Premises Liability Attorneys High Ridge, MO
High Ridge, MO Personal Injury Law Firm
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Case Evaluation | High Ridge, MO Slip and Fall Law Firm
Premises liability attorneys in High Ridge, MO. Property managers in High Ridge, MO have a responsibility to ensure their property is reasonably safe for patrons. But too often, they fail in that responsibility, and good people who did nothing wrong get hurt. When that happens, you need experienced High Ridge, MO premises liability attorneys to fight for your rights. At Halvorsen Klote, our attorneys are committed to leveling the playing field between large corporations and insurance companies and everyday people every day. We take cases in both Missouri and Illinois, and fight hard so our clients can finally get a sense of justice and recognition. Speak to our premises liability attorneys today 866-382-4167 or fill out our online form for a complimentary consultation.
What Are the Premises Liability Laws in Missouri and Illinois?
Missouri Revised Statute §537.348 and the Illinois Premises Liability Act stipulate the premises liability laws in each state.
The laws in each state tend to be comparable in regards to property ownership and management: A property owner has a duty to inform people of or fix a "dangerous condition" they either were aware of or should have known of through reasonable care. If they don't, they can be held liable for any injuries sustained as a result of the dangerous condition.
The states are different in one very important way, related to the duty of care property owners must give different kinds of visitors.
Types of Visitors in High Ridge, MO Premises Liability Cases
The law distinguishes between three types of visitors in premises liability claims:
- Invitees — A business invitee is someone who is visiting the premises to benefit themselves and/or the proprietor. This can include a customer in a retail store or hotel guests. A public invitee is someone on property that the public can access, for example bike paths or a library. Property owners are liable for an invitee's injuries caused by dangers they knew about or should have known about.
- Licensees — A licensee is someone who is on the property with the owner's permission, but for personal, non-business reasons. These can be social guests, but the law might apply to someone who came into an establishment just to use the restroom. In Illinois, there is no legal distinction between invitees and licensees. In Missouri, property owners are only liable for dangers they had express knowledge of; the "should have known" standard doesn't apply when a licensee is injured.
- Trespassers — Trespassers are on the site illegally. Because of that, they do not have the same protections as invitees and licensees, meaning they can't sue the property owner for a financial recovery. There are a couple of exceptions:
- Under the Illinois Premises Liability Act and Missouri Revised Statute §537.349, property owners are not immune from liability if they acted with "willful and wanton conduct." Meaning, if the owner intentionally created or allowed a danger to exist because they wanted to injure a trespasser, the trespasser may be able to sue the owner.
- Under the attractive nuisance principle, property owners may be liable if a child gets hurt while trespassing. An "attractive nuisance" is something about the property that could make a child want to enter the property. Examples could be swimming pools, trampolines or old appliances. If a child is injured by or because of an attractive nuisance, the child and their family can make a claim for a financial recovery.
What Do I Need to File a Premises Liability Claim in High Ridge, MO?
In any personal injury case, you must demonstrate how the four elements of negligence are present in your case:
- Duty of care — Did the landowner owe you a duty of care to prevent unreasonable risks of injury? The degree of the property owner's or manager's responsibility to keep you safe depends on whether you're a invitee, licensee or trespasser and your jurisdiction. Typically, anybody who is allowed to be on the property is owed a duty of care.
- Breach of duty — If they fail in their duty, that constitutes a breach of that obligation. That could mean not fixing a broken staircase, or not roping off a area of the property that isn't safe.
- Causation — Did the dangerous condition cause or contribute to your injuries? If you fell because you were running, it's likely not the property owner's fault. Likewise, if you didn't observe warning signs because you were looking at your phone, you might not have a valid claim.
- Damages — To have a valid claim, you need to have suffered harm. Usually, you need to show economic harm, such as lost wages and medical expenses, to make a claim for how the injury affected you physically and mentally. If you sustained a minor cut, but had no expenses due to your injury, you likely do not have enough to make a case.
Halvorsen Klote's High Ridge, MO premises liability attorneys have gotten great results for our clients in a variety of cases. If you want to see if you have a case, or have questions about filing a personal injury lawsuit, don't hesitate to speak to one of our attorneys for free today at 866-382-4167.
Types of Premises Liability Accidents in High Ridge, MO
Slip and Falls
Falling is the number one most common nonfatal preventable injury. Slip and falls are responsible for over one million emergency room visits a year, and are the primary cause of lost days from work.
Slip and falls can be caused by:
- Slippery floors
- Broken staircases, handrails or floors
- Ice or snow
- Loose cords
- Uneven flooring, rugs or carpeting
Inadequate Security
These cases often arise in apartment buildings, offices or hotels. The owners of these properties must take reasonable steps to ensure that dangerous people don't have access to the building, or certain areas of it. Examples of proper security could include a doorman or requiring a code to enter the property. Generally, inadequate security claims are filed after someone being injured due to a violent crime. While the criminal justice system may secure a conviction of the offender, you'll usually need to take civil legal action – with the help of premises liable attorneys – against a property owner in order to get justice in the form of financial compensation.
Swimming Pool and Amusement Park Accidents
Swimming pool accidents are most common in children. Drowning is the leading cause of fatalities in children between one and four years old. Public swimming pools need to be properly supervised, and have strict measures to protect children from injuring themselves.
In 2016, roughly 30,900 people sought emergency medical attention for injuries suffered at amusement parks. Injuries can be caused by mechanical issues, operator error, collisions, malfunctioning seat belts, electrician structural issues. Amusement park owners must ensure that the rides are properly designed, maintained, inspected and repaired. If they didn't and you ended up injured, our High Ridge, MO premises liability attorneys will help you secure justice and maximum compensation.
Fire and Smoke Injuries
There are strict laws for smoke detectors and fire exits in public, private and business properties. Fires can cause terrible injuries and lifelong scarring, and even the inhalation of smoke can create substantial health risks. If a property owner did not adhere to local fire codes, your High Ridge, MO premises liability lawyers at Halvorsen Klote can hold them liable for any injuries you sustain. Liability can occur because of a variety of factors, from poor handling of flammabale materials to missing or broken sprinkler systems.
Construction Accidents
Construction companies have a duty to keep their construction zones safe. If you were injured in a construction site accident in a slip and fall, car accident or by falling debris because the site was dangerous, you can file a lawsuit against the construction company.
However you suffered your injuries, if you were injured because a property owner or manager did not keep their property safe, call Halvorsen Klote's High Ridge, MO premises liability attorneys for the full compensation you deserve.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My High Ridge, MO Premises Liability Injuries?
The damages you recover after a premises liability accident are meant to compensate you for the economic, physical and mental hardships your injuries cause. With experienced High Ridge, MO premises liability attorneys, you'll be compensated for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning capacity if your accident results in permanent disability
- Out-of-pocket expenses, such as transportation to and from medical appointments
- Noneconomic damages like pain and suffering, mental anguish, disability, scarring and loss of consortium
How much money you get in your premises liability settlement depends largely on how serious your injuries are, how they have affected your life and the skill and experience of your High Ridge, MO premises liability attorneys.
What Our High Ridge, MO Premises Liability Attorneys Can Do For You
Given the complex nature of litigation and premises liability laws, having a qualified lawyer on your side is crucial. When you hire us, our premises liability attorneys will:
- Investigate the accident and come up with a legal strategy that gets you the most compensation possible
- Acquire evidence, including maintenance logs, inspections, previous complaints filed and/or video footage
- Take depositions from witnesses, employees or others who may be familiar with the hazard
- Be available whenever you need us to be and keep you up-to-date on the status of your claim
- Handle all documentation and litigation so you can focus on healing
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf
- Take the property owner or manager to court if we cannot secure fair compensation in negotiations
Our compassionate and experienced attorneys will be by your side every step of the way, and will not stop until you get the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Other injury cases we take on in High Ridge, MO include:
- Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
- Auto Accident Attorney
- Bike Wreck Lawyer
- What to Do After a Car Accident
- Automobile Injury Attorney
- Motorcycle Accidents Attorney
- Lawyer for Bicycle Accident
- Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
- Injury Claim Lawyer
Speak to Halvorsen Klote's High Ridge, MO Premises Liability Attorneys Today
The thought of going up against a powerful insurance company can be daunting to many. But, if they or their policyholder injured you by their negligence, nothing should be able to keep you from getting the financial recovery you deserve. We've committed our careers to helping the average person get the same expert legal advocacy as powerful corporations and insurance companies. If you were injured because of a High Ridge, MO property owner's negligence, call our premises liability attorneys today at 866-382-4167 or contact us online for a complimentary case review.
Joel Halvorsen
Attorney at Law
Joel Halvorsen and his partner Greg Klote founded the Halvorsen Klote law firm on the principle that injured people and their families should have access to the same quality legal representation as large insurance companies.
Greg Klote
Attorney at Law
Greg Klote is a partner and founder of Halvorsen Klote.
Greg has successfully fought for people who were injured through no fault of their own. He became a lawyer to help make a difference in the lives of those who have been wronged and treated unfairly.
