In our last blog – Understanding Georgia Premises Liability Law – we discussed what Georgia law says about premises liability, the difference between an invitee and a trespasser, and how Duty of Reasonable Care impacts your premises liability lawsuit. Allow us to highlight six incidents that often result in a premises liability case:
1. Animal Bites
Vicious dog bites can cause serious injury, scars, emotional and mental trauma, and pain and suffering. As long as you do not provoke the dog or trespass on the property, you can likely sue if a dog bites you. It’s important to know that a “Beware of Dog” sign does not protect the dog owner from a potential lawsuit, especially if his negligence contributed to the dog bite.
2. Elevator & Escalator Accident
Elevator and escalator accidents can cause limbs to be trapped, broken, or even death. Proper maintenance must occur to keep all of the parts running smoothly.
3. Ineffective Fire Safety
It can take seconds for a fire to spread rapidly through a building. To keep patrons safe, property owners must implement proactive fire safety measures, such as:
- Enforce building codes
- Ensure sprinklers, fire alarms, and smoke detectors work
- Have clear signage toward fire exits
- Not going over the building’s maximum capacity
If you sustain a burn injury because of negligent fire safety, you can likely sue for inadequate fire safety.
4. Negligent or Inadequate Security
Just the presence of security personnel can deter a burglar or kidnapper from the premises. If there were negligent or inadequate security and you sustained an injury, you may be able to pursue a premises liability lawsuit. Most often, the injury sustained by the victim in a negligent security lawsuit includes assault, rape, kidnapping, or death.
5. Swimming Pool Accidents
Owning or operating a swimming pool requires serious responsibility and lengthy safety precautions, for good reason! Drowning, near drowning, or submersion injuries are serious threats to children and adults alike. If a property owner does not have adequate safety precautions such as lifeguards on duty or a secure fence around the pool, you may be sued for premises liability if an injury is sustained or death occurs.
6. Slip/Trip & Fall
Most commonly known as slip and fall accidents, these accidents can also occur due to tripping. These accidents can produce serious injuries due to the possibility of head or back trauma. A property owner has a responsibility to keep walkways free of debris, tripping hazards, wet spots, and other unsafe items.