When you enter a property, you reasonably expect it to be safe and free of any hazards that could cause accidents or injuries. However, when the appropriate parties do not uphold their legal responsibility to maintain a safe environment for guests, it can result in devastating consequences where people can be seriously injured. If you’ve had a slip-and-fall accident because of a property owner’s negligence, you may be entitled to significant compensation for the damages you’ve endured. Recovering compensation for your losses can be difficult, as it is tough to prove that the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard that caused your injury. That said, if you’ve been injured in an accident due to a property owner’s negligence, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Birmingham Slip and Fall Lawyer who can help you recover the compensation you need to get back on your feet again. Please continue reading to learn how you can prove a property owner was aware of a safety hazard.
How can I prove a property owner knew of a safety hazard on their premises?
In Alabama, property owners have a duty of care to ensure their property remains safe for anyone and everyone who enters, even trespassers, under certain circumstances. If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you must establish that the owner knew the dangerous conditions that caused your injuries and failed to take the appropriate measures to warn visitors or remedy the problem, as you will be burdened with fulfilling the burden of proof. You must prove the property owner’s negligence directly caused your injuries. Being injured on someone else’s property does not automatically mean that the property owner was negligent or at fault for your damages. Therefore, the court requires that you demonstrate the property owner failed to exercise their duty of care, resulting in your injuries.
To recover monetary compensation for your economic and non-economic damages, you must satisfy the burden of proof. Generally, injured individuals can prove that a property owner knew of an unsafe property condition through time requirements. Property owners are given reasonable time to discover and correct dangerous property conditions to prevent accidents and injuries. In today’s digital world, security footage from surveillance cameras or videos taken by other guests can help prove that the hazardous condition was left unattended for an extended period before the injury occurred.
Furthermore, injured individuals can prove that the property owner was aware or should have been aware of a hazardous condition by taking photos of the accident scene. This can help show that the owner should have noticed the danger because any reasonable person would see that it posed a significant threat to everyone’s safety. Additionally, if the injury happened in a place where employees or other guests had reported the hazard, statements from witnesses can be used to prove the property owner knew of the unsafe condition and did nothing to fix it, ultimately proving their negligence.
If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact a dedicated lawyer from Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers, PLLC, who can help you investigate the circumstances and fight to attain the maximum compensation you deserve. Contact our legal team today to discuss your legal options.
