Houston Premises Liability Lawyer

Property owners, land owners, and business owners are held accountable in Texas for any accidents or injuries that occur on their premises. If you or a loved one has been injured on someone else’s property due to poor maintenance or otherwise unsafe conditions, a Houston premises liability lawyer might be able to help you get compensation for your suffering.

Slipping and falling or otherwise being hurt on someone else’s property isn’t enough to successfully pursue a premises liability claim. Your claim will need to be thoroughly investigated as well as subjected to a long and complex legal process in order to eventually get what you are owed.

If you or a loved one believes that you have a valid premises liability claim, do not attempt to go it alone. Call the Houston premises liability lawyers at Grimes & Fertitta today at (713) 224-7644 and ask them to fight for you.

What is the premises liability law in Texas?

Premises liability law pertains to the responsibility of property owners or occupiers to ensure the safety of people while on their premises. The basic premise is that property owners owe a duty of care to those who enter their premises, and they are expected to maintain a safe environment. This duty of care extends to residential, commercial, and public spaces.

Premises liability cases often involve proving negligence in some way, and the following, at minimum, generally need to be proved:

1. The party responsible for the property was also responsible for the circumstances that caused the injury.
2. The condition of the property was known. 
3. No sufficient steps were taken to address the condition of the property. 
4. Sufficient time had passed in which the condition of the property could have been corrected. 

Who is liable for a slip and fall or premises liability claim?

One major complicating factor in premises liability law is that many parties could potentially be liable for your injuries. Premises liability claim investigations often involve the investigation of the following parties:

• The property owner
• The tenant, usually an individual or business owner
• Whoever was responsible for maintenance that went unfulfilled

If you were injured on private property or at someone else’s home, determining liability might be a bit more simple, although proving and successfully suing for negligence on private property can be more complicated.

What is an example of premises liability?

Premises liability law covers a wide range of cases. This list below, while not an exhaustive list of premises liability case types that the Houston injury attorneys at Grimes & Fertitta take, contains the most common types of premises liability cases:

• Slip and fall accidents. Property owners may be liable if a failure to promptly address spills or hazards leads to slip and fall injuries on their premises.
• Daycare facility injuries. Premises liability claims can arise if children sustain injuries due to unsafe conditions or inadequate supervision at daycare facilities.
• Drowning and swimming pool accidents. Property owners could face liability if insufficient safety measures or negligent supervision results in drowning incidents in swimming pools on their premises.
• Playground accidents. Premises liability claims may emerge when children suffer injuries on poorly maintained or unsafe playgrounds due to the property owner’s negligence.
• Inadequate security. Property owners may be held responsible for injuries resulting from criminal acts if inadequate security measures contribute to the incident.
• Dog bites. Owners may be held liable if their dog bites someone on their property, especially if they were aware of the dog’s aggressive tendencies or failed to properly secure the premises.

Whether you need a lawyer for a dog bite or a slip and fall lawyer in Houston, if you were hurt on someone else’s property you’re going to want to hire a Houston premises liability lawyer to make sure you get what you deserve.

Recoverable damages in premises liability claims

There are a number of different damages in a lawsuit that can be sought in a premises liability case. The most common types of damages sought in a lawsuit include:

• Medical expenses include hospital bills, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation costs, and more.
• Property damage may cover the repair or replacement of damaged property, such as vehicles or personal belongings.
• Loss of wages can cover lost income and future earnings if the injury prevents the victim from working or earning at their pre-injury capacity.
• Pain and suffering damages include physical and emotional pain endured due to the injury, reflecting the impact on their overall quality of life.
• Mental anguish damages cover emotional distress or mental anguish resulting from the injury, encompassing anxiety, depression, or other psychological effects.
• Disfigurement and impairment damages can be sought for visible scars, disfigurement, or permanent physical impairment caused by the injury.
• Loss of companionship damages are intended to address the loss of companionship or consortium suffered by family members.
• Loss of financial contribution damages are wrongful death damages that cover lost financial support from a deceased loved one.
• Punitive damages are awarded in certain cases involving egregious conduct to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future.

Victims seeking back and neck injury settlements, for example, should make sure that they are seeking damages for more than just initial medical visits, as neck injuries can impact the quality of life for years to come.

What makes premises liability lawsuits complicated?

Premises liability lawsuits can be even more complicated than normal personal injury claims for a few reasons:

• Evidence on someone else’s property can disappear quickly, and property owners will deny any wrongdoing. 
• Conditions that can cause serious injuries are not often obvious.
• Insurance companies will often deny valid claims for premises liability.

Additionally, Texas law recognizes the concept of comparative negligence, which means that the injured party’s own negligence could affect the compensation they receive. If the injured person is found partially at fault for the incident, their recovery may be reduced proportionally. This adds another layer of complexity to premises liability cases and makes evident the need for a good premises liability lawyer.

What should I do after being hurt on someone else’s property?

If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property there are crucial steps that you can take to protect your rights and help you begin building a strong case.

1. Seek medical treatment for your injuries. Before turning your mind to your potential premises liability claim make sure you get medical attention. Your health should be your priority and should take precedence over all of the other steps.
2. Report the accident. This could be to a manager, a property owner, or an employee, but you should let them know about the accident and request a copy of the report.
3. Collect evidence. This can be photos of the conditions that caused your accident, eyewitness statements, or contact information of eyewitnesses.
4. Contact an experienced premises liability lawyer from Grimes & Fertitta. They can help you file a claim and sue for damages.

Finally, in the aftermath of your accident, do not talk to the insurance company without first having a discussion with a trusted personal injury attorney in Houston. If the insurance company offers you money outright, it is likely because they are trying to get you to take a lowball offer. Do not do anything without discussing it first with a skilled personal injury attorney.

The Houston premises liability lawyers at Grimes & Fertitta can help

A Houston premises liability lawyer can make sure that you make the right moves, from investigation to litigation. They can be your closest ally during this vulnerable time, advocating for you during negotiations and ensuring that you take all the time that you can to heal.

If you need a Houston personal injury lawyer, you need to call Grimes & Fertitta. The attorneys at Grimes & Fertitta used to work for the insurance companies, but now they fight for people like you. They know exactly how the large insurance companies keep money out of the pockets of victims in order to feed their bottom line.

Don’t sacrifice your quality of life because of the negligence of other parties and corporate greed. Call Grimes & Fertitta today at (713) 224-7644 or contact us online and ask us to fight for you.