Retail establishments, restaurants, and private landowners are legally obligated to protect the safety of visitors and business invitees. This includes remedying dangerous property conditions and notifying visitors of any hazards which cannot be remedied in a timely manner.

An Atlantic County premises liability lawyer may assist you when a property owner neglects these obligations and causes you harm as a result. Assistance from a qualified personal injury attorney may help you obtain a judgment or settlement to address the financial and non-economic costs of your damages.

Legal Obligations of Property Owners in Atlantic County

The specific duties that a property owner owes to others depend on the status or classification of the person who visits the property. A person who visits a shop or store because the owner is offering something for sale is a “business invitee.”

Store and shop owners who welcome business invitees onto their properties must look for and fix dangerous conditions like wet floors and products stacked dangerously on shelves. Additionally, property owners must warn business invitees of any hazards on the property that cannot be remedied in a timely fashion.

Licensees are people who have authorization to enter a property to perform a specialized task. Examples of licensees include maintenance workers, electricians, independent contractors, etc. A property owner who fails to fix a dangerous condition could be held liable for a licensee’s subsequent injuries.

The third category of visitor is trespassers. These individuals do not have any legal authority or invitation to be on another person’s property. To fulfill their legal obligations, property owners must refrain from intentionally or recklessly causing harm to trespassers. Otherwise, an injured trespasser cannot sue a landowner for a property hazard.

Compensation Available for Injured Visitors

If evidence suggests that a property owner violated the legal obligations he or she owed to a visitor, the injured party may file a lawsuit. Such lawsuits typically allege that the property owner’s failure to fulfill his or her legal duties caused injuries to the claimant.

When claimants succeed in these suits, they may receive compensation for losses such as:

  • Medical expenses for testing, hospital stays, prescription medication, and follow-up appointments
  • Wages the plaintiff could not earn during the recovery process
  • Physical pain
  • Emotional distress
  • Mental trauma

Injured plaintiffs may not only receive compensation for expenses they already suffered, but they may also be entitled to receive damages for future harm they might experience as a result of the property accident. These damages are generally available if the plaintiff and his or her legal counsel can show that he or she will suffer additional losses in the future because of the injuries he or she has already experienced. For example, future lost wages may be awarded in cases where a claimant suffers a diminished earning capacity.

Seek Help from an Atlantic County Premises Liability Attorney

An Atlantic County premises liability lawyer could assist you in filing an injury suit against a negligent property owner. Your suit may be successful, and you might receive compensation to help you recover the costs you have already experienced or might experience in the future. If you believe a property owner did not fulfill their legal obligations to keep their premises safe or advise you of dangers, speak to a qualified attorney today about your options.

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