminate or mitigate any risks that might exist. For example, a grocery store must take steps to ensure that aisles are kept clear of spilled liquids or other debris. This could mean routinely inspecting aisles, preventing customer access to areas where a spill has occurred and cleaning the spill as quickly and safely as possible.

We Handle All Types of Premises Liability Claims in Georgia 

Ponton Law is a full-service Atlanta personal injury firm devoted to protecting the rights of victims and families. We do not represent defendants or insurance companies. Our firm is qualified to handle all types of premises liability claims. Along with other types of premises liability cases in Georgia, our Atlanta attorney is prepared to help you with: 

• Slip and Fall Accidents: Were you hurt in a slip and fall? The business or property owner may be liable if it happened due to unreasonably unsafe conditions on the premises. Call our Atlanta slip and fall accident lawyer for a free consultation. 
• Failure to Conduct Adequate Maintenance: Property owners have a basic duty to maintain their premises. Inadequate maintenance can result in serious accidents. Our Atlanta premises liability attorney represents victims hurt by poorly maintained property. 
• Construction Site Accidents: A construction site can be a very dangerous place. The developer, construction company, property owner, or any other party responsible for maintaining the site could be liable for accidents caused by negligence. 
• Negligent Security Claims: A business or property owner may be liable for a third-party criminal attack occurring on the premises if that incident happened, at least in part, due to negligent security. These are complex cases. Contact our Atlanta negligent security attorney for a consultation. 
• Elevator & Escalator Accident Claims: Public spaces you visit that use escalators and elevators have a responsibility to maintain them and make sure they are safe to use.
• Dog Bites: Any property that has dogs has a legal obligation to make sure other people are safe from them. For more information please visit our dog bite claim page.
• Toxic Chemicals: A lot of businesses use chemicals in the production of their goods and use them for cleaning. If they are stored or used improperly it can cause harm to people in the surrounding area. In some cases, this will be a legitimate foundation for a negligence claim.

Common Injuries that Occur Due to Business/Property Owner Negligence

When businesses or property owners in Georgia fail to take due care, a wide range of severe injuries can occur as a result. No matter the cause or seriousness of your injury, our Atlanta premises liability attorney is prepared to help. Some of the most common injuries that happen because of property owner negligence include: 

• Broken or fractured bones; 
• Muscle strains or sprains; 
• Back injuries; 
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs); 
• Amputations; and
• Spinal cord damage.

Who Must Landowners or Operators Protect?

There are three basic categories of visitors that landowners and operators must take certain steps to protect.

• Invitee: Anyone who has been invited onto a property is considered an “invitee”. Landowners and operators have to take reasonable steps to maintain safety on the property. The landowner or operator must also warn and/or repair known dangers. Finally, the landowner or operator must inspect the property to discover if unknown dangerous conditions exist.
• Licensee: A “licensee” is someone who enters the property for his or her own purpose and is present at the consent of the landowner or operator. In this case, the landowner or operator must ensure safety on the property by repairing and/or warning of known dangerous conditions that are not obvious to a licensee. Unlike with invitees, there is generally no duty to inspect for dangerous conditions.
• Trespasser: Someone who enters the property without the landowner or operator’s consent is known as a “trespasser” and the landowner or operator only has to warn of known dangerous conditions if the landowner knows that his land has frequent trespassers.

No matter who you are, a landowner or possessor likely owes you some level of care. Therefore, it is important to get medical attention after an injury and then to seek legal help.

Children & Premises Liability Cases

For premises liability cases when a child is trespassing and is injured, there is a different standard.  There are 5 conditions that are present. 

1. The property owner is aware children trespass or there’s a reasonable expectation that they should have known.
2. The property owner was aware there dangerous or potentially lethal conditions exist on their premises. 
3. Your child did not understand it was a dangerous area or how dangerous it could be.
4. That the cost to the property owner was small compared to the risk of someone being hurt.
5. The property owner failed to demonstrate reasonable care in removing the dangerous condition from the premises. 

One of the easiest examples is when a child falls into a pool that has no fence around it.  If a child in the neighborhood is known to sneak around and use pools without permission does and is hurt, the owner may be held liable in an attractive nuisance claim.  Other types of attractive nuisance claims include refrigerators, abandoned cars, construction tools, and farm equipment.

Who are the Defendants in Premises Liability Claims?

Any property owner or property occupier (business) in Georgia could potentially be held liable for an accident caused by unreasonably unsafe conditions on their premises. Some common examples of businesses and property owners that face premises liability claims include: 

• Apartment complexes; 
• Hotels & motels; 
• Retail locations; 
• Bars & nightclubs; 
• Event spaces; 
• Construction sites; 
• Airports; and
• Amusement parks. 

You cannot rely on corporations or commercial insurance companies to look out for what is right to protect you and your family. An experienced Atlanta, GA premises liability attorney can help you hold a large insurance company accountable.

Could Poor Security Give Rise to a Premises Liability Claim?

Negligent security can be categorized as a type of premises liability claim. Negligent security may arise when a landowner or possessor knows that their property is subject to criminal activity and fails to protect guests from the security risk.

One example of negligent security leading to a premises liability claim could stem from a parking garage incident. If a parking garage has been the location of recent robberies, then the parking lot owner must take steps to protect guests. This can mean hiring security guards, installing surveillance cameras, and/or adding additional barriers to the entrance.

No matter what your injury or how you were injured, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you contact an experienced personal injury attorney, the sooner evidence can be located and preserved, and the sooner the legal process can begin.

Recovering Compensation through a Premises Liability Claim in Georgia 

Following a serious accident caused by business/property owner negligence, it is imperative that you are able to get full and fair financial support. Georgia law allows injured victims to claim compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Our Atlanta premises liability lawyer fights to help victims maximize their recovery. You may be entitled to get monetary damages for: 

• Emergency room treatment; 
• Hospital bills and other health costs;
• Physical therapy; 
• Mental health support; 
• Lost wages;
• Loss of earning power; 
• Pain and suffering; 
• Mental distress; 
• Scarring or disfigurement; 
• Long-term disability; and
• Wrongful death damages.

Why Work With an Atlanta, GA Premises Liability Lawyer at Ponton Law?

We believe that we are the very best at what we do. Over the past five years, we have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients.  Atlanta attorney James Ponton has been recognized as one of the top young lawyers in Georgia and named a Georgia Rising Star by Atlanta Magazine and the Super Lawyers Magazine in 2010, 2014-2016.

We provide proactive, personalized representation to every client. When you reach out to our Atlanta office, you will have a chance to work with a Georgia premises liability attorney who can: 

• Conduct a comprehensive review of your personal injury case;
• Answer any questions that you have about Georgia’s premises liability laws; 
• Thoroughly investigate your accident, gathering the evidence you need; 
• Handle all of the correspondence/settlement discussions with insurers; and
• Take aggressive action to help you get justice and full financial compensation.  

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Atlanta Premises Liability Attorney Today

At Ponton Law, our Atlanta premises liability attorney has the skills, experience, and legal expertise to handle the full range of cases. If you were hurt in an accident, we can help.

Please contact us online or call Ponton Law today at 404-860-2454 so we can discuss your case with an Atlanta premises liability lawyer. Initial consultations are free and fully confidential. We handle premises liability claims throughout the area, including in Fulton County, DeKalb County, and Cobb County.