Were you injured after stepping foot on someone else’s property and running into a hazard? People who own property have a legal duty to maintain their premises and keep them in safe conditions for visitors.
When they fail to do so, serious accidents and major injuries can arise from their lack of care. At Foster Wallace, we understand that premises liability cases can leave victims feeling confused, upset, and overwhelmed, but we want you to know you’re not alone.
We have over 45 years of combined experience representing our clients as their dedicated personal injury attorneys. In that time, we’ve recovered over $1 billion in compensation. We’re ready and willing to advocate for you as your Shawnee premises liability lawyer.
Missouri state laws divide visitors into three primary classifications, each with different levels of protection under premises liability laws:
Invitees are those who enter a property for a business-related purpose, such as customers of a store, diners in a restaurant, or guests at a hotel. Property owners owe a duty of care to invitees. Here’s what that means:
If a business fails to maintain safe conditions, it can be held liable for injuries caused by slippery floors, broken stairs, falling merchandise, or inadequate lighting.
Licensees are people who enter a property with the owner’s permission, though they do so for non-business-related purposes. This includes but is not limited to social guests, delivery drivers, and maintenance workers.
Property owners must warn licensees of known dangers, but they are not required to inspect the premises for unknown hazards. For example, if a homeowner is aware of a loose railing on a staircase, they must let visitors know about it.
A trespasser is someone who enters a property without permission. Missouri law generally does not require property owners to protect trespassers from harm. At the same time, property owners cannot intentionally create hazards to cause injuries to trespassers.
There is an exception for child trespassers, according to the attractive nuisance doctrine. If a property has a dangerous feature that may attract children—such as an unfenced swimming pool or abandoned machinery—the owner must take reasonable steps to prevent access.
If you’re not sure if you suit any of these legal definitions, your premises liability lawyer in Shawnee can help you understand what applies to you.
Shawnee premises liability claims stem from a wide range of hazardous conditions that property owners fail to address. These are examples of circumstances that commonly result in premises liability incidents:
In commercial properties, common claims involve slip and fall incidents and falling objects. In residential settings, premises liability cases are often the result of unsafe living conditions and swimming pool accidents.
Missouri law imposes a five-year statute of limitations for premises liability claims. This means that an injured party in Shawnee has 60 months from the date of the accident to file a premises liability lawsuit.
Certain exceptions, such as the following, may extend or shorten the deadline:
Do you have a premises liability case on your hands? These matters are primarily governed by state laws that establish property owner responsibilities and define visitor rights. It all comes down to property owners failing to uphold the duty of care they owe to people like you.
These cases commonly arise from security failures, defective conditions, or dog attacks, among other types of personal injury incidents. No matter the exact cause of your personal injury, our attorneys are here to help.
The sooner you reach out to our Shawnee premises liability lawyer, the sooner we can look into the details of your case and identify how to proceed as we work toward a favorable outcome in your case. Contact Foster Wallace as soon as possible for more information.
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