Slip and Falls in Atlanta can cause Serious Personal Injuries
In my practice as an Atlanta personal injury lawyer, I am getting more and more phone calls from individuals to represent them in premises liability cases. Specifically, I have had several recent calls where someone is seriously injured after falling while visiting a store or restaurant or similar business. In Georgia, individuals injured because of a fall may be compensated for those injuries if the fall was caused by the negligence of the owner or occupier of the property involved. Slippery floors and other surfaces caused by water, grease, food, as well as many other foreign substances, are often the reason someone is negligently injured in a fall. Poorly designed, manufactured or maintained curbs, steps and walkways may also cause falls.
Falls can result in very serious, even catastrophic, injuries. Some cases I have handled have involved complex fractures and other serious injuries to hips, ankles, rists, arms, elbows and shoulders, leading to surgeries and further medical complications and even death. Older individuals are especially likely to be badly injured by a fall caused by the negligent acts of others.
Georgia law requires land owners and occupiers to exercise ordinary care for the safety of others. Specifically, O.G.C.A ยง 51-3-1 provides
Where an owner of occupier of land, by express or implied invitation, induces or leads others to come upon his premises for any lawful purpose, he is liable in damages to such persons for injuries caused by his failure to exercise ordinary care in keeping the premises and approaches safe.
Land owners can breach this duty of care in many ways, including, but not limited to:
1. failing to use ordinary care to keep the premises and approaches safe;
2. failing to properly inspect and maintain the premises and approaches:
3. knowingly allowing its invited guests to utilize an unsafe area of the premises;
4. failing to post warning signs or warning markings in the area;
5. failing to properly train and supervise their employees in regard to the care of the premises; and
6. failing to retain, entrust, hire, train and supervise employees.
Each of the above acts and omissions can support an independent act of negligence on the part of the land owner which can be the proximate cause of the injuries and damages sustained in a fall.
If you are injured by a negligent land owner you may recover damages for your personal injuries, pain and suffering, lost income, diminished capacity to earn, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity to enjoy of life, as well as other damages. Almost any business or individual can be liable for negligently injuring another on their property or property they control. Apartment complexes, movie theaters, gas stations, grocery stores, hotels and motels, commercial buildings, restaurants, and retail stores are a few examples.
If you have any questions about, or would like to discuss, whether you might have a claim arising out of a fall you feel was caused by a land owner's negligence, please call our offices to speak with one of our attorneys. The injury lawyers of our firm have handled hundreds of premises liability cases and would welcome the opportunity to talk to you about your claim.
