Premises Liability Attorneys in Charlotte

Holding Business Owners Accountable for Unsafe

Under North Carolina common law, it is the responsibility of the business owner to maintain safe premises. As businesses are a part of the community, they have a responsibility to prevent dangerous conditions, or alert people of those dangerous conditions if they exist. The legal team at Price, Petho & Anderson has provided representation to Mecklenburg County residents by helping them hold business owners responsible when their premises are unsafe.

When are Businesses Liable for Negligence?

Some people may assume a lawsuit can occur simply when someone falls on ordinarily safe grounds. If someone were to trip down the stairs, but the stairway was reasonably safe, they would not likely have a strong case against the business owner.

To state a claim for common law negligence, a plaintiff must allege:

• Legal duty—This means business owners must exercise reasonable care in keeping their premises safe. If they have a sidewalk in front of their business, for example, they are required to keep it free of slip hazards. If they are unaware of dangerous conditions, it must be because no one has brought it to their attention, or the conditions would not be reasonably visible to anyone.
• Breach of that legal duty—If a business owner is aware of dangerous conditions on their premises, they have a responsibility to either remedy the problem to make it safe, or provide warnings of the conditions. The exception is when the danger is obvious.
• Injury caused by the breach—As North Carolina upholds laws of contributory negligence, a business owner may be able to get off the hook by proving that the victim of unsafe premises was in some way at fault. There is also a three year statute of limitations, so the problem must be reported within a reasonable time frame.

How We Can Help

With decades spent helping our clients obtain compensation for damages, we have the understanding and experience necessary to help you craft a strong case. Our attorneys have helped clients demonstrate negligence on the part of business owners to secure reparative settlements. With North Carolina’s contributory negligence laws, hiring an experienced attorney can make all the difference. Don’t fight your case alone.