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Property owners – especially commercial property owners and operators – owe you a duty of care. When they fail to do this, you can suffer really serious injuries.
An Atlanta premises liability lawyer can help you seek compensation for the losses and costs associated with your injuries.
Businesses have a responsibility to their customers and the public at large to maintain a safe and secure environment. The Dixon Firm holds negligent and disreputable business owners and operators throughout Georgia to account for failing to keep their properties safe. We also help people who were injured on government properties, like schools or agency buildings, as well as by the actions of negligent homeowners. No matter where you are when you get hurt, we stand ready to help.
What Does Premises Liability Mean?
Premises liability is the legal responsibility that an owner/operator has to keep their property, or premises, safe for visitors and customers. If they fail in this duty, they can be held financially responsible, or liable, for the costs associated with the injury.
Premises Liability Cases Our Attorneys in Atlanta Can Take
Our Atlanta injury attorneys often represent folks in premises liability claims because it’s the right thing to do. We live and work in the greater Atlanta Metro area, and we want our community to be safe for everyone. So when we take these cases, we do so with the intention of not only helping our client, but also helping our city and its people. You can trust us to help you with cases involving:
The Dixon Firm only represents injury victims, never negligent property owners, because we believe these are important lessons to learn. We want our local business owners and operators to do better by the public, and that’s why we fight to hold them accountable when they fail us. Our Atlanta-based premises liability attorneys are ready and able to help you in claims and lawsuits filed against:
- Grocery stores
- “Big box” retailers
- Gas stations
- Hotels and motels
- Amusements parks, carnivals, and fairs
- Daycares
- Schools
- Professionals buildings
- Apartment complexes
Life is hard enough when you are hurt. You deserve a team that will help you find a new way forward. The Dixon Firm is that team.
Do I Really Need an Atlanta Premises Liability Lawyer?
If you were injured on someone else’s property, you should speak with an attorney. Premises liability is a very complicated area of law, so we want to explain why you might need an attorney based on your exact circumstances.
The Rules Change Based on What Kind of Entrant You Are
Under Georgia law, two categories of people are protected: invitees (also known as visitors) and licensees.
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Invitees
Invitees are folks who are invited, generally by the property owner, to visit because it is beneficial to that property owner. So if you’re in a restaurant or visiting the Fernbank, or staying at a Hilton or a Marriott near the airport for vacation, you are an invitee. Under Georgia law, you are owed the highest duty of care. This means the property must be reasonably safe, and any potential dangers must either be fixed OR must have some kind of warning. “Wet floor” signs are a good example of how to properly warn the public of a danger.
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Licensees
Licensees are folks who are on a premises but don’t directly benefit the owner. If you’re at a house party or somewhere for your own benefit, you’re considered a licensee. Licensees must also be treated with care, but the standard for the owner is much lower. Homeowners don’t have to inspect their backyard for gopher holes before you come over, but they generally need to lock up a dog that bites before filling their home with guests.
There is a third group of people with very few protections, and they are trespassers. Trespassers are there without permission or invitation, and therefore have no legal right to be on the property. As such, they are not granted any protections under Georgia law, with one very specific exception: children.
- The attractive nuisance doctrine has been established by Georgia’s courts, not its laws. It basically says that if you have a manmade structure on your property that would be attractive to young children, and that structure poses a reasonable risk of injury or death, then you have to take some steps (within reason) to make it safer. So, if you have a pool, or trampoline, or even a pile of building materials and small machines because you’re doing some renovations, you need to put up a fence or lock them up somehow.
This differentiation is, in our opinion, the first reason you want to speak with a premises liability lawyer in Atlanta. You may think you’re protected at one level when you’re not, or assume you share some blame for the accident when you don’t. We can review what happened when you tell us your story during an initial consultation.
Your Case May Hinge on What “Reasonable” People Would Do
You can argue that certain standards of care apply to all businesses: a wet floor is a wet floor, no matter where it is, and Georgia law says so. But much of the basis of premises liability law is rooted in something called “foreseeability,” as well as how a “reasonable” person is defined.
Imagine, for example, you are at your local Publix. You notice a little water on the floor by vegetables, but there’s no warning sign. A woman comes by with her cart. She is looking at her grocery list, not the floor, and then she slips on the wet floor, twisting her ankle.
It seems straightforward, right? The floor was wet, there was no sign, and the woman was hurt. Clearly, the Publix is at fault.
Except maybe they’re not fully at fault. If the floor was wet because a patron dropped a water bottle and no one informed any of the workers, and those workers were busy in another aisle, how could they have foreseen that? Further, if the woman had been looking at the floor instead of her list, couldn’t she have avoided slipping? In fact, why didn’t anyone else there warn her before she walked where the water was? Wouldn’t a reasonable person know not to walk distractedly through a store?
These are the types of defenses the insurance companies will put forth, and they’ll attempt to make you feel like you were in the wrong for not throwing a towel over that wet floor, or busting out the mop yourself. So this is another reason why you should consider hiring an Atlanta premises liability attorney.
There May Be More Than One Liable Party
Folks who accept settlement offers from insurance companies without first speaking with an attorney run a real risk of leaving money on the table. That’s because the owner/operator may not be the only negligent party, and therefore you may be able to make a claim against other people.
Specifically, we are talking about negligent security guards. The “good guy with a gun beats the bad guy with a gun” has been thoroughly debunked by now. Sometimes, the very folks who are supposed to protect you don’t rise to the occasion. If this security guard is an employee, you may not be able to sue him or her specifically – but if the security guard is contracted by another company, then you may be able to hold both the property owner and that company liable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dangerous Property Claims in Georgia
Our Atlanta premises liability lawyers hear a few questions over and over again from new clients, so we want to address them here. It’s important to us that you get the facts so you can make good decisions for yourself.
How Long Do I Have to File a Premises Liability Claim in Georgia?
With some exceptions, you have two years to file a premises liability claim in Georgia.
How Long Will an Atlanta Premises Liability Lawsuit Take?
It depends on the circumstances of your case, the severity of your injuries, and the number of liable parties. In a perfect scenario, we may be able to wrap up your case in a few months. In more complicated cases, it could take a year or even more.
Do I Have to Take My Premises Liability Case to Trial?
No – we never force our clients to go to trial. But if the insurance company won’t play ball, or if we think they’re being unjust or unfair during settlement negotiations, we’ll tell you and you can decide if you want to pursue litigation.
How Fast Will I Get Paid?
Most injury clients receive their checks a couple weeks after the settlement award is finalized or the verdict is rendered. It may take a bit longer if you have a lot of outstanding bills that need to be paid first from that award.
How Much Does an Atlanta Premises Liability Lawyer Cost?
We cost nothing out-of-pocket. The Dixon Firm’s attorneys work on contingency, which means we front the costs of everything until we win or obtain a just settlement. Then, we take our fees and costs from your total award. If we lose your case, you pay nothing. And the initial consultation with us is entirely free.
Do You Have a Premises Liability Lawyer Near Me?
The Dixon Firm is located at 4751 Best Road, Suite 360, in Atlanta. There’s a bus stop on the corner and a Marriott on the other side of our parking lot. We’re close to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, only minutes off I-85.
Our Atlanta Premises Liability Attorneys Hold Businesses Accountable
The Dixon Firm wants our city and our community to be safe. It’s why our Atlanta premises liability attorneys work hard to hold businesses accountable when they fail to protect you. Don’t suffer alone; let our family help yours. Call or contact us today to get started.
