Raleigh Premises Liability Lawyer
Whether you’re visiting a friend’s house, a theme park or a store, you have the reasonable right to be safe on someone else’s property. Property owners and managers are required to make sure there are no hazards that could result in an injury. If they don’t perform this duty in the manner required, they can be held liable for any losses you suffered.
At Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers, our experienced lawyers know how dangerous these hazards can be. You may slip and fall in a puddle in a store, you could trip over a hose in your apartment complex, or you might be bitten by your neighbor’s dog when you’re visiting them. No matter the cause of your injury, you may be entitled to compensation.
A premises liability lawyer in Raleigh from Auger & Auger can help you through this incredibly stressful time. You may be suffering from broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and more. These injuries could keep you from work and could lead to a mountain of medical bills that just keep stacking up.
We’re here to help you get the compensation you deserve and get your life back on track. Call us at (919) 873-4955 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with a golf cart accident lawyer in Raleigh today.
Types of Compensation You May Be Entitled To
If you have been injured on someone else’s property, a premises liability lawyer in Raleigh may be able to help you get the full compensation you deserve. Compensation, or damages, is typically divided into two categories: economic and noneconomic.
Economic damages are those that compensate you for real monetary losses you suffered. These losses can include past and future medical bills, property damage, lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses. It’s incredibly important that you keep track of your receipts, bills, invoices and other pieces of evidence to prove your financial losses.
Noneconomic losses can be more difficult to prove. This is because noneconomic damages are intended to compensate you for losses you suffered that had nothing to do with money. These losses may include pain and suffering, permanent or temporary disability, loss of enjoyment in life, and more. Because noneconomic losses generally can’t be proven through physical evidence, your Raleigh premises liability lawyer will work with experts like doctors and psychologists to determine how much you may be owed.
In rare instances, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. These damages are not intended to compensate you for any losses you suffered. Rather, they are intended to punish the person who caused your injuries. In order for punitive damages to be assessed in North Carolina, you must show that the defendant acted with malice, fraud or “willful or wanton conduct.”
Proving Fault In a Premises Liability Case in Raleigh
Fault in a premises liability case virtually always comes down to proving negligence. Negligence means the property owner or manager acted in a way that a reasonable person wouldn’t, and therefore caused injury. There are four general tenets of negligence, which can play out differently in every unique premises liability case.
First, the property owner has a duty of care to make sure visitors to their property don’t get injured from hazards around the property. This may include wet floors, loose boxes or other articles on the ground, unsafe hand railings, and more. Property owners must either remedy the situation within a reasonable time, or warn visitors of these hazards (such as putting up wet floor signs.
If they don’t take care of these dangerous situations, they are said to have breached their duty of care. However, it must be proven that these hazards were “foreseeable.” This means they should’ve known about the issue and taken steps to fix it. For example, if a toddler spills their cup on the ground in the supermarket, and you slip in the puddle just moments after, the property owner might not be held responsible for your injuries. This is because they didn’t have enough time to reasonably know about the situation and fix it.
The next two points are generally easier to prove. You must show that you suffered injuries directly because of the hazard, and that you suffered real losses because of the accident. Real losses can include medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Get the Help You Deserve from an Experienced Raleigh Premises Liability Attorney
If you are injured on someone else’s property, the legal process to get the compensation you deserve can be more than a little complicated. If you’re injured in a large store or at an amusement park, for instance, the company will likely have a huge team of lawyers whose sole job is to make sure they don’t have to pay out compensation.
In some cases, you may even have a case against the government. This can make getting compensation incredibly difficult. After all, red tape means any lawsuit against the city or state government can take a long time to get resolved.
No matter who is liable for your injuries, we can help you get the compensation you deserve. At Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers, we have over 26 years of experience fighting for our clients’ rights after they’ve been injured. Our ultimate goal is to resolve your case outside of court to get you paid faster. But if we can’t get you a fair settlement, then we have the skills to successfully take your case to court.
You may get a settlement offer from the insurance company after your injury. Before you accept it, give in touch with our attorneys. We may be able to get you a lot more than what’s being offered. However, if you accept that settlement offer, you give up your right to seek greater compensation.
Call us at (919) 873-4955 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with a golf cart accident lawyer in Raleigh today.