Premises Liability Lawyer in Athens, Alabama

Were you injured in an accident on someone else’s property in Athens, Alabama? You might have a claim to financial recovery for your injuries and related losses if the property’s owner, occupant, or manager was at fault.

You need experienced legal representation to give you the best chance at recovering maximum compensation for the harm you have suffered. Turn to a premises liability lawyer in Athens, AL, with Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., for legal advocacy that can make a difference in your case.

Since 1966, our attorneys have fought for accident victims in Athens, across North Alabama, and throughout the state. We have won compensation in some of the toughest injury cases in state and federal courts in North Alabama, including many verdicts over $1 million. Our record of success has earned us a listing in the Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers and an AV Preeminent® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell – the highest possible ranking for law firms.

You should not have to suffer the financial consequences of a property owner’s carelessness. Reach out to Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., for a free initial claim evaluation and find out how our premises liability law firm can help you demand the money and justice you need.

Can You Sue a Property Owner for Negligence in Athens, Alabama?

Yes, you can sue a property owner after being injured on their premises. To be successful, you must show that the owner’s negligence caused your injury. A property owner may be found negligent if they breached a legal duty owed to you. The specific duty a property owner owes you depends on your status as a visitor on their premises.

Alabama’s premises liability law recognizes three categories of visitors:

• Invitees – An invitee is expressly or implicitly invited onto someone else’s property for the property owner’s benefit or the mutual benefits of the owner and visitor. Customers of a business are invitees, for example. Invitees are entitled to the highest duty of care under the law. Property owners owe invitees a duty to conduct reasonable inspections of their premises to discover hazardous conditions. Owners must either correct hazardous conditions or warn invitees of their presence. A property owner can be held liable for failing to discover a hazard they reasonably should have or for failing to correct a hazard that injures an invitee.
• Licensees – A licensee lawfully enters another party’s property for their benefit rather than the benefit of the property owner, or enters the property under lawful authority. Common examples of licensees include social guests, utility workers, and people visiting public or recreational land. Property owners owe a licensee a lower duty of care than invitees. Owners only must warn licensees of hazards the owner actually knows of. However, Alabama Code §35-15-23 expressly limits the liability of a property owner who opens their property for non-commercial, public recreational use.
• Trespassers – A trespasser enters another party’s property without lawful authority or the property owner’s permission. Property owners owe a duty merely to refrain from intentionally injuring trespassers, such as by setting traps, or to provide warnings of known hazards if the property owner knows that trespassers frequently enter the property. However, this rule does not apply to children who trespass. If a property owner knows that children are likely to trespass on their property, the owner must undertake reasonable efforts to secure the property from unauthorized entry and keep the premises safe.

Common Types of Premises Liability Cases

At Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., we can help clients pursue premises liability cases stemming from:

What Damages Can I Claim in a Premises Liability Case?

A premises liability claim can provide you with financial recovery for expenses and losses you incur due to your injuries, including for:

• Medical and rehabilitation expenses such as ambulance transportation, emergency room care, hospitalization, surgeries, prescription or over-the-counter medications, doctor’s appointments, and physical and occupational therapy
• Long-term care expenses, including home health services, housekeeping services, mobility equipment, and medical equipment
• Loss of income if you cannot work during your recovery from your injuries
• Loss of future earning ability and employment benefits if you become permanently disabled from returning to your job or other kinds of work
• Pain and suffering
• Lost quality of life because of disabilities, permanent scarring, and disfigurement

Common Injuries Sustained on a Negligent Owner’s Property

Some of the most common injuries visitors suffer on other people’s property include:

Why You Need Our Attorneys After a Premises Liability Accident

Turn to the premises liability attorneys of Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., to handle your claim. We can help you by:

• Investigating the facts and circumstances leading to your injury and obtaining evidence needed for your case
• Identifying parties who may be held liable to compensate you, such as the property owner, a residential or commercial tenant, the property management company, or contracted maintenance companies
• Calculating your expenses and losses from your injuries so that we pursue full financial recovery from the at-fault parties
• Retaining accident reconstruction and medical experts, if necessary, to provide persuasive opinion testimony in support of your claim
• Filing insurance and legal claims on your behalf
• Aggressively negotiating for a fair and full settlement
• Taking your case to trial to demand the results you deserve in your case, if necessary

Contact Our Athens Premises Liability Lawyers Today

Contact Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., today for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our Athens premises liability lawyers. We can review your case, determine who could be liable, and fight for the full compensation to which you’re entitled.