Were you injured in a premises liability incident in Savannah, GA?

At Deitch + Rogers, we help injured clients understand their rights after a premises liability incident in Savannah, GA.

Savannah draws millions of visitors every year, and the properties that serve those visitors, along with the apartment complexes, businesses, and commercial establishments that residents rely on, carry a legal duty to provide reasonable security. When a property owner fails to meet that obligation and a violent crime occurs as a result, the victim may pursue a civil claim for compensation. Deitch + Rogers has represented crime victims in premises liability cases throughout Georgia for more than four decades. Our Savannah, GA premises liability lawyer can meet with you for a free consultation to evaluate your potential claim.

Premises Liability Lawyer Savannah, GA

The duty to maintain safe premises applies across every type of property in Savannah. Apartment landlords, hotel operators, restaurant owners, gas station proprietors, and retail businesses all owe a duty of ordinary care to the people on their property. That duty includes taking reasonable steps to address foreseeable security threats.

What counts as “reasonable” depends on the circumstances. A hotel in a high-crime corridor has different obligations than a residential property in a low-crime neighborhood. But when any property owner ignores known security problems and someone gets hurt because of it, the law provides a path to civil recovery. A Savannah premises liability attorney can evaluate whether the specific conditions on the property where you were injured support a claim.

Types of Premises Liability Cases We Handle in Savannah

Premises liability claims involving violent crime arise across a wide variety of properties in Savannah, GA. At Deitch + Rogers, we represent victims whose injuries resulted from a property owner’s failure to maintain safe conditions or provide adequate security. These are the types of cases we handle.

Shooting victims. Shootings at apartment complexes, parking lots, gas stations, and retail properties in Savannah give rise to premises liability claims when the property owner ignored known risks of gun violence. These cases often involve catastrophic or fatal injuries.
Sexual assault. Property owners may face civil liability when their negligence provides an attacker with access to a victim. Broken locks, absent lighting, nonfunctional surveillance, and lack of security staff are the types of failures we investigate in sexual assault premises liability cases.
Serious violent injuries. Assaults and other violent crimes on negligently secured properties can cause injuries that permanently alter a victim’s life. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and internal organ damage all fall within this category.
Child care injuries. Children harmed at daycare facilities or childcare centers due to negligent supervision or unsafe conditions deserve legal representation that accounts for both their immediate injuries and their long-term needs. We pursue claims on behalf of families whose children were injured at Savannah childcare facilities.
Negligent security. Some properties lack any functioning security whatsoever. No surveillance, no access controls, no patrol. When a violent crime happens in that environment and the owner had reason to know about the risk, the absence of security measures is central to the negligence claim.
Apartment and rental property crimes. Tenants depend on their landlord to maintain a safe living environment. When landlords in Savannah ignore repeated criminal activity, broken entry points, or failed lighting and a tenant or guest is assaulted or robbed, the landlord may be civilly liable.
Hotel and motel crimes. Guests at Savannah hotels and motels expect basic security. When management fails to address known vulnerabilities and a guest is harmed, the property owner or operator may be held responsible through a premises liability claim.
Commercial property violence. Gas stations, convenience stores, shopping centers, and entertainment venues all owe a duty to people on their premises. When businesses fail to take reasonable precautions against foreseeable criminal activity, victims of the resulting violence may pursue civil claims.

Why Choose Deitch + Rogers as My Premises Liability Lawyer in Savannah, GA?

Statewide Premises Liability Representation Rooted in Georgia

Deitch + Rogers represents crime victims throughout Georgia, including Savannah and the surrounding Chatham County area. The firm has recovered more than $200 million for clients, including a $15 million settlement in an apartment sexual assault premises liability matter, a $10 million recovery for a shooting on a commercial property, and a $9.75 million recovery for a victim of a shooting who suffered paralysis.

Founding Partner Gilbert Deitch has practiced premises liability law in Georgia since 1970. He is admitted to all Georgia courts, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, and Tennessee courts. Deitch has published in TRIAL Magazine, the Georgia State Bar Journal, and Crime Victims’ Litigation Quarterly, and his work has been featured in Atlanta Magazine and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.

Partner Kara Phillips earned her J.D. from John Marshall Law School in 2010 and is admitted to practice in Georgia, Tennessee, and West Virginia. She has been named a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” since 2016 and is a National Trial Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40” nominee. Phillips has published on the causation element in criminal attack premises liability cases in VERDICT magazine.

As a Savannah premises liability lawyer, we handle every case on a contingency fee basis. The firm advances all expenses. There are no attorney fees unless we recover.

What Is Important to Understand About a Premises Liability Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Premises Liability Cases

Victims of violent crime on negligently secured property in Savannah may recover compensation under several damage categories. Economic damages include medical costs, from emergency surgery and hospitalization through rehabilitation and ongoing care. Lost income and diminished earning capacity are also recoverable when the injury affects the victim’s ability to work. If the victim requires long-term therapy or assistive care, those costs factor into the economic damages as well.

Non-economic damages compensate for the emotional aftermath of the crime. Physical pain, psychological distress, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, and the disruption of personal relationships all qualify under Georgia law. Punitive damages may also apply where the property owner acted with willful indifference to the safety of people on the property.

Liability requires proof that the property owner had actual or constructive knowledge of a security deficiency and took no reasonable action to correct it. A history of prior crimes, documented complaints about safety failures, police reports involving the property, and the property’s compliance with or deviation from industry security standards all go toward establishing negligence.

What Are Important Aspects of a Premises Liability Case?

Every premises liability case has its own facts, but several elements consistently affect how these cases develop and what they are worth.

Whether the type of crime that occurred was foreseeable given the property’s location, crime history, and documented complaints
The property owner’s documented awareness of security deficiencies and what, if anything, they did about them
The condition of security measures at the time of the crime, including whether cameras, lighting, locks, and access gates were functioning
How quickly key evidence was preserved, particularly surveillance recordings, which are often overwritten within days
The nature and severity of the victim’s injuries and the long-term impact on their daily life

What Is the Premises Liability Case Timeline?

The timeline for resolving a premises liability claim depends on the complexity of the facts, the parties involved, and whether the case is resolved through settlement or proceeds to trial.

Investigation and evidence collection begin shortly after the incident and may continue for several months as security records and property history are obtained
The civil complaint must be filed within two years of the injury under Georgia’s statute of limitations, O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33
Discovery, including depositions, document production, and the retention of security and medical consultants, usually spans six months to well over a year
Mediation or settlement discussions may take place at various stages
Trial, if the case does not settle, extends the process by additional months

What Should You Bring to Your Premises Liability Consultation?

Gathering available documentation before the consultation helps us assess your claim. Bring what you have.

Police reports, incident reports, or criminal case numbers
Medical records and bills related to treatment for your injuries
Photographs of the property, the scene of the incident, or your injuries
Witness names and contact information
Any communications from the property owner, management company, insurer, or their attorney

We will review what happened, identify the potentially liable parties, and explain how a premises liability case would proceed. There is no cost for the meeting, and there is no obligation to move forward.

What Are Important Georgia Legal Resources for Premises Liability Cases?

Georgia law provides the legal framework for premises liability claims. The resources below can help you understand the statutes and programs that apply.

Georgia’s statute of limitations for personal injury, including premises liability, is two years from the date of injury under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. The Georgia General Assembly website provides access to all state statutes.
Under Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rule, O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, a plaintiff who is 50 percent or more at fault cannot recover. Below that threshold, the recovery is reduced in proportion to the plaintiff’s share of fault.
The Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council operates the Crime Victims Compensation Program, providing financial support to eligible victims of violent crime throughout the state, including in Savannah and Chatham County.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics tracks crime victimization data used by attorneys to support foreseeability arguments in premises liability cases.

Reach Out to Deitch + Rogers to Schedule a Consultation

If you or a family member was harmed by a crime on someone else’s property in Savannah, GA, Deitch + Rogers can help you evaluate your options. We handle premises liability claims on a contingency basis, advance all costs, and collect no attorney fees unless we recover. The initial consultation is free and confidential. Contact us to schedule a meeting with a Savannah, GA premises liability attorney.

Savannah Premises Liability Lawyer