Much of the time we spend on public or private property is uneventful, but sometimes people suffer injuries because of the property owner’s negligence.
When these situations occur, victims may be able to file premises liability claims to seek compensation for their medical costs and other damages. These are complicated cases that are tough to prove, which is why you should seek help from a Lafayette premises liability lawyer with experience in these cases.
Lafayette Personal Injury Lawyers at Galloway Jefcoat have a proven track record representing the injured in Lafayette and throughout the state. We know how to build robust cases against property owners who failed to uphold their duty to those on the premises.
There are no upfront costs to pay, which means there are no financial risks with our services. The initial legal consultation is entirely free of charge.
Unsure if you have a premises liability case? Call today:
337-984-8020.
Can I File a Louisiana Premises Liability Claim?
If you suffered an injury on someone else’s property and you think it could have been prevented by the owner, someone the owner employed, or a public entity, there may be a case. However, talking to an experienced lawyer will give you a much better idea of the merits of your claim.
Galloway Jefcoat helps injury victims every day and we are here to answer your questions after a premises liability injury.
Types of Premises Liability Cases
Our Lafayette premises liability lawyers are prepared to take on many types of premises liability cases, including those involving injuries at:
- Bars/restaurants
- Hotels
- Retail stores
- Public parking lots
- Amusement parks
- Swimming pools
- Gyms/fitness centers
- Sporting events
- Concert venues
- Properties that are currently under construction or being repaired
- Private homes
- Government property
A wide variety of accidents can occur on another’s property, from slip-and-fall accidents to violence in parking lots because of poor lighting or negligent security.
For example, you could slip and fall at a bar or restaurant or in a parking lot. People could suffer electrocution or burn injuries because of an unsafe condition on a property, such as exposed wiring or other fire hazards. You could slip and fall at a swimming pool because the walkway around the pool is dangerous or uneven.
You could get hit by a car because of the way a parking lot was designed. Pedestrians and drivers may have had a hard time seeing each other because of poor lighting or a blind corner. Shoppers in a retail store could suffer serious injuries because of a ceiling collapse.
Liability For an Injury on Another’s Property
One of the most significant challenges with a premises liability case is proving the property owner breached a duty of care and this breach led directly to your injury. Property owners and their insurance companies like to argue the injury is the victim’s fault. If the victim had simply been more careful, he or she would not have suffered an injury.
The duty of care in a premises liability case is dependent on many factors, including whether the victim was classified as an invitee, licensee or trespasser at the time of the injury:
- Invitee – These are people who were invited onto a property for business, such as shopping at a grocery store or eating at a restaurant. Under Louisiana Revised Statute 9:2800.6 A., merchants have a legal obligation to use reasonable care to keep aisles, passageways and floors in reasonably safe condition. Merchants have a duty to remove hazardous obstacles that might cause an injury. In a claim against a merchant over a slip and fall or other accident, you must show the hazard carried an unreasonable risk of harm. You must also show the risk was reasonably foreseeable by the merchant and that he or she knew or should have known about the hazardous condition. Merchants often have a legal duty to regularly inspect their property to find dangerous conditions.
- Licensee – A common example of a licensee is someone you invite into your home. These individuals are there for non-business reasons. Property owners are required to tell licensees about unreasonable dangers they may be unlikely to discover on their own.
- Trespassers – These are people who do not have the right to be on the property. Typically, property owners have no duty of care to trespassers, other than to not intentionally cause trespassers to suffer an injury. That said, the law treats child trespassers differently. Property owners often have a legal obligation to take reasonable actions when children are involved, such as preventing access to areas like swimming pools, fountains, rooftops and large machines. Under the law, these things can be considered attractive nuisances. If a child drowns in a neighbor’s swimming pool and there was no fence around it, the property owner could be held liable for damages.
"I have used Galloway Jefcoat a few times and have always been very satisfied. Furthermore, all of the people who work there are very professional, nice, and courteous."
Compensation For a Premises Liability Injury
Premises liability claims often involve serious injuries, including:
- Severe fractures
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries that cause paralysis
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries caused by physical violence
- Internal injuries
- Amputations
- Soft-tissue injuries to knees and other joints
- Neck injuries
- And much more
At Galloway Jefcoat, we know how devastating an injury can be. We have dedicated our practice to helping the injured. Each attorney at our firm knows how vital it is to recover full compensation for ongoing medical costs. We want you to have the compensation to pay for the care you need to help improve your quality of life.
While medical costs often make up a significant portion of compensation from a premises liability claim, there are many other forms of compensation that may be available, including:
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Lost companionship
- Lost enjoyment of life
- And more
If you were seriously injured and in need of compensation for medical care and other damages, call Galloway Jefcoat to discuss your situation.
We are here to help you during this difficult time:
337-984-8020.
"Galloway Jefcoat are amazing professionals who are very client focused. They will guide you thru all the details to help get your litigation solved. I was involved in a crash that ultimate required a knee replacement"
Advantages of Hiring a Lafayette Premises Liability Lawyer
Proving liability in a premises liability case is a complex task. There are many things you need to prove, including:
- The property owner knew there was a dangerous condition
- The condition was unreasonably dangerous and not something the victim could have avoided
- There were reasonable steps the property owner could have taken to address the hazard
- And more
Another aspect of these cases is establishing the value of the victim’s damages. Your lawyer needs to determine the value of ongoing medical care you may need, along with the value of pain and suffering caused by your injuries.
For decades, Galloway Jefcoat’s experienced attorneys have been investigating personal injury claims, evaluating damages, and building strong cases on behalf of our clients. We work with doctors and other experts to link your injuries to the accident and help to determine how much compensation you may need.
Property owners and their insurers will be looking for any way to deny your claim and avoid accountability for what happened. They will also try to underpay your claim by trying to exclude some of your damages or offering far less compensation than you need. You need someone fighting for your interests who has the resources and experience these types of cases require.
Our experienced lawyers are prepared to help you with your premises liability claim, and there are no upfront costs with our services.
"As a client of Galloway Jefcoat for over two years I want to take a minute to say how much I appreciate the team handling my case."
What Is the Deadline For a Lafayette Premises Liability Claim?
There is limited time to file a premises liability claim in Louisiana – just one year from the date of the injury. That is why victims should quickly call a lawyer to determine if they may have a case. If the one-year deadline passes, you lose the right to file a lawsuit over your injury.
Many victims are unsure if they have a case or if they should wait to call a lawyer. However, these are not good reasons to wait. It takes time to build a case and if you wait too long, a lawyer may be unable to help you.
The bottom line is if you were injured unexpectedly, the property owner may be liable. You may need significant compensation and it is going to be extremely difficult to recover what you need without help from a lawyer.
"Great experience, from day 1 I felt like I finally had someone on my side and that feeling didn't leave me for 1 single moment."
Steps To Take After an Injury on Another’s Property
While it is vital to call a lawyer soon after suffering a premises liability injury, your first concern is getting medical treatment. The most important thing after any injury is to get medical care to prevent further injury.
While you are at the scene, it can be helpful to try to gather evidence. Pictures of where the incident happened, especially the hazardous condition that caused your injury, can be very useful. Completing an accident report is also important. However, sometimes taking steps like these is not possible, and that is fine because your primary concern is getting treatment for your injuries.
When you meet with the doctor, make sure to explain all the symptoms you are experiencing and discuss how the injury occurred.
After your injuries have been stabilized, you may want to take a few minutes to write down what you remember about the accident before you forget.
You should call a Lafayette premises liability lawyer as soon as possible to see if you may have a case. If you do, and you hire our firm, our lawyers can manage everything from that step forward. We are also available to answer your questions.
Call Our Experienced Attorneys For Answers to Your Legal Questions
There are many details involved in a premises liability case, from the property owner’s duty of care and your legal status on the premises to the severity of your injuries. At Galloway Jefcoat, we only represent the injured. We have an in-depth understanding of how to build strong cases against negligent parties and determine the full value of damages.
Our firm does not charge upfront fees, which means there is no fee for taking your case and no fee while working on your case. Our attorneys do not get paid unless you are compensated through the legal process.
Our office is located at 1925 Dulles Drive, just 10 minutes from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus.
Galloway Jefcoat. Local Lawyers. Proven Results. Call:
337-984-8020.
"Galloway Jefcoat helped me at a time when I felt lost and taken advantage of by my employer."
