Jefferson City Premises Liability Lawyer

We Can Hold Them Accountable

Nobody expects to fall victim to a serious accident while out running errands, yet accidents still happen every day on other people’s properties. Serving the residents of Cole County since 2008, the Jefferson City premises liability lawyers at Wendt Law Firm are ready to hold property owners accountable for their negligence and fight for the compensation they deserve.

Contact us today at (816) 531-4415 to schedule a free consultation.

What Is Premises Liability?

Any business or individual owning a property has a legal responsibility to make sure their property is free of hazards in order to prevent accidents. If they fail to maintain these safety standards, they can be held responsible for any injuries that occur because of their negligence. This is called premises liability.

Types of Premises Liability Cases

When property owners don’t maintain a safe environment for their visitors, many different kinds of accidents can happen. To figure out if you have a case, it’s important to take a look at some of the most common kinds of circumstances that can lead to premises liability cases. Some of these circumstances include:

1. Slip and fall accidents: Floors that are still wet, uneven surfaces, and poorly maintained walkways are common causes of slip-and-fall accidents. If the property owner didn’t address a hazardous condition and you suffered an injury because of it, you could have grounds for a premises liability claim.
   
2. Inadequate security: Property owners are responsible for providing adequate security measures in places like shopping malls, hotels, event venues, apartment complexes, and parking lots. If you were injured in an assault or robbery because of bad lighting or a lack of security guards, you could have a legal claim.
   
3. Swimming pool accidents: Property owners need to make sure their pools are properly maintained and meet safety standards. If you were injured in a pool accident because of a lack of supervision or failure to maintain safety barriers, you could be entitled to compensation.
   
4. Dog bites: A dog’s owner is generally responsible for their pet’s actions. If you’ve been bitten by a dog on someone’s property, the property owner could be liable for your injuries, especially if the owner didn’t take precautions or the dog had a history of aggressive behavior.
   
5. Construction site accidents: If you visited a construction site and were injured because of dangerous conditions, the property owner or contractor could be held responsible.
   
6. Toxic exposure: If a property was contaminated by mold, asbestos, or lead, and you’ve suffered health complications as a result, you could have a premises liability claim on your hands.
   
7. Falling objects: If an object falls from a shelf, window, or structure and causes injury, the property owner could be held responsible for not properly securing the item.

No matter the type of injury, if it happened because of unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, you could be entitled to compensation. Premises liability cases can be complicated, but an experienced Jefferson City premises liability lawyer from Wendt Law Firm can fight for your rights and secure the compensation you deserve.

Who Is Liable in a Premises Liability Case?

In Missouri, liability in a premises liability case depends on the legal status of the injured person and the condition of the property. Missouri divides visitors into three categories:

1. Invitees: These are individuals who are invited onto the property for business purposes, like customers in a store or clients at a business. Property owners owe the highest duty of care toward invitees and need to regularly inspect the property for potential hazards.
   
2. Licensees: These are individuals who enter a property for social purposes, like as guests at a party. Property owners owe licensees a duty to warn them about dangerous conditions that might not be obvious at first.
   
3. Trespassers: These are individuals who enter a property without permission. Property owners generally don’t owe a duty of care to trespassers unless they’re children, in which case the owner could be held liable for dangerous conditions that attract kids (like an unsecured swimming pool).

Proving that the property owner was negligent requires a thorough investigation and evidence. Serving the residents of Cole County, the Jefferson City premises liability lawyers at Wendt Law Firm can help you gather the necessary evidence you need to secure the future you deserve.

What Compensation Can You Get in a Premises Liability Case

When you’ve been injured because of unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, the financial burden can quickly add up. Fortunately, if you can prove that the property owner was negligent, you could be entitled to compensation.

In a premises liability case, compensation is generally divided into two main categories: economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages refer to financial losses that you can calculate, like medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and property damage. These are tangible expenses that come with documentation (receipts).

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are more difficult to calculate. They cover the more subjective impact of your injuries and include things like pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and psychological trauma.

Both of these categories of damages are important when fully addressing the scope of the harm you suffered at the hands of a negligent property owner.

Whether economic or non-economic, the kinds of compensation available to you depend entirely on the severity of your injuries and the specifics of your case. Some of them include:

1. Medical expenses: This includes all costs related to your injury, like emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, and prescription medications.
   
2. Lost wages: If your injury stops you from working, you can include any income you’ve lost in your claim. This could include compensation for not only your current wages, but if the injury affects your ability to return to your current job or leaves you with a disability, you could also include future earnings in your claim.
   
3. Pain and suffering: This compensates you for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injury and can include conditions like anxiety, depression, and any ongoing discomfort that you endure.
   
4. Loss of enjoyment of life: If the injury prevents you from taking part in activities you used to enjoy, or if the injury affects your social life, you could receive compensation for the loss of these experiences.
   
5. Property damage: If your property was damaged during the accident, you could be entitled to compensation for repairs or replacement of items, like your clothing, electronics, or vehicles.
   
6. Wrongful death damages: In cases where a loved one dies because of a premises liability accident, family members could be entitled to recover funeral expenses, lost financial support, and compensation for loss of companionship.
   
7. Punitive damages: If the property owner’s actions were especially negligent or reckless, you could be entitled to punitive damages, which are meant to punish the defendant and stop them from similar behavior in the future.

If you were injured on someone else’s property, it’s important to work with an experienced premises liability lawyer who can make sure you receive the maximum compensation possible for your injuries.

From Jefferson City to Eugene, Russellville to Wardsville, an attorney from Wendt Law Firm can help you assess your damages and fight for a fair settlement to cover all of your losses.

How a Jefferson City Premises Liability Lawyer Can Help

Navigating a premises liability claim can be overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to recover from an injury while juggling medical bills. That’s where an experienced Jefferson City premises liability lawyer from Wendt Law Firm can make a difference.

From the moment you contact our team, we can step in to protect your rights. Having served the residents of Cole County since 2008, we’ve honed our process to ensure you receive clear and thoughtful communication coupled with the aggressive advocacy needed to secure the compensation you deserve.

Our process includes:

1. Investigating your claim: We thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your accident and your injury to gather all available evidence, including photographs of the scene, witness statements, and expert testimony.
   
2. Proving liability: We can help establish that the property owner was negligent and failed to maintain a safe environment.
   
3. Calculating damage:  Our team will work with medical professionals and financial experts to determine the full extent of your damages, including: any medical bills you’ve already received, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any accident-related medical care you might need in the future.
   
4. Negotiating with insurance companies: Insurance adjusters are trained to offer lowball settlements and to pressure you into taking a check as soon as possible. We can fight back and seek fair compensation for you. We’re experienced when it comes to negotiating with insurers, and we have the experience needed to hold them accountable.
   
5. Filing a claim: If a fair settlement can’t be reached, we are confident we can take your case to court to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.

If you’ve been injured in a premises liability accident, Wendt Law Firm can make sure you’re not taken advantage of, while ensuring your voice is heard.

Jefferson City Premises Liability Lawyer

Whether you’re in Jefferson City, Elston, St. Thomas, or Honey Creek, the Cole County premises liability attorneys at Wendt Law Firm are ready to fight for your rights and secure the compensation you deserve.

Contact us today at 816-531-4415 to schedule a free consultation.