If you’re here today, chances are you or someone close to you has suffered an injury on someone else’s property. Maybe it happened in a store, a restaurant, a hotel, or even a neighbor’s home. No matter where it happened, you’re probably feeling confused, overwhelmed, and unsure about what comes next. You might be dealing with pain, medical bills, missed work, and worries about the future. These are tough times. At our firm, we understand what you’re going through, and we’re here to help. We know how to guide people through premises liability cases in Mississippi, and we want you to know that you’re not alone.
Brad Morris
Attorney
Understanding What Premises Liability Means
Premises liability is a legal term that simply means a property owner has a duty to keep their property safe. If someone gets hurt because the owner didn’t take care of something dangerous, that owner may be responsible. In Mississippi, people who own businesses, homes, or land must make sure their property is safe for others. If they fail to do that, and someone gets injured, it can lead to a premises liability case.
Every year, many people in Mississippi suffer injuries due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. These injuries can be serious and life-changing. That’s why it’s important to know what causes them. Understanding the top reasons people get hurt on other people’s property can help you see how a case like yours fits into the law.
Slips and Falls Are the Most Common Cause
Slips and falls are one of the leading causes of premises liability injuries in Mississippi. These accidents happen when floors are wet, slippery, or have uneven surfaces. You might see this in a grocery store where something has spilled and wasn’t cleaned up. Or maybe in a hotel where a loose carpet trips someone. These accidents can lead to broken bones, head injuries, and back problems. When property owners don’t take the time to fix or warn people about these hazards, serious harm can follow.
Mississippi courts look at whether the owner knew about the danger or should have known. If they did, and they didn’t fix it or warn you, they could be held responsible. That’s how many slip and fall cases are won in this state.
Poor Lighting Can Lead to Serious Harm
Another top reason people get hurt is poor lighting. When parking lots, stairways, or hallways are not well lit, it’s hard to see where you’re going. This can lead to trips, falls, or even violent crime if someone is attacked in a dark area. Property owners need to make sure that people can safely move through their property, especially at night or in places where visibility is important.
Lighting is often overlooked, but it plays a big role in safety. A case involving poor lighting may focus on whether the owner had working lights, how long the lights were out, and whether they had been warned about the issue. If these things show the owner didn’t take action, they could be responsible for your injuries.
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Broken Stairs, Railings, and Walkways Create Dangerous Situations
Stairs, steps, railings, and walkways are part of many buildings in Mississippi. When they are broken, uneven, or missing safety features, they become serious hazards. A missing handrail or loose step might seem small, but the injuries that follow can be major. Property owners must maintain these areas to make sure they’re safe to use. That includes regular checks, repairs, and warnings when something goes wrong.
People have suffered from fractures, spinal injuries, and more because of unsafe stairs or sidewalks. These cases often focus on building codes and whether the owner followed the rules for safety. If not, it could show they were careless, and that carelessness led to your injury.
Negligent Security Can Lead to Assault or Harm
Sometimes, a person is injured not because of a broken object or slippery floor, but because of a crime that happened due to lack of proper security. This is known as negligent security. For example, if someone is attacked in a hotel parking lot that has no cameras or security guards, the hotel may be responsible for not protecting its guests.
Mississippi law allows victims to hold property owners responsible if they didn’t take steps to prevent crime in places where crime is likely. This could include shopping centers, apartment complexes, or nightclubs. These cases often involve showing that the owner knew the area had a history of crime and still didn’t do enough to keep people safe.
Dog Bites Can Be a Form of Premises Liability
Dog bites are also part of premises liability law in Mississippi. If a dog bites someone while on the owner’s property, the owner could be responsible—especially if the dog had shown signs of aggression before. Dog attacks can lead to cuts, infections, emotional trauma, and scarring.
Mississippi follows what’s known as the “one bite rule,” but that doesn’t mean a dog gets a free pass. If the owner knew the dog was dangerous, they can be held accountable. This is especially true if the dog was not on a leash or behind a fence when it should have been.
Falling Objects Are Often Overlooked
Sometimes people are injured by objects falling from shelves, roofs, or signs. This often happens in stores where items are stacked too high or not secured properly. A heavy box, tool, or display item can cause head injuries, neck pain, or worse if it falls onto someone.
Businesses have a duty to make sure their products and displays are safe. If they don’t, and something falls and causes harm, they may have to pay for the damage. These cases often involve looking at whether the item was placed in a risky spot and if the business knew or should have known it was unsafe.
Swimming Pools and Attractive Nuisances Are a Risk to Children
Pools, trampolines, and other things that draw children in can be called “attractive nuisances.” These things may seem fun, but they are also dangerous—especially if they are not fenced or locked. In Mississippi, property owners must take extra care when something on their land could hurt a child.
Children don’t always understand risk. That’s why the law puts more responsibility on adults to protect them. If a child drowns or gets hurt because a pool was left open, the property owner can be held responsible.
Lack of Warning Signs Can Make a Hazard Worse
Even when a danger can’t be fixed right away, the property owner must still warn people. Signs, cones, or tape can show someone that a floor is wet, an area is under repair, or something might fall. If no warning is given, people might walk into danger without knowing it. That’s when injuries happen.
In many cases, the absence of a warning sign is one of the strongest points in favor of the injured person. Courts look at how easy it would have been to warn people and how long the danger had been there. If the owner did nothing, that can help prove your case.
Fires, Electrocution, and Chemical Exposure Can Also Fall Under Premises Liability
In rare but serious cases, people can be injured by fire, electrical shock, or chemicals left out in unsafe places. These are more likely in workplaces, construction sites, or industrial properties, but they can also happen in apartment buildings and stores. When owners fail to follow fire safety laws or let dangerous materials sit out where they can hurt someone, they may be held liable.
These cases often involve expert investigation and a deep look at safety rules. But they are still rooted in the same idea: if someone didn’t take care of their property, and you were hurt, the law says they should help you recover.
Getting Legal Help Can Make a Big Difference
Premises liability cases can be hard to prove on your own. Property owners and insurance companies often try to shift the blame or say you were at fault. But when you work with a law firm that understands Mississippi law, you have someone on your side who can gather the facts, talk to witnesses, get video footage, and fight for you in court if needed.
Every case is different. That’s why it’s important to have someone review your situation and explain what your options are. You don’t have to go through this alone. The pain, the medical bills, and the stress can feel like too much. But legal help is just a phone call away.
If you or someone you love has been injured because of unsafe property conditions, now is the time to take action. Reach out today and find out what steps you can take to get the compensation you need for recovery. The team at Brad Morris Law Firm, PLLC is ready to listen, ready to help, and ready to fight for your future.