Premises Liability Lawyer St. Louis, MO. When someone sustains an injury or is otherwise harmed on public or private property, the owner of that property can be held liable for causing that accident. You do not expect to, for instance, walk into a grocery store and be confronted with wet floors, or go to a friend’s house and be bitten by their pet dog. Owners or operators of a certain place have a responsibility to ensure that they are safe and habitable spaces, and that any potential hazards or dangers are properly identified and signaled to guests.
Combs Waterkotte is an experienced St. Louis, MO personal injury law firm that has helped many people from all around the area with their premises liability claims. Our firm combines top-shelf legal acumen with a level of communication and personal service that is unmatched among St. Louis, MO personal injury lawyers. Call us today at (314) 900-HELP for a complimentary review of your case.
What Is Premises Liability?
As we mentioned above, premises liability is a subset of personal injury law that deals with how the owners or operators of property are responsible for keeping a safe, secure atmosphere for people to visit or use. Missouri law states that a successful premises liability claim must contain all four of these elements:
- The property owner must have been in full legal possession of the premises/property where the accident occurred
- The victim must have had a legal right to be on that property, either as an “invitee” (someone there for business purposes, such as a shopper) or a “licensee” (someone invited to a property for social purposes)
- The accident was due to negligence or a wrongful act by the property owner
- Said negligence resulted in an injury to the plaintiff
Property owners in Missouri are required to provide what is known as a “duty of care” to make sure that their property is safe and that guests on that property should not worry for their own safety whenever they visit it. If this duty was breached–usually by a hazard being present, the property owner being aware of it but not remedying it, either with a notification or by fixing it, and someone is injured as a result–they are then liable. Some of the most common premises liability cases our St. Louis, MO attorneys have handled include:
- Slips and falls
- Dangerous walkways (cracked or uneven pavement)
- Issues with stairwells (no hand-rails, poor lighting, no indication of a sudden step)
- Not clearing ice from a parking lot or a sidewalk
- Damaged/exposed wiring
- Inadequate security in parking garages or ramps
- Dog bites
- Exposure to toxic fumes/chemicals
Missouri law treats premises liability cases like any other personal injury case. State law requires that a premises liability lawsuit be filed within five years of the date the accident occurred. In addition, Missouri uses what is called a “pure comparative fault” standard when determining liability. This means that if, for instance, a plaintiff was determined to be 20% at fault for the accident that caused them their injuries, their settlement or jury award is reduced accordingly.
Contact A Premises Liability Attorney in St. Louis, MO Today
If you’ve been in an accident on someone else’s property due to no fault of your own, putting a skilled personal injury attorney on your case as soon as possible can be the difference between getting the compensation you are entitled to and getting nothing at all. When you hire a personal injury lawyer in St. Louis, MO like the ones at Combs Waterkotte, you get someone who will guide you throughout the legal process. Our firm reviews all the facts related to your case, potentially contracts with expert witnesses to bolster your claims in front of a jury, and works with your doctors to make sure you have received all necessary and proper medical care.
At Combs Waterkotte, our St. Louis, MO premises liability attorneys combine aggressive, fearless personal injury defense with open, one-on-one communication between you and your attorney. Our firm promises that you will always be able to talk directly to the lawyer working on your case, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We take all our premises liability cases on a “no win, no fee” basis, meaning that you do not have to worry about the cost of working with a top-rated St. Louis, MO personal injury lawyer. Contact us today for a free review of your case and to get Combs Waterkotte working on your St. Louis, MO premises liability claim.
