St. Petersburg Premises Liability Attorney

When you slip and fall in the grocery store or twist your ankle because of the negligence of an establishment, you need the help of trained Florida premises liability attorneys to defend your rights. The St. Petersburg premises liability attorneys of Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner are well-versed in these cases, and we provide personal care throughout the legal process to ensure a positive result in your case. With nearly 60 years of combined legal experience, our dynamic trial lawyers have the know-how to get regular people results, in and out of the courtroom.

Why Choose Us

Our St. Petersburg injury attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts for injured people across the state of Florida. We are dedicated to securing the best possible outcome in your case.
The aftermath of a premises liability injury can be painful. Our attorneys will handle all aspects of your case so you can focus on recovery, and will gladly meet with you at your home, hospital room, or another location for your convenience.
Our firm understands the financial hardship that accompanies a recent injury. That is why we operate on a contingency fee basis for maximum affordability. If we do not secure compensation in your case, you will not be charged legal fees.

Property Owners Have a Responsibility to Maintain Safe Premises

Premises liability cases can be difficult to prosecute. Property owners are keen to avoid any claims of responsibility and often attempt to hide evidence that may incriminate them. However, owners have a legal obligation to maintain safe properties.

As your personal injury lawyer, we take the following issues into account when analyzing your case:

Condition of the property
Acts on the property
Owner of the property
Seriousness of injury
Cause of the injury

Our attorneys craft a well-rounded argument to prove negligence on the part of the premises owner. We address your claim from every possible perspective, making sure we have an airtight case to take to court.

How to Prove a Florida Premises Liability Lawsuit

To secure compensation in a St. Petersburg premises liability lawsuit, you will need to prove that the property owner is liable for your accident and resulting injuries. This will involve providing enough evidence to establish the at-fault party’s negligence, or a failure to uphold a certain duty of care. You and your attorney will need to prove the following four elements in order to establish the property owner’s liability.

Duty: The at-fault property owner owed you a duty of care at the time of the accident. All property owners have a duty to maintain safe premises, respond to hazards within a reasonable amount of time, and warn visitors of potential dangers.
Breach of duty: The property owner breached his or her duty of care through a negligent act or failure to act. For example, a landlord who ignores repeated requests to provide stronger security for an apartment complex breaches his or her duty to maintain safe premises.
Causation: The property owner’s breach of duty caused your accident and resulting injuries. You can use many pieces of evidence to establish causation, including surveillance footage, witness testimony, expert witness statements, and correspondence.
Damages: You sustained damages in the accident that you can collect through your lawsuit. Documents that can establish your right to damages include medical records, paystubs, invoices, and journal entries.

For example, say that you are visiting a friend at his apartment complex. You are unaware that the stairs leading up to your friend’s apartment are broken and residents have complained to the landlord about the hazard for months. You fall through these stairs and break your leg.

In this situation, the landlord breached his duty of care by failing to repair the stairs when residents complained about the hazard. He also breached his duty by not placing adequate signage to warn visitors about the broken stairs. If the landlord had upheld his duty, you would not have sustained your injuries. Therefore, you are eligible to hold the landlord liable for the losses you sustained in the accident.

Creating a Strategic Case

Many slip and fall accidents, as well as other premises liability claims, are summarily denied by the property owner until a lawsuit is filed to hold them accountable. The St. Petersburg premises liability attorneys of Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner know that you deserve more, and therefore we work to secure compensation such as:

Lost wages. If you miss work as a result of your injury, we seek compensation for your lost wages.
Medical coverage. Unfortunately, medical treatment can be quite expensive. We obtain compensation for your medical bills.
Pain and suffering. We obtain damages to compensate you for your pain and suffering.

Common Defenses to Premises Liability Claims

Although you may be able to establish the property owner’s liability, he or she may defend himself or herself using a number of common strategies. In many premises liability cases, property owners claim that they were unaware of the hazard or did not have enough time to respond to it. They may also claim that they took the necessary steps to warn visitors. A property owner may also claim that you are partially responsible for the accident in some way.

In these situations, it is important to have an attorney on your side. A St. Petersburg premises liability lawyer from Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner can defend you against accusations of shared fault and craft a compelling case to establish the property owner’s liability.

Find Out More About Your Litigation Options Today

When you suffer an injury on someone else’s property and believe it to be the result of the owner’s negligence, it is extremely important that you contact the St. Petersburg premises liability lawyers at Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner. To learn more about premises liability cases, contact our office to schedule a free consultation. We are accessible to you at all times through our off-hours phone service, and we can come to you if you are unable to come to our office for your consultation.