Premises Liability Attorneys in Columbia

Fighting for Justice for the Injured

The basis of premises liability law is that property owners are expected to keep their land free of hazards. Visitors, customers, service workers, and anyone else who finds themselves on another’s land at some point in a given day deserves the security of knowing they will not be involved in an unexpected accident. Landowners who fail to adequately maintain their property or knowingly create hazardous situations can and should be held responsible for their actions.

At DiPasquale Moore, we can do our part to help if you were injured. We strongly believe those who were injured by someone else’s negligence should not have to deal with the financial burden on their own. By working with you to file a premises liability claim, we can help you secure the compensation you need to access necessary treatment and support yourself while you recover. Starting your case is as easy as reaching out to one of our attorneys.

Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with DiPasquale Moore by calling us at (573) 312-3188. Our premises liability lawyers are here for individuals in Columbia and the surrounding areas.

When You Can Bring a Premises Liability Claim

If you intend to sue after an accident on someone else’s property, you will have to prove the property owner or manager’s negligence was directly related to your injury. It’s not always easy to make this argument, which is why we advise reaching out to a lawyer as soon as you can. We can offer solid guidance based on the details of your case.

In general, though, you will need to prove the existence of a hazardous condition on the property that its owner or manager either knew or should have known existed. Examples of dangers include a cracked and uneven sidewalk, a wet patch on a freshly mopped floor, or a set of rickety and unstable shelves that hold heavy items. Anyone could foresee the dangers inherent to these situations—therefore, a property owner or manager would be responsible for removing the hazard and/or warning others of its existence.

Bringing a claim can be more difficult when time-sensitive hazards are at play. For example, someone who slipped because of a just-spilled soft drink or suffered a bad fall while delivering a newspaper the morning after an ice storm would have to prove there was sufficient time for the property owner to know about the hazard and address it. In these cases, evidence like surveillance footage or witness statements can make all the difference. We can help you find and present proof that negligence was to blame for your injury.

Premises Liability Covers Many Types of Negligence

As an accident victim, you may not know exactly how negligence caused your injury, just that it played a role. We can help investigate your accident and find the underlying causes. Our team is here to serve you in premises liability claims including:

• Balcony or porch collapse
• Defective or dangerous conditions
• Dog bites
• Elevator or escalator malfunction
• Inadequate maintenance
• Insufficient lighting or visibility
• Negligent security
• Slip and falls
• Swimming pool accidents and drownings
• Toxic exposure
• Unsafe or collapsing stairways
• Violations of building or fire codes

Visitor safety is not a nebulous concept. In fact, there are many laws and regulations governing the actions property owners must take to keep others safe. There is also, of course, the rule of common sense. Our attorneys can help pinpoint negligent behaviors and present them in a convincing argument as part of your claim.

Collectability in Premises Liability Cases

You can file a premises liability claim against a big business or mom-and-pop shop; a negligent landlord or an individual homeowner. Many clients ask us whether it is worth it to bring a lawsuit against smaller organizations or individuals, as their financial situation is understandably different than that of a large corporation. Our answer is always yes.

It is important to hold a negligent party accountable after an accident. After all, anyone could have been injured in your place. As part of a lawsuit or settlement, you can push for safer practices and/or policies. No one wants to be on the other side of a premises liability claim, and by showing you are not afraid to file a suit, you can make them take visitor safety seriously.

Additionally, even small companies and most individual property owners have some form of insurance. This means you won’t be trying to recover money from a bank account. You would be eligible to recover damages up to their policy limit—which is, in many cases, much more than an individual could afford to pay. Collectability, or where the money will come from, is an important factor in a suit, and our attorneys are happy to discuss it with you. However, we urge you not to forego filing a claim just because you believe there won’t be money in it for you. Come speak with one of our team members before you make that decision.

A Caring Team to Fight for You

When your life has been disrupted by an accident or injury, we understand you need to spend your time and energy dealing with the things that matter most. Unfortunately, some insurers use victims’ situations against them, pressuring them to accept smaller settlements than they deserve. When you retain DiPasquale Moore to fight for you, your right to compensation will be protected. Our Columbia injury law firm has significant resources and legal knowledge, and we are ready to deploy them in your case.

With over 100 years of combined experience, DiPasquale Moore isn’t just any other law firm. We have become a trusted name in our community because our work has changed lives. We have the experience to handle complex cases, but as a local firm, we don’t turn away clients for claims other lawyers might consider “too small.” Our job is to serve our community members in the way that suits them.

If you believe you have a premises liability claim, talk to one of our lawyers to learn your legal options. Schedule a free consultation by calling our Columbia office at (573) 312-3188.