When a business on McFarland Boulevard, an apartment complex near the University of Alabama, a restaurant on University Boulevard, or any other property owner in Tuscaloosa fails to maintain a safe environment for visitors, and someone is injured as a result, the property owner can be held liable. Premises liability law imposes a duty of care on property owners toward people who have a right to be on their property. At Simmons Law, Chris Simmons handles premises liability cases throughout Tuscaloosa County — from slip and fall accidents in commercial properties to inadequate security claims at venues that host large crowds.
Types of Premises Liability Claims in Tuscaloosa
Slip and fall accidents are the most common premises liability claim. Wet floors without warning signs, uneven sidewalks at commercial properties along Skyland Boulevard, poorly lit stairwells in student apartment complexes near the UA campus, and ice or standing water in parking lots during Alabama's winter rain events all create fall hazards that property owners are responsible for addressing. Falls can produce serious injuries — broken hips, wrist fractures, traumatic brain injuries from striking the ground — particularly in older individuals.
Inadequate security claims arise when a property owner fails to provide reasonable security measures and someone is injured by a third-party criminal act on the premises. Tuscaloosa's entertainment district and apartment complexes that cater to students — particularly near the campus bars and venues along University Boulevard and 15th Street — have been the sites of assaults and other crimes. When a property owner knew or should have known of a foreseeable security risk and failed to address it, they can be held liable for the resulting harm.
Construction sites along Tuscaloosa's growing commercial corridors create additional hazard zones — falling debris, unmarked excavations, inadequate barriers between active work zones and public access areas. Game day conditions at Bryant-Denny Stadium and surrounding facilities create crowding and injury risks that large event venue operators have a duty to anticipate and mitigate.
The Legal Standard: Invitees, Licensees, and Trespassers
Alabama premises liability law applies different standards of care depending on the visitor's status. Business invitees — customers at a McFarland Boulevard retailer, diners at a University Boulevard restaurant, attendees at a Bryant-Denny Stadium event — are owed the highest duty: the property owner must use reasonable care to inspect the premises and correct or warn of known hazards. Licensees — social guests, for example — are owed a duty to warn of known hazards but not to actively inspect for unknown ones. Trespassers are generally owed only a duty to refrain from willful or wanton injury.
Establishing which category applies — and proving the property owner breached the applicable duty — requires evidence about the hazard's nature, how long it had existed, and whether the owner knew or should have known about it. Incident reports filed with the business, prior complaints, maintenance records, and surveillance footage from the property are all potentially critical. This evidence must be preserved through formal legal demand before it disappears.
Injuries and Damages
Premises liability injuries in Tuscaloosa range from sprains and fractures to traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damage depending on the mechanism of injury. Slip and fall victims are frequently treated at DCH Regional Medical Center at 809 University Boulevard East or at affiliated facilities. The damages in a premises liability case include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and in serious cases, permanent impairment.
Cases are filed in the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court at 714 Greensboro Avenue when litigation is required. Alabama's two-year statute of limitations under § 6-2-38 applies. Simmons Law represents premises liability victims on a contingency basis — no fee unless there is a recovery.
