Premises Liability Lawyer in Columbus, IN

A trip through a poorly lit parking lot, a wet floor with no warning sign, or a broken staircase railing can turn an ordinary errand into a life-altering injury in seconds. When that happens on someone else’s property, the resulting medical bills, lost income, and physical pain often leave victims wondering whether the property owner can be held responsible, and how to prove it.

At Wagner Reese LLP, we have spent decades representing injury victims throughout Indiana, and we are proud to now serve the Columbus community as well. Our firm was founded in 1997, and our attorneys bring a combined 150+ years of experience to catastrophic injury cases, including the premises liability claims that too often leave families without answers. We work on a contingency basis, so you never pay out of pocket for our services, and we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. If you were hurt on someone else’s property in Indiana, we want to help you understand your options. If you are searching for a personal injury attorney Columbus after being hurt on someone else’s property, we can review what happened and explain your options.

What Qualifies as a Premises Liability Claim in Columbus

Property owners and managers in Columbus have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors, whether that property is a retail store, an apartment complex, a restaurant, or a private residence. When an owner fails to fix a known hazard, or fails to warn visitors of a danger they knew or should have known about, they can be held liable for the injuries that follow. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls send roughly 3 million older adults to the emergency room every year, and many of those falls happen on someone else’s property because of conditions the owner could have corrected. Premises liability claims are not limited to slip and fall accidents, either. They can also involve drowning accidents at pools and water parks, as well as fires and gas explosions caused by poor maintenance or faulty equipment.

Common Places Premises Liability Injuries Happen in Columbus

Because Columbus is home to a mix of retail centers, apartment communities, medical facilities, and public spaces, premises liability injuries can occur almost anywhere. We regularly see cases that arise from the following types of properties and conditions:

• Grocery stores and retail shops with spilled liquids, loose flooring, or cluttered aisles
• Apartment complexes with broken stairs, faulty lighting, or inadequate security
• Restaurants and bars with wet floors near entrances or kitchens
• Parking lots and sidewalks with potholes, ice, or uneven pavement
• Swimming pools and recreational facilities without proper supervision or fencing
  
  

Whatever the setting, the key question is always whether the property owner acted reasonably to prevent the hazard that caused your injury. Landlords in Indiana can be held responsible for injuries their tenants or guests suffer when they fail to maintain their properties, and the same standard applies to commercial property owners across Columbus.

Indiana Premises Liability Law and Your Columbus Claim

Under Indiana law, the duty a property owner owes to someone hurt on their premises often depends on that person’s legal status at the time of the injury. Invited customers and guests, known as invitees, are owed the highest duty of care, while the duty owed to a social guest or trespasser can be more limited, which is why classifying your status on the property is often one of the first steps in evaluating a Columbus premises liability claim.

Indiana also follows a modified comparative fault rule under IC § 34-51-2-6, meaning a Columbus premises liability victim can still recover damages as long as their share of fault does not exceed 50 percent, though any recovery is reduced by that percentage. Claims involving city-owned property, such as a municipal sidewalk or a public park, may also trigger a 180-day notice requirement under the Indiana Tort Claims Act, so acting quickly after a fall on government property is especially important.

Why Columbus Residents Turn to Wagner Reese LLP

We are not a high-volume firm that settles cases quickly for less than they are worth. We are a boutique practice that is selective about the cases we take, focusing on catastrophic injuries that require real litigation experience. Our attorneys are recognized year after year by Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America, and our firm has been named a Tier-One Best Lawyers Law Firm as well. 

Founding partner Stephen Wagner was named Indiana Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association in 2006, and founding partner Jason Reese received the Leadership in Law Distinguished Barrister Award from The Indiana Lawyer in 2019. Our attorneys treat every client like a person, not a case number.

Contact Wagner Reese LLP About Your Columbus Premises Liability Case

If you were injured on someone else’s property in Columbus, you deserve a legal team that understands how to investigate a premises liability claim and hold negligent property owners accountable. Our attorneys have handled complex, high-value cases throughout Indiana for decades, and we bring that same experience and dedication to every Columbus client we represent, all without charging any upfront fees.

You do not have to figure out your next steps alone. Reach out to Wagner Reese LLP today through our contact form to schedule a free consultation, and let us help you understand the compensation you may be owed for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.