Tampa Premises Liability Lawyer in Tampa
Going about your daily life in Tampa should not mean risking severe injuries. But you can encounter unforeseen hazards anywhere you set foot in Tampa, be it a Ybor City restaurant or a home in Belmar Shore. And if you’re unlucky, those hazards can cause accidents that leave you badly injured.
If you suffered harm because of an unsafe condition on someone else’s property in Tampa, Florida, the law may entitle you to compensation. The experienced Tampa premises liability lawyers at the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm can help you find out about your rights. We represent injured Floridians in lawsuits and insurance claims seeking payment for injuries they sustained on dangerous premises throughout the Tampa area.
About Your Tampa Premises Liability Legal Team
The Holliday Karatinos Law Firm is an experienced personal injury law firm serving clients in Tampa and throughout the Sunshine State. Our team has over 50 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of injured Floridians. Since 2006, our lawyers have secured over $125 million for our clients in personal injury cases.
We are a full-service personal injury team that handles a wide range of cases. Accidents involving dangerous conditions at Tampa-area commercial, residential, and public properties constitute a core part of our law practice. We strive to hold property owners, tenants, and managers accountable for decisions that put our clients in harm’s way.
Our former clients have noted our compassionate, knowledgeable, and personalized approach to getting them compensation for their injuries, so they can meet their expenses and return to living their lives.
What is premises liability?
Premises liability is legal terminology for the idea that people who own or control property must take reasonable steps to keep visitors safe, and if they don’t, they should pay damages to visitors who get hurt as a result. Premises liability lawyers represent people who suffer injuries because of a dangerous condition on a property they visit. You may have a premises liability claim if:
- You visited or spent time at commercial, residential, public property in Tampa that is owned or controlled by someone else;
- While there, you suffered an injury;
- The injury happened because of a dangerous condition or situation on the property; and
- The property’s owner, tenant, or management reasonably should have fixed, kept you away from, or warned you about that danger.
Virtually any accident fitting these criteria can lead to a premises liability case. But many premises liability claims we handle at the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm fall into one of the following categories.
Preventable Falls (a.k.a. Slip and Fall Accidents)
Falls constitute a leading cause of accidental injuries in the United States, and a major contributor to premises liability claims. Property owners in Tampa have a duty to keep you safe from conditions that could cause you to slip, trip, stumble, or lose your footing. If you fell and got hurt because of wet floors, cracked pavement, a loose handrail, or poor lighting at a Tampa property, for example, you could have a premises liability claim.
Swimming Pool Accidents
Pools at Tampa-area hotels, homes, rec centers, and parks pose a potential hazard that their owners must take reasonable care to minimize by, for example, restricting access, posting signage, fixing cracked pool decks, and ensuring proper water treatment. You may have a premises liability claim if you or someone you love drowned or nearly drowned, got sick from contaminated pool water, sustained a head injury in a fall or dive into shallow water, or otherwise suffered harm because of an unsafe condition at a pool.
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
Florida law generally holds dog owners strictly liable for damages suffered by anyone their dog bites, regardless of the dog’s prior viciousness or the owner’s knowledge of the dog’s viciousness. Owners of other domestic animals, from cats to boa constrictors, may also have liability for harm their pets cause to others. And the owner of the property where an animal attack occurs, even if not the owner of the animal itself, can also owe damages to you for failing to take reasonable steps to keep you safe.
Elevator and Escalator Accidents
Owners and managers of shopping centers, office towers, and apartment buildings in Tampa must ensure the safe operation of elevators and escalators on their premises. This typically requires performing regular maintenance and inspection, and closing down malfunctioning equipment. A premises liability claim can arise when someone gets hurt, for example, on an escalator that stops suddenly or an elevator that drops without warning.
Negligent Security
Tampa property owners cannot realistically eliminate crime, but they do have to take reasonable steps to make sure the conditions on their premises don’t facilitate criminal behavior. That might mean hiring security guards, maintaining working door locks and security cameras, and having adequate lighting in parking lots and walkways. Many crime victims do not realize they may have a premises liability claim if a perpetrator took advantage of negligent security to victimize a visitor.
Fires and Other Structural Hazards
Virtually all buildings in Tampa must meet fire safety regulations, which include maintaining signage, escape routes, and fire suppression systems. They must also be built in a manner that can survive known hazards like wind and flooding. If you suffered injuries in a Tampa building fire or other structural failures, you may have a premises liability claim to make for an owner or operator’s failure to meet these standards.
Toxic Exposures and Environmental Hazards
From gas leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning, and caustic cleaning products to asbestos and mold, some chemical and environmental hazards at a Tampa property can put you at risk of severe injury and illness. The party in control of a property must keep you safe from these conditions and address them when they arise. A premises liability claim can be based on harm suffered from breathing toxic fumes or developing chronic health problems from long-term exposure to contaminants in water or other hazards.
Amusement Park Accidents
Amusement parks draw millions to the Tampa region every year. Their owners and operators must keep rides and facilities safe for everyone, and when they don’t, they face legal liability. Park guests can pursue compensation for damages if they suffer harm from hazards such as malfunctioning rides, contaminated food, or unruly patrons.
Potential Compensation for a Tampa Premises Liability Injury
Florida law generally entitles you to compensation for the damages you suffered because of a dangerous property condition in Tampa. At the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, we have secured payment for a wide range of harms sustained by our clients.
Every case is different, but claims for compensation often include:
- Past and future medical expenses;
- Other costs associated with your injuries and losses;
- Lost wages from missing work;
- Vacation time and sick leave used;
- Lost future income because a disability keeps you out of work;
- Physical pain and discomfort;
- Emotional suffering and mental health concerns;
- Inconvenience and life disruption;
- Loss of enjoyment of relationships and activities.
In some cases, we can also convince a court to award punitive damages to punish a Tampa property owner for extreme or intentionally harmful conduct. We invite you to contact us today to learn about the range of damages you might have the right to recover for your losses.
How We Can Help in Tampa Premises Liability Cases
The experienced trial lawyers at the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm take all premises liability claims seriously. When clients seek our help after getting hurt at a Tampa property, we’re prepared to take all necessary steps to get them the money they deserve for medical care and to move on from their trauma.
We can, for example:
- Evaluate your case quickly to ensure your rights stay protected, and that legal deadlines don’t expire;
- Explain your options clearly and answer your questions promptly;
- Dig into the evidence to determine how your injury happened and who could have prevented it;
- Handle all communications on your behalf with insurance companies and accident investigators;
- Present strong, well-documented insurance claims and lawsuits seeking damages for your injuries;
- Participate in settlement negotiations and advise you on settlement offers;
- Go to trial to prove your case to a Tampa-area judge and jury;
- Secure and distribute the money owed to you under a settlement, insurance policy, or jury award.
The clients we represent in Tampa premises liability cases do not have to worry about how they will afford our services. We take cases on a contingent fee basis, which means we do not charge upfront fees or bill our clients by the hour. Instead, our fee consists of a percentage of any money we secure on their behalf. If we don’t get you positive results, in other words, you don’t owe us a penny.
Tips for Protecting Your Tampa Premises Liability Claim
To protect your rights after getting hurt because of a hazard at a Tampa property, consider following these tips.
Prioritize Medical Care
Always visit a doctor for a checkup after any accident at a property in Tampa, even if you don’t feel severely injured. What you think is just a minor bump or bruise could, in fact, signal a critical health problem like a traumatic brain injury, spinal damage, or internal bleeding. Don’t take risks with your health. Asking a qualified medical professional to examine you for injuries protects your health and safeguards your legal rights.
Report the Accident to Someone in Charge
Maximizing your recovery may depend on promptly telling someone at the property where you got hurt about what happened. Doing so puts the owner or operator on notice of the dangerous property condition and the injury it caused you. That, in turn, prevents the property owner from denying responsibility for the harm you suffered. It can also protect your right to recover damages under the owner’s liability insurance policy.
Do Not Agree to a Quick Settlement or In-Kind Payment
Tampa property owners, tenants, and managers may act quickly to compensate you for your loss. It’s particularly common for them to do so when you get hurt at a commercial establishment. Some might offer a quick cash settlement from their insurance company. Others might offer in-kind payments, like free stays, meals, or other property-related perks.
We strongly urge against accepting any such payments or benefits without first consulting with an experienced Tampa premises liability lawyer. The amount offered to you in the wake of a premises liability accident rarely reflects the true value of your damages claim. But if you accept a low initial compensation, you could forfeit your right to much needed compensation later.
In virtually all cases, the safest bet is to decline quick or in-kind payments and to leave it to a skilled attorney to negotiate a payment on your behalf. A lawyer can nearly always get you far more than the amount offered directly to you by the at-fault party.
Seek Legal Help Immediately
Talking to a lawyer might not be the first thing on your mind after you get hurt in a Tampa premises liability accident. But benefiting from a lawyer’s advice and counsel can go a long way in promoting your rights. Importantly, you have only a limited amount of time to take legal action for your losses. Connect with a Tampa premises liability lawyer to protect you from missing critical deadlines that can affect your rights.
Contact an Experienced Tampa Premises Liability Lawyer Today
Hidden hazards at properties throughout Tampa put you at risk of severe injuries. If you or someone you love suffered harm from a dangerous property condition, you may have valuable rights to compensation. Contacting a lawyer today is the most reliable and safest way to protect those rights and explore your options. Reach out to a Tampa personal injury lawyer.
The Holliday Karatinos Law Firm has years of experience securing money for premises liability injuries. We make your recovery from injury and loss our personal commitment. For your free consultation about your rights after a Tampa premises liability accident, contact us today at (813) 868-1887.
Client Testimonial
"Attorney James Holliday is the best attorney I have ever worked with. I went to him after an auto accident and I was impressed with his knowledge of the situation and judgement on how to proceed. In the end, Mr. Holliday was able to obtain full compensation. He was also a pleasure to work with."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Barb C.
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