Under Oklahoma premises liability law, anyone who owns or manages private or public property has a duty to keep visitors reasonably safe on the premises. However, their degree of duty depends on a number of factors — including the overall reason for your visit.
If you sustain injuries on the property of others, your rights to compensation range from full to nil based on why you are on the property. As explained by Distinctly Oklahoma, there are three types of visitors from a legal standpoint:
- Invitees are visitors to commercial premises, including (but not limited to) stores or restaurants. Under Oklahoma premises liability law, owners are responsible for exercising reasonable care to keep premises safe for invitees.
- Licensees are typically social guests visiting a private home. As a licensee, you have the right to expect the property owner to notify you of any known dangerous conditions that you would be unlikely to discover on your own.
- Trespassers have no authority to be on the property and may be there for illegal purposes. They have no rights to expect property owners to take any action to keep them safe, but owners may be subject to premises liability actions if they willfully cause injuries.
Of course, under complex premises liability law, the type of injured visitor is only one factor that affects the ability of victims to successfully pursue damages. To help protect your rights, avoid discussing the accident or completing forms at the accident site and see a doctor as soon as possible to assess your injuries and begin medical treatment. Then schedule a free initial consultation with a premises liability lawyer at Stipe Law Firm who can explain your legal options and handle the investigations and other legal matters that can help you pursue the full compensation you deserve.