You may not anticipate being injured when you’re out shopping, dining, or visiting some of St. Petersburg’s enjoyable attractions, but accidents can happen when you least expect them. These incidents are usually linked to dangerous conditions on property, which owners are responsible for addressing. When they fail in their legal obligations, you may have rights as an injured victim, including options to recover compensation for the considerable losses you suffer.
Your legal remedies are based upon the concept of premises liability under Florida law, but they’re commonly referred to as slip and fall accidents. Our team at Palmer | Lopez has extensive experience in these cases, so we’re prepared to pursue all responsible parties to obtain monetary damages on your behalf. Please contact us to set up a free consultation, where you’ll learn how a lawyer can assist with your claim. You can also read on for some basics about premises liability cases.
Legal duty of Florida property owners
The obligation to maintain a safe premises comes from two separate legal concepts:
- Property owners owe guests a duty to protect against reasonably foreseeable dangers, including those they actually know about and those they should know about through exercise of due caution. Examples include the failure to clear up debris, inadequate security, and neglect in making necessary repairs.
- Owners and those in control over the premises are legally bound to comply with building codes and laws at the federal, state, and local level. They may be cited by government officials for noncompliance, but they can also be accountable to injured victims.
Whether the accident was caused by a breach of common law duty or a legal violation, you could be able to recover compensation for your injuries through a premises liability claim.
Limitations on liability
There are some factors that could affect your rights in a slip and fall case, one of which is the statute of limitations. In Florida, you have four years from the date of the accident to initiate litigation in court. If you allow the time period to expire, you’re forever barred from recovering monetary damages. Another is Florida’s statute on comparative fault, in which your own negligent acts could result in a reduction in compensation.
Our lawyers at Palmer | Lopez will handle the details to ensure we file your lawsuit on time. Plus, we’ll develop a strategy to minimize the impact of comparative fault whenever possible.
Set up a free consultation with a St. Petersburg slip & fall lawyer
This overview of premises liability concepts may be informative, but it should also convince you of the importance of retaining skilled legal counsel to assist with your case. Our lawyers at Palmer | Lopez will shoulder the burdens involving with the legal process, enabling you to focus on recovering from your slip and fall injuries. Please contact our office in St. Petersburg office today at (813) 506-5651 or check out our website to schedule your complimentary consultation.
