Tort, Transportation and Insurance

Premises Liability

Attorneys in our Tort, Transportation and Insurance group specialize in defending premises liability actions brought against residential, commercial and industrial property owners, including casinos, apartment complexes, and worksites.  Our cases have run the gamut, from “routine” slip and falls (although we don’t treat any case or client as “routine”) to major injuries and deaths occurring as a result of alleged negligence on the part of the property owner in maintaining its property, or resulting from criminal activity on the premises, or alleged toxic exposures.

Our success in defending premises liability claims starts with a vigorous investigation of the claim, and that includes becoming thoroughly familiar with our client’s premises and our client’s business operations.  This area of the law is constantly evolving.  Our attorneys stay up to the minute with the latest court decisions, legislative enactments, and federal regulations.  We can and will take a “defense case” to trial, utilizing our years of trial experience blended with the latest courtroom technology and multi-media presentation.  With the ever increasing trend towards Alternative Dispute Resolution, we also bring our best mediation and negotiating skills to bear in looking for the earliest and best opportunity to reach advantageous settlements when that is in the client’s best interest. 

In all cases, we seek to be responsive to the client at all times, and to render zealous, tough minded, cost effective representation.

Practice highlights:

• Our premises liability clients range from small businesses and proprietorships to major national companies.
  
  
• We handle premises liability claims for self-insured property owners, those with a high self-insured retention, and insurance companies who retain us to defend their insureds.
  
  
• Premises liability cases often involve property law issues, product liability claims, and workers’ compensation law.  Our Group can easily draw on the resources and expertise of other Butler Snow lawyers in these specialties when necessary.
  
  
• Our premises liability specialists are active members in the Defense Research Institute (“DRI”), Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association, and associations of risk managers.

Representative experience:     

• We have handled large numbers of premises claims for one of the major casinos in the United States.
  
  
• We have represented major real estate owners and management companies in defending premises liability claims arising from criminal activity occurring at apartment complexes.
  
  
• We have defended lawsuits involving work site accidents at commercial and major industrial locations, including claims of dangerous site conditions, allegedly defective equipment and machinery, and alleged toxic exposures.

For additional information on Premises Liability, please contact Richard W. Sliman.