Property Maintenance Negligence Can Cause Accidents and Injuries

Serious injuries can cause a great deal of difficulty for victims and their families. Medical expenses can be significant, and the costs of receiving care in an emergency room, undergoing surgery or other necessary treatments, and receiving ongoing care from physical therapists or other doctors can add up quickly. An injury may also prevent a person from working temporarily, or they may be permanently disabled, leading to a loss of income that can cause financial difficulties for a family.

When someone is injured while visiting property owned by somebody else, they may be unsure about how they will be able to address their expenses. However, if the owner or manager of the property was negligent and failed to address the hazards that could affect visitors, a victim may be able to pursue compensation through a premises liability lawsuit. Hazards often occur because of negligent maintenance, and by showing that a landowner failed to keep their property maintained, a victim may receive compensation for their injuries and damages.

Examples of Property Maintenance Negligence

Property owners have a duty of care toward visitors, meaning that they must take the proper measures to address hazards, either by correcting these issues or providing warnings about potential risks. There are multiple ways that visitors may be injured because a property owner or manager failed to keep their property maintained, including:

• Damaged outdoor walking surfaces – Issues such as cracked sidewalks or potholes in parking lots can create tripping hazards. These can lead to trip-and-fall accidents and injuries such as broken bones, dislocated joints, sprains, or traumatic brain injuries.
• Dangerous indoor walking surfaces – Slipping or tripping hazards may occur indoors if floors or carpets are not properly maintained. Torn or wrinkled carpets or rugs, missing floor tiles, or electrical cords or other items in walkways may lead to trip-and-fall accidents. Failure to use the proper floor mats or take other measures to address slippery surfaces may lead to slip-and-fall accidents and injuries.
• Damaged or dangerous stairs and stairwells – Broken steps or missing or damaged handrails may lead to fall accidents when people are using stairs. Insufficient lighting in stairwells may also increase the risk of accidents and injuries. Injuries may be more severe when people fall down multiple steps.
• Collapsing balconies or dangerous upper levels – A balcony that is in disrepair may collapse, causing injuries when people fall from the balcony or when a falling balcony strikes someone below. Fall injuries may also occur due to damaged or defective railings, and when someone falls from a balcony or upper level, they may suffer severe injuries or wrongful death. 
• Damage to a building’s exterior – If a building’s roof is in disrepair, people walking below may be struck by roof tiles or other falling items, leading to traumatic brain injuries or other forms of bodily harm. Injuries may also occur because of falling equipment such as air conditioners.
• Damaged fences – If a fence is not properly maintained, dogs kept in a property owner’s yard may escape and bite or attack people. Dog bite injuries may include lacerations, puncture wounds, broken or crushed bones, nerve damage, infections, or fall injuries.

Contact Our Carrollton Premises Liability Lawyer

If you have been injured because a property owner failed to perform the proper maintenance and address hazards that put you at risk, Hartley Law Firm can help you understand your options for pursuing compensation. We will work to ensure that you will have the financial resources you need to make a full recovery. Contact our Carrollton, TX premises liability attorney at 469-289-6063 to schedule your free consultation.

Sources:

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.75.htm

https://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/2015/03/18/texas-landowner-liability-part-ii-premises-liability-legal-status-and-duty-owed/