When you slip and fall in the grocery store or twist your ankle because of the negligence of an establishment, you need the help of trained Florida premises liability attorneys to defend your rights. The St. Petersburg premises liability attorneys of Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner are well-versed in these cases, and we provide personal care throughout the legal process to ensure a positive result in your case. With nearly 60 years of combined legal experience, our dynamic trial lawyers have the know-how to get regular people results, in and out of the courtroom.
Premises liability cases can be difficult to prosecute. Property owners are keen to avoid any claims of responsibility and often attempt to hide evidence that may incriminate them. However, owners have a legal obligation to maintain safe properties.
As your personal injury lawyer, we take the following issues into account when analyzing your case:
Our attorneys craft a well-rounded argument to prove negligence on the part of the premises owner. We address your claim from every possible perspective, making sure we have an airtight case to take to court.
To secure compensation in a St. Petersburg premises liability lawsuit, you will need to prove that the property owner is liable for your accident and resulting injuries. This will involve providing enough evidence to establish the at-fault party’s negligence, or a failure to uphold a certain duty of care. You and your attorney will need to prove the following four elements in order to establish the property owner’s liability.
For example, say that you are visiting a friend at his apartment complex. You are unaware that the stairs leading up to your friend’s apartment are broken and residents have complained to the landlord about the hazard for months. You fall through these stairs and break your leg.
In this situation, the landlord breached his duty of care by failing to repair the stairs when residents complained about the hazard. He also breached his duty by not placing adequate signage to warn visitors about the broken stairs. If the landlord had upheld his duty, you would not have sustained your injuries. Therefore, you are eligible to hold the landlord liable for the losses you sustained in the accident.
Many slip and fall accidents, as well as other premises liability claims, are summarily denied by the property owner until a lawsuit is filed to hold them accountable. The St. Petersburg premises liability attorneys of Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner know that you deserve more, and therefore we work to secure compensation such as:
Although you may be able to establish the property owner’s liability, he or she may defend himself or herself using a number of common strategies. In many premises liability cases, property owners claim that they were unaware of the hazard or did not have enough time to respond to it. They may also claim that they took the necessary steps to warn visitors. A property owner may also claim that you are partially responsible for the accident in some way.
In these situations, it is important to have an attorney on your side. A St. Petersburg premises liability lawyer from Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner can defend you against accusations of shared fault and craft a compelling case to establish the property owner’s liability.
When you suffer an injury on someone else’s property and believe it to be the result of the owner’s negligence, it is extremely important that you contact the St. Petersburg premises liability lawyers at Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner. To learn more about premises liability cases, contact our office to schedule a free consultation. We are accessible to you at all times through our off-hours phone service, and we can come to you if you are unable to come to our office for your consultation.
