St. Peters, St. Charles County Premises Liability

Hazardous property conditions can leave visitors with severe injuries, including broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and brain injuries. Property owners in St. Peters, Missouri, are responsible for keeping their properties free from known hazards. Injured victims can seek compensation from negligent property owners through personal injury lawsuits based on premises liability law.

If you were injured by a dangerous condition on someone else’s property in St. Charles County, contact Holland Injury Law for a free consultation with an experienced premises liability attorney. We’ll review your case, explain your rights as an injury victim, and advise you on how you can seek the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

What Is Premises Liability?

Premises liability is a legal concept used to hold property owners or managers responsible for injuries caused by dangerous conditions on the property they control. If the property owner knew or should have known that a dangerous condition existed and failed to remedy it or mitigate the associated risks, they could be liable for the resulting injuries.

For example, puddles in a grocery store’s freezer aisle are an expected hazard, and the store should take steps to protect customers from slipping and falling. These steps may include regularly checking for puddles, cleaning up puddles when they appear, and using wet floor signs to warn customers of the danger.

Common Premises Liability Cases in St. Peters, MO

Premises liability cases can result from various kinds of accidents. Some of the most common in St. Peters include:

Slip-and-Fall Accidents: Slipping and falling is one of the leading causes of premises liability cases. These incidents can occur for many reasons, including wet floors, uneven surfaces, loose railings, and uncleared snow and ice.
Dog Bites: Property owners are generally liable for injuries caused by dogs on their property. However, while other premises liability cases rely on proving property owner negligence, dog bite cases use strict liability. If a dog bites you, the dog’s owner, who is often the property owner, is liable.
Swimming Pool Accidents: Pools are known as “attractive nuisances” because they attract children’s attention. For this reason, property owners should take extra steps to make sure their pools are secure, such as installing fences to prevent drownings.
Negligent Security: If your injury results from inadequate security at a venue, such as a concert, the property owner and security company could be liable.
Defective Conditions: Poorly maintained properties can contain a wide variety of hazards, from crumbling staircases to faulty wiring. Owners are responsible for maintaining their properties to keep them free of hazards.
Toxic Exposure: If you were exposed to a toxic substance on a property, such as asbestos, you may be able to hold the property owner liable.

Types of Guests in St. Peters Premises Liability Cases

Under premises liability, there are three classes of guests who may enter a property. Depending on which class you fall in, property owners owe you a different level of care:

Invitees: Invitees are customers, clients, and other individuals on a property for the owner’s commercial gain. Property owners owe them the highest level of care and should take proactive steps to search for and repair hazards, keeping the property safe.
Licensees: Licensees are social guests that property owners owe a slightly lower level of care than invitees. They should fix hazards or warn licensees about known hazards but are not required to inspect for hazards on behalf of these visitors.
Trespassers: Trespassers are individuals who do not have the owner’s permission to be on the property. They are owed the lowest level of care, with property owners only having to keep the property safe for children or known trespassers.

How to Prove Liability for a Hazardous Property Condition

Proving a property owner’s liability for your injury can be challenging. However, an experienced premises liability lawyer will gather various types of evidence to show that they knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and that it caused your injury. Some types of evidence your lawyer can use include:

Hazardous Condition Photos: Photos of the hazardous condition that harmed you can help prove it existed in case the owner fixes them after your injury.
Security Camera Footage: Footage of the incident occurring can be powerful evidence that answers many of the questions surrounding the case.
Eyewitness Statements: Eyewitnesses can corroborate your story about the hazard and how your injury happened. They may also help prove the property owner knew about the hazard if they previously reported it.
Expert Testimony: In some cases, your attorney may hire an expert to testify on a specific aspect of your case. This could be a medical expert testifying about your injuries or a safety expert testifying about the property hazard.
Medical Records: Your medical records are often crucial evidence for proving the validity of the injuries for which you’re seeking compensation.

Compensation Available to Premises Liability Victims in St. Charles County

Through a premises liability lawsuit, you can recover compensation for the following losses:

Medical Expenses: Compensation for your past and future medical treatments, surgeries, medical devices, physical therapy, and prescription medications related to your injury
Lost Wages: Compensation for the wages you lost while recovering from your injury
Loss of Future Earnings: Compensation for the wages and work benefits you will lose because of your injury’s impact on your ability to work
Permanent Disability: Compensation for accommodating any permanent disability you suffered because of the incident
Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and emotional suffering you experience because of your injury

What Is the Deadline for Filing a Premises Liability Lawsuit in Missouri?

Missouri law gives victims five years to file lawsuits against the parties responsible for their injuries. If you fail to file your lawsuit within this period, the courts will likely bar you from seeking compensation for your injuries through a lawsuit. However, there are a few exceptions to this deadline.

For example, if you didn’t realize you were a personal injury victim, the time limit may not begin counting down until you know or should have known you suffered an injury. Additionally, if the defendant leaves the state before you file suit, the clock stops counting down until they return.

Contact Our Premises Liability Lawyers Serving St. Peters, St. Charles County

If you suffered an injury on someone else’s property in St. Peters, contact Holland Injury Law for a free consultation with a skilled premises liability lawyer. Our firm has recovered over $300 Million for our 7,000+ clients, and we’re ready to help you seek the compensation you deserve. During your initial consultation, we’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and answer any questions you have about the process.

OIf you want to discuss your case with us in person, our office in Clayton, is located at 101 S Hanley, Suite 1025, is about a half hour from St. Peters and St. Charles County.

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