When you visit one of Alabama’s famous landmarks, the last thing you expect is to get injured while you are there. Unfortunately, from slips and falls to collisions in parking lots, unusual accidents—and unusual injuries—are not as uncommon as most people believe. If you were injured at an Alabama landmark, who is responsible? Birmingham premises liability lawyer Tracy W. Cary explains:

Understanding Your Legal Rights After an Accident at an Alabama Landmark

Whether you are an Alabama resident, a college student, or a parent or other visitor from out of town, you have clear legal rights if you get injured at one of the state’s famous landmarks. However, determining who is responsible—and determining what you need to do to protect your legal rights—requires a clear understanding of the specific circumstances involved.

This is due, in part, to the wide range of famous landmarks in Alabama. For example, according to various online sources, some of the state’s most frequently visited landmarks include:

  • Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
  • Bellingrath Gardens & Home
  • Bryant-Denny Stadium
  • Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
  • Dauphin Street
  • Dexter Parsonage Museum
  • Fort Gaines
  • Fort Morgan
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s Rosenbaum House
  • National Memorial for Peace and Justice
  • Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
  • Talladega Superspeedway
  • U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
  • Vulcan Park and Museum

As you can see, these attractions vary widely—from historic residences to world-famous sports venues and from privately-owned museums to important pieces of U.S. and Alabama history. This is important when it comes to understanding and asserting your legal rights.

3 Key Questions After an Accident at One of Alabama’s Famous Landmarks

To see why, we can take a look at some key questions for determining who is responsible for an accident at one of Alabama’s famous landmarks. When you schedule a free consultation with a Birmingham premises liability lawyer, your lawyer will focus on answering the following three questions:

1. How Did You Get Injured Unexpectedly?

One of the first key factors is how you got injured. Did you slip and fall? Did you get hit by a reckless, distracted or drunk driver in a parking lot? Were you struck by a falling object or a piece of flying debris? Did you fall on a dangerous escalator or a crumbling set of stairs? Did you eat undercooked or contaminated food? These are all very different scenarios that have different implications for who (or what entity) may be responsible for your injuries.

2. Who (or What Entity) is Responsible?

Based on how you got injured, your Birmingham premises liability lawyer should be able to begin narrowing down the options of who (or what entity) may be to blame. Broadly speaking, there are several possibilities, including:

  • Property Owners – If you were injured in a slip-and-fall or another premises-related accident, the owner of the property may be legally responsible. Under Alabama law, businesses and other property owners have a legal duty to undertake reasonable measures to protect their patrons and guests. If the owner of the landmark was aware of the issue that caused your injury, or if they should have been aware of it due to how long the issue had been present, you may have a claim against the owner for just compensation.
  • Employers – If you were injured due to an employee’s negligence, his or her employer may be liable for your injury-related losses. Employers can be held vicariously liable for their employees’ negligence under Alabama law. In this context, negligence can take many different forms—from making negligent repairs to negligently driving golf carts, buses and other vehicles.
  • Government Agencies – Many of Alabama’s most famous landmarks are owned by government agencies. If a government agency is responsible for your injuries, you can still file a claim—though there are special timelines and procedures involved. With this in mind, if you were injured on government property, it will be especially important for you to speak with a Birmingham premises liability lawyer as soon as possible.
  • Contractors and Subcontractors – From tour operators to catering companies, many owners of famous landmarks (including government agencies) hire contractors and subcontractors to provide services at their facilities. If a contractor or subcontractor’s negligence is to blame for your injuries, your lawyer can help you hold this company fully accountable.
  • Insurance Companies – As a practical matter, filing a claim for injuries suffered at an Alabama landmark often involves dealing with the at-fault party’s insurance company. If you have an insurance claim, your lawyer can deal with the insurance company for you and help you decide when, and if, to consider accepting an insurance settlement.

Of course, not all of these options are available in all scenarios. To determine which options are available in your case, you will need to discuss the details of your case with an experienced Birmingham premises liability lawyer.

3. Could You Have Been Partially to Blame?

The third key question for assessing legal responsibility is this: Could you have been partially to blame?

Under Alabama law, if you are partially responsible for your own injuries, you are not entitled to any financial compensation. This is true even if a famous landmark owner (or another individual or entity) was primarily at fault in the incident. As a result, insurance companies and other parties will frequently try to blame accident victims for their own injuries in Alabama, and this is yet another reason why it is critical to have an experienced Birmingham premises liability lawyer on your side. Your lawyer can help make sure you are not blamed unfairly, and your lawyer can fight on your behalf to secure any and all financial compensation you deserve.

Discuss Your Legal Rights with Birmingham Premises Liability Lawyer Tracy W. Cary

Were you injured in an accident at one of Alabama’s famous landmarks? If so, we encourage you to contact us promptly for more information. To discuss your legal rights with Birmingham premises liability lawyer Tracy W. Cary in confidence as soon as possible, call 205-855-2745 or request a free consultation online now.