Mehlville Slip and Fall Lawyer

Mehlville Slip and Fall Attorney

When you are on someone else’s public or private property, you have a reasonable expectation of safety. An injury can be frustrating, but it could be even more so if the property owner knew of the hazard that caused your injury and failed to fix it or warn you of it. When this happens, you may have grounds to pursue compensation. A Mehlville slip and fall lawyer can determine if an incident on another’s property qualifies you for a premises liability case.

The attorneys at The Cagle Law Firm have years of experience and success in personal injury cases, having managed numerous premises liability cases. Many individuals are unfamiliar with the process of pursuing compensation, and this stress is compounded by the pain and strain you likely feel from being injured.

The Cagle Law Firm has successfully navigated premises liability cases that hold private property owners, corporate property owners, and governmental agencies accountable through their insurance carriers.

Our personal injury firm can investigate the cause of your injury, determine what duty of care you were owed, and review the situation to see if the property owner was negligent in this duty of care. We believe in building up each case for a trial, which can allow us to secure better settlements. Our team takes the time to get you the compensation you deserve.

The Basics of Missouri Premises Liability Law

Property owners in Mehlville have a duty to maintain safe premises, so they are responsible for addressing hazards and potential hazards. If they cannot, they must warn of the hazard. If you are legally on their premises and are injured because of a hazard, the property owner’s insurance carrier may be liable.

The property owner owes you different standards of care depending on whether you’re in a home, a store, or a government building. The type of status you have also impacts the standard of care. These statuses include:

Invitee

An invitee is a person who was invited to the property for the benefit of the individual and the premises owner. This invitation may be stated or implied. An invitee may include someone invited for the purposes of a mutually beneficial business relationship, or they may be a customer on store grounds.

Property owners have the highest duty of care to invitees. The property owner has a duty to identify and fix any hazards to the invitee, or they must warn them of hazards they are aware of. They also have the duty to do the same for any hazards they should have become aware of with a basic and reasonable inspection of their property. Therefore, if you are injured as an invitee, the property owner may be liable, even if they were unaware of the hazard but should have been.

Licensee

A licensee is an individual who is legally allowed to be on the premises and has the owner’s permission to do so. However, they are there for social purposes rather than the material benefit of any party. If you are a guest at someone’s house, you are a licensee.

The duty of care that a property owner owes licensees is less than an invitee, but it is still an important duty of care. If you are injured on a property as a licensee, the property owner is only liable if they were aware of the hazard and failed to address it or warn you of it.

Trespasser

Trespassers are individuals who do not have the property owner’s permission to be on the premises. The owner of the property does not owe the trespasser a duty of care to address hazards, but a property owner is prohibited from intentionally injuring a trespasser. Additionally, there may be exceptions to the property owner’s lack of duty of care for trespassers, such as if the trespasser is a child.

FAQs About Mehlville, MO Slip and Fall Laws

How Much Are Most Slip and Fall Settlements?

The value of a slip and fall settlement is not a specific amount, as it relies on the severity and type of injuries you sustained in the incident. More serious injuries require more care and longer physical recovery times, which should increase the value of a settlement or verdict. The value of a settlement or verdict also relies on the:

• Skill of an attorney
• Level of duty of care the property owner owed you, specifically
• Evidence that supports your case

What Is the Statute of Limitations on a Slip and Fall in Missouri?

The statute of limitations on a slip and fall in Missouri is five years from the date of the incident. If you do not pursue a case by this time, you will be barred from recovering compensation.

If a slip and fall case is being pursued against a governmental entity, notice must be provided shortly after the injury. This period of time varies based on the location. The five-year statute of limitation is not applicable to governmental property.

What Is the Legal Term for a Slip and Fall Case?

The legal term for a slip and fall case is premises liability. Premises liability law covers many types of incidents besides a slip and fall, but these cases can be pursued when someone is injured on another person’s property.

The basis for a premises liability case generally revolves around a property owner failing to address or warn of known hazards on their property when legally allowed guests are present. In some cases, property owners are liable for hazards they did not know about but should have through a reasonable inspection of their property.

What Injury Is Most Commonly the Result of a Slip and Fall?

Slip and fall accidents can cause injuries of numerous types and severities, depending on the specifics of these incidents. Some of the most common injuries include:

• Contusions
• Lacerations
• Dislocations
• Fractured bones
• Facial injuries
• Dental damage
• Neck and back injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries

The injuries from a slip and fall can depend on:

• Where the fall occurred, and from what height
• The surrounding environment
• The condition of the individual who fell

Experienced Legal Representation After a Premises Liability Injury

The consequences of a slip and fall could potentially be life-altering. After an injury on someone else’s premises, it can be difficult to know steps to take. The Cagle Law Firm can represent you. Contact our firm to learn more about your options for pursuing compensation.