Florida property owners have a duty of care to maintain reasonably safe premises and to warn visitors if conditions present any sort of risk. If you or a loved one has been injured on residential or public property due to the negligence of a property owner or manager, you may be able to seek compensation in a premises liability lawsuit.

The attorneys at Jontiff & Jontiff have extensive experience advocating for injured parties in premises liability and other types of personal injury cases. We work to maximize the amount that our injured clients recover for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Understanding Premises Liability Laws

Owners of commercial or residential property must take reasonable measures to keep their property safe. Common examples of cases where an injured party may have a valid premises liability lawsuit include:

• Slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents

• Dog bites or other animal attacks

• Swimming pool accidents

• Amusement park accidents

• Unsafe conditions due to insufficient security or lighting

• Defective conditions due to insufficiently maintained structures, parking lots or any other property

Slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents are among the most common premises liability cases. In order to succeed in these cases, it must be shown that the owner was aware of the dangerous condition on their property (or should have been aware of it), took no action to warn visitors of the danger, and also took no action to repair or alleviate the danger.

Different Categories Of Visitors

In Florida, as in many other states, visitors are divided into different categories and a varying degree of safety is owed to each of these categories.

he highest degree of protection is due to invitees, who are people who enter land with permission of the owner, and do so either to confer an economic benefit on the possessor, or are entering premises that are open to the general public. If there is a concealed dangerous condition on the land the invitee is not aware of that the landowner either knows about in advance, or should have discovered through a reasonable inspection, the land owner owes a duty to the invitee.

The next-highest degree of protection is due to licensees. This group includes anyone who is on a person’s property with that person’s permission, but without a purpose of conveying economic benefit on the owner of the land. Typically, a licensee is a social guest. If an owner of land knows in advance of a concealed dangerous condition on his land that a licensee is not aware of, he owes a duty to the licensee in this situation.

The final category, which has the most limited degree of duty to protect, is trespassers. A trespasser is someone who knowingly enters another person’s property without permission. A trespasser is still owed a certain degree of protection against reckless or intentional harm. Examples may include someone who is passing out an advertising flyer or a child who wanders on to a property.

Act Quickly If You Have Been Injured On Someone Else’s Property

Premises liability cases are complex and require extensive evidence to be successful. It is important to consult with our knowledgeable lawyers as soon as possible after an injury in order to allow the collection of evidence.

We welcome the opportunity to review the facts of your case, answer your questions and recommend a course of action during a free consultation. There are no upfront costs, and we only collect an attorney fee if we help you obtain a recovery. Call 305-674-1099 or reach us through our online contact form.