When visiting a restaurant, shopping at a mall, or otherwise going about your day-to-day life, you do not expect to encounter a danger that would leave you injured. However, property owners sometimes fail to let visitors know about hazards that might cause them harm, and as a result, serious injuries may be sustained. The Miami premises liabilitys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon are dedicated to making sure that irresponsible property owners, or parties occupying the premises, are held accountable for inadequate warnings. Our firm offers experienced and personalized legal representation to residents of Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and other cities in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward Counties. We assist clients throughout the duration of their claims, from the initial investigation into the circumstances leading to their injuries until the conclusion of any litigation necessary. If you have been injured due to a property owner’s carelessness, contact our office today to set up a free consultation to discuss your case.
Holding a Property Owner Accountable for Inadequate WarningsProperty owners are responsible for making sure that the environment that they provide is safe for visitors. This includes ensuring that stairwells or parking lots are well-lit, elevators or escalators are working properly, and floors are free of spills. Visitors are responsible for avoiding any obvious dangers, but that does not allow an owner or occupier to fail to adhere to their duties as well. Both businesses and social hosts owe visitors a duty to warn them of known hazards contained on their properties.
For owners operating a business, regular inspections must be conducted to identify and rectify any dangerous conditions. If fixing a hazard would take time, or the actual remedy involves temporarily unsafe conditions, proper warning signs or restrictions to the area need to be in place. Licensees, or people visiting a property for a social purpose such as a dinner party, are also owed a certain level of care. Homeowners entertaining guests are required to maintain their properties in a reasonably safe manner, as well as repairing dangerous conditions when they become known. The duty to provide noticeable and informative warnings to licensees applies as well.
Pursuant to the “attractive nuisance doctrine,” property owners also owe a specific duty to children to shield them from conditions that are prone to appeal to them but that also pose significant dangers. These conditions include swimming pools, broken objects, or trampolines. Under Florida’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, pools must have at least one safety feature, which usually involves erecting a fence around the pool’s perimeter to make sure that visitors or children are aware of its existence.
When property owners fail to provide adequate warnings, serious accidents and injuries may occur. A victim may sustain significant injuries, some of which may be permanent, such as hip fractures, back injuries, broken bones, or head injuries due to a fall or another kind of accident resulting from a property owner’s negligence. Victims who suffer these types of injuries due to inadequate warnings regarding hazards may recover compensation for past and future medical costs, loss of income, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering. Consulting a knowledgeable slip and fall attorney who can examine the scene of an accident, help identify the parties responsible, and gather the necessary evidence to show what caused your injuries is important to ensuring that your rights are preserved.
Discuss Your Situation Following a Slip and Fall with a Miami AttorneyIf you have fallen after being caught off guard by an uneven surface, a slippery floor, or another dangerous condition, the Miami lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can help you pursue proper legal action to help you with the expenses of your recovery. Call us today at 877.499.4878 or contact us online to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation with an injury attorney regarding your legal options.