PREMISES LIABILITY

Accidents happen, but they should not erase responsibility. If you have been injured at another person’s home or business, you may be able to hold the property owner accountable for your medical bills, wages lost from time off work, and the wrongful pain and suffering you experienced. Though we would need to meet with you personally in order to discuss the details, we’d like to address a few of the questions and comments that may have already come to mind.

What Are Some Common Types of Premises Liability Cases?

• Injuries caused by poorly maintained property

• Slip and falls

• Swimming pool injuries

• Injuries enabled and/or allowed to occur due to inadequate security on the premises

• Burns, injuries, and/or deaths caused by fires

Injuries at Retail Stores, Restaurants, & Businesses

Generally, under Texas law, a business and/or property owner has an obligation to provide safe premises to its customers, including an obligation to inspect the premises for any dangerous conditions, to make any such conditions reasonably safe, and/or to warn its customers of any dangerous conditions. Dangerous conditions can be present in many different types and forms. If you have been injured while visiting a retail store, restaurant, or other business, there are legal rights and remedies available that could compensate you for your injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and non-economic damages such as past and future physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, and/or disfigurement.

Injuries Sustained at an Individual’s Home

If you were injured while visiting someone else at their personal residence, it may have been the home of a friend or family member. In this situation, it is very common for an injured person to have doubts on whether to pursue a claim or seek a recovery. However, many homeowner’s and/or renter’s insurance policies specifically provide coverage for injuries sustained while at or inside a residential property, even those that were accidental in nature. It is also important to keep in mind that most friends and family members will have your best interest at heart and will understand the need for an insurance claim to be made. Additionally, the homeowner or renter of the residence has paid insurance premiums to their insurance carrier for months or even years for the specific intent of having coverage for these types of incidents.

Protecting the Safety of Others

The sad truth is that positive changes are not often made unless there is motivation to do so. By speaking out about what happened to you, you encourage better safeguards to be enforced going forward. Conversely, if you choose to remain silent about your accident and “let it go,” the property owner in question may not follow through on implementing the necessary safety precautions, leaving others vulnerable to the same fate. Therefore, by standing up for yourself, you may also be standing up for the well-being of others.