Premises Liability Laws in Missouri: Know Your Rights

Premises liability law deals with the injuries one person suffers on another person’s property. Property owners must keep their premises (the buildings and land that make up their real property) safe, and when they fail to do so, they can be held accountable for any injuries that failure causes.

Premises liability law protects both property owners and visitors by setting clear rules about safety and responsibility.

The Property Owner’s Duty of Care

In Missouri, property owners have a legal responsibility, or “duty of care,” to keep their premises safe for others. This duty means that property owners must regularly inspect their properties and fix or provide suitable warnings for any known dangers. 

For example, if a store owner knows about a broken step, they must repair it to prevent people from getting hurt. If something can’t be fixed right away, like a wet floor, the owner must warn people about it. This is to ensure that anyone who comes onto the property doesn’t get injured because of a hazard the owner knows or should know about. 

The main goal of premises liability law is to protect people from harm while they are on someone else’s property. Property owners need to understand this duty because they could be legally responsible for any accidents that happen if they don’t keep their properties safe.

Invitees vs. Licensees vs. Trespassers

Missouri premises liability law classifies people who visit a property as invitees, licensees, or trespassers. Each class of visitor has different rights, and property owners owe them different levels of care:

• Invitees: Invitees are people who come onto a property for both their own benefit and that of the owner, like customers in a store. Property owners owe them the highest duty of care. Owners must regularly check their properties for any dangers and fix them. They should also warn invitees about any hazards they can’t fix immediately to ensure invitees stay safe.
• Licensees: Licensees are people on a property for their own business or interest, like friends visiting your home. Property owners owe them a lesser duty of care compared to invitees. Owners must warn licensees about any known dangers on the property. However, they don’t have to inspect the property regularly for potential risks as they do for invitees.
• Trespassers: Trespassers are people who come onto a property without permission. Property owners owe the lowest duty of care to trespassers. In Missouri, the owner’s primary responsibility is not intentionally harming trespassers. However, if the owner knows trespassers come onto their property often, they might need to warn them about serious dangers.

Get in Touch with a Premises Liability Lawyer in Missouri

Did you or someone you know get hurt on someone else’s property? If so, it’s easy to get confused about factors like visitor status and owner responsibility.

A Missouri premises liability lawyer from The Hullverson Law Firm can provide the support and clarity you need. We can also prepare a robust case on your behalf and demand the fair compensation you deserve. 

Contact us today to discuss the specifics of your Missouri premises liability case in an initial consultation.