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Home Premises Liability

Pensacola Premises Liability Attorney

premises liability

Were you hurt due to a dangerous or defective condition on someone else’s property? If so, the property or business owner could owe you compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses. However, holding property or business owners accountable can become a complex, time-consuming process. That’s why you need the help of a Pensacola premises liability lawyer.

At Cardoso Law, PLLC, we are proud to protect and advocate for injured Floridians like you. We fight for every penny our clients deserve, aggressively negotiating settlements or taking cases to court when insurers refuse to pay fair value.

Our primary purpose is to achieve the best possible outcome for every client we represent. You can see our success reflected in the millions of dollars in compensation we have recovered on their behalf. We are ready to listen to your story, investigate your case, and hold the liable parties accountable for the harm they caused you.

The Pensacola personal injury lawyer you choose to represent you in a premises liability claim can make a big difference in the outcome of your case. Let us make that difference. Contact Cardoso Law, PLLC, for a free initial case evaluation with a premises liability attorney in Pensacola, FL.

Common Types of Premises Liability

Examples of accidents and incidents that can lead to a premises liability claim include:

  • Slip and falls and trip-and-fall accidents, which are caused by hazardous conditions on the floor or ground
  • Dog bites, as pet owners are liable when their animal bites and injures someone in public or lawfully on private property
  • Uneven pavement, which can lead to slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents
  • Water leaks, including water leaks from broken pipes, pools, or broken or poorly maintained refrigerators or freezers
  • Defective conditions on premises
  • Negligent security, for injuries incurred due to a lack of properly trained security personnel, broken or missing locks, inadequate lighting, or lack of surveillance cameras or alarm equipment
  • Elevator, escalator, and stairway accidents, including slip-and-falls, trip-and-falls, or entanglement accidents if a person gets caught in a defective or inadequately maintained elevator or escalator
  • Assault and rape, which may lead to a premises liability claim if a perpetrator accessed the property or committed the assault due to a lack of security
  • Ceiling collapse and other building collapse incidents
  • Fire safety and building code violations, which may give rise to premises liability if a visitor suffers burns and other injuries in a fire or explosion

 

Who Is Responsible for an Injury in a Premises Liability Case?

Property owners have a legal duty — called the duty of care — to keep their premises safe for lawful visitors. This responsibility includes fixing, removing, or warning of any dangerous or defective conditions on the property. When they fail to do so, and people get hurt, they can be held responsible through an insurance claim or lawsuit. This area of personal injury law is known as premises liability.

However, other parties besides the property’s owner may be held liable for accidents that occur on it. These parties include:

  • A residential tenant, who may be liable for an accident that takes place within the tenant’s private premises.
  • A commercial tenant or a business that leases their location, as businesses are typically responsible for maintenance and upkeep under a commercial lease.
  • A property management company, which may be responsible for an accident that occurs within the common areas of an office building or apartment/condominium/townhouse complex.
  • Third-party companies, who are hired to perform maintenance and upkeep of premises.
Premises Liability Case

Common Places Where Premises Liability Accidents Occur

Florida and Pensacola have many public and private venues where premises liability accidents frequently occur, including:

  • Hotels and motels, which may be liable when guests suffer injury due to defective conditions of the property or due to a lack of proper security
  • Vacation homes and condo rentals (Airbnb)
  • Clubs and bars, where patrons may suffer injuries from slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents or negligent security
  • Restaurants, where busy dining rooms and frequent spills can lead to accidents
  • Theme parks, which may be responsible for guest injuries that occur due to slips or trips, defective or poorly maintained rides, or negligent security
  • Swimming pools, where crowds and wet surfaces often lead to slips and falls
  • Apartment and townhouse buildings and complexes, which could be liable for injuries suffered by residents due to defective conditions of leased premises and common areas or due to inadequate security
  • Grocery stores and supermarkets, where wet floors can cause patrons to slip and fall
  • Gyms and fitness centers, where patrons may suffer injuries caused by poorly maintained fitness equipment or unmopped sweat
  • Schools, which may be held liable to students or visitors for slip-and-fall accidents, inadequately maintained playground or classroom equipment and furniture, or negligent security
  • Hospitals and other healthcare facilities, where patients and visitors may suffer slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents due to wet floors and other hazards
  • Home improvement stores and garden centers, which often have slippery floors or tripping hazards
  • Theaters, which may face liability when patrons slip and fall or are injured because of inadequate security
  • Stadiums or other sports facilities, where fans can be injured due to slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents, inadequate netting or protection from the playing surface, or inadequate security
  • Office buildings, which may have liability for visitor injuries caused by slippery floors, tripping hazards, malfunctioning elevators or escalators, or negligent security
  • Malls and shopping centers, which are often the site of slip-and-fall accidents and injuries caused by defective elevators or escalators

How Long Do You Have to File a Premises Liability Lawsuit in Florida?

premises liability accident victim

Florida’s statute of limitations on premises liability lawsuits gives you two years from the date you were injured on someone else’s property to file suit against the property owner and other liable parties. In addition to the deadline imposed by the statute of limitations, you have only three years under state law to give notice of your claim to the relevant government agency for injuries that occurred on the state or local government property.

Failing to timely file your premises liability claim or lawsuit may cost you the opportunity to recover compensation for your injuries and losses. It can even affect your ability to secure the money you need if you never actually file a lawsuit. That’s because your ability to take an insurer to court if they won’t offer you a fair settlement is your chief leverage during negotiations. Insurance companies are known for slow-walking negotiations in the hopes of running out the proverbial clock.

Therefore, we encourage you not to wait to talk to a premises liability lawyer in Pensacola, like the ones you’ll find at Cardoso Law, PLLC. Our firm has the experience and resources to file your claim accurately and on time.

What Kinds of Damages Can You Pursue in a Premises Liability Case?

A premises liability claim can provide financial recovery for expenses and losses you incur following an accident on someone else’s property. These include:

  • Costs of medical care and rehabilitation, including emergency room care and hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, or prescription pain medications
  • Costs of long-term care for disabilities you suffer due to your injuries, including home health services, medical or mobility equipment, and home renovations to install disability accommodations
  • Loss of income or future earnings, if your injuries or disabilities prevent you from returning to work after a premises liability accident
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment and quality of life, due to disabilities or visible, permanent scarring and disfigurement

Why You Should Hire a Pensacola Premises Liability Lawyer

Businesses and property insurance companies will do everything possible to avoid liability for injuries you suffered in a premises liability accident. Having a Pensacola premises liability attorney from Cardoso Law, PLLC, in your corner means having an experienced legal advocate who will fight to recover the compensation you deserve. When you turn to us for help after an accident on someone else’s property, you can expect us to:

  • Recover evidence from the accident, including accident/incident reports, surveillance camera footage, and eyewitness statements.
  • Work with accident reconstruction, engineering, or security experts to help bolster the strength of your claim.
  • Identify all liable parties and determine the extent of insurance coverage.
  • Document your injuries and losses to calculate the compensation you need.
  • File insurance and legal claims on your behalf to pursue financial recovery for you, whether through a fair and full settlement or by fighting your case out in court.
  • Not charge you any fees unless we win compensation for you in a settlement or at trial.

Contact Our Pensacola Premises Liability Accident Law Firm

Contact Our Pensacola Premises Liability Accident Law Firm

If you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property, do not wait to talk to a Pensacola premises liability lawyer about pursuing financial compensation for your injuries and other losses. At Cardoso Law, PLLC, we’ll work to hold negligent property owners or businesses accountable for the harm they caused you.

Our Pensacola premises liability accident law firm serves clients throughout the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Metro Area, the Emerald Coast, and the Florida Panhandle. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Ryan Cardoso