St. Tammany Parish Premises Liability Lawyer
When you leave your home to run errands or go shopping, you likely do not expect to end your day with a personal injury. Unfortunately, this scenario occurs all too often to Louisiana residents, potentially leaving them with significant physical pain as well as financial difficulties.
If you were hurt on someone else’s property, you may be owed compensation for your injuries and losses. However, recovering civil compensation without assistance from a personal injury attorney can be very tricky for someone without an extensive legal background. A St. Tammany Parish premises liability lawyer could help you understand the specific state laws that apply to your case and fight by your side for appropriate restitution.
Holding Landowners in St. Tammany Parish Liable for Harm
According to Louisiana Revised Statutes §9:2800.6, anyone who operates a retail store open to the public must use “reasonable care” to keep visitors safe from harm. This includes fixing dangerous hazards in a timely fashion, warning visitors about hazards that have not been handled, and maintaining reasonable awareness of the property to ensure hazards do not go unnoticed. In order to successfully file suit against a merchant for an injury sustained on their property, Louisiana state law requires that a plaintiff prove:
- The hazard in question was unreasonably dangerous and would seem that way to any reasonable person
- The merchant either knew about the hazard or had constructive notice of it, meaning they reasonably should have known about it if they took good care of their property
- The merchant did nothing to remedy the hazard or warn the plaintiff about it before they were injured
In Louisiana, the owner of a building that is damaged in some way may be held liable for that damage if they were aware of the damage but failed to use reasonable care to prevent it from harming a visitor. Depending on the circumstances, a St. Tammany Parish premises liability attorney may approach a case in different ways to best use these statutes.
When to File a Premises Liability Case
When seeking compensation for an injury that occurs on someone else’s property in St. Tammany Parish, it is usually best to talk to a premises liability lawyer early in the case. Evidence such as photographs of the accident scene, security footage, and eyewitness testimony may be lost or become harder to track down over time, and medical bills may pile up if action is not taken quickly.
Louisiana state law actually requires civil plaintiffs to file their cases relatively quickly. All civil claims must be filed within one year of the date the injury in occurred, or the case may be time-barred, and the plaintiff might be unable to recover any compensation at all.
Discuss Legal Options with a St. Tammany Parish Premises Liability Attorney
Different types of accidents have different rules and regulations for how an injured victim could seek civil compensation, and those which occur on another person’s property are no exception. Without professional legal representation, you may find yourself hard-pressed to recover restitution for all your injuries and losses, or even any at all.
If you think you may have grounds for a case, your first step should be to talk to a St. Tammany Parish premises liability lawyer. Call today to schedule a consultation.