Experienced Southlake Premises Liability Attorneys Ready To Serve You
Premises Liability Law in Texas
In general, landowners owe a duty of care to those whom they allow to enter their property. However, the extent of the duty a landowner owes to a guest depends on the reason for the guest’s visit. Courts classify visitors into one of three categories.
Trespasser
A trespasser is someone who is on another’s property without the owner’s permission. Landowners owe trespassers the lowest duty. As long as a property owner doesn’t intentionally cause a trespasser’s injuries or act with “gross negligence,” they are not liable for a trespasser’s injuries. However, under the “attractive nuisance” doctrine, there are some exceptions involving young children who suffer injuries related to very dangerous man-made conditions, such as unattended construction equipment or uncovered swimming pools.
Licensee
A licensee is a visitor who has express or implied permission to visit another’s property and is on the property for a non-business reason. For example, a neighbor who comes over to your home for dinner is a licensee. A property owner’s obligations to a licensee include either fixing or warning them of known hazards. However, a property owner is not under an obligation to inspect the property for unknown hazards.
Invitee
An invitee is a guest who has express or implied permission to be on another’s property and is visiting for a business or contractual purpose. The most common example of an invitee is a customer. Property owners owe invitees the greatest duty of care, which includes curing any hazard they knew about or should have known about. This entails actively inspecting the property for potential hazards. In many cases involving business invitees, the ultimate question comes down to whether the property owner should have known about the hazard causing the victim’s injuries.
Damages in a Southlake Slip and Fall Case
If you successfully bring a premises liability case against a landowner, you can recover money damages for your injuries. Of course, every case is unique, and the exact amount of damages varies based on the individual circumstances of your case. However, common types of damages in a Southlake premises liability lawsuit include the following:
- Medical bills,
- Lost wages,
- Decrease in earning capacity,
- Property damage,
- Pain and suffering,
- Mental or emotional pain,
- Physical impairment,
- Disfigurement, and
- Loss of the enjoyment of life.
Establishing the full extent of your damages is critical to a full recovery. At the Hartley Law Firm, we have extensive experience developing compelling claims on behalf of injury victims to ensure they receive the compensation they need and deserve after a serious accident.
How Long Do You Have to Bring a Southlake, TX Slip and Fall Lawsuit?
Texas law requires accident victims to bring a personal injury claim within a certain amount of time. These laws are called “statutes of limitations.” In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years. This means if you suffered injuries in a Southlake slip and fall accident, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. In some cases, the statute of limitations will not begin to run until a later date. However, these situations are rare. Thus, it is better to consult with a Southlake premises liability attorney as soon as possible after an accident.
Contact the Southlake, TX Slip and Fall Lawyers at Hartley Law Firm for Immediate Assistance
Our experienced legal practitioners also handle other types of injury cases, including:
To learn more about the services we provide and to schedule a free consultation with our Southlake, TX slip and fall attorneys, call 469-289-6063 or connect with us through our online form. Calling is free, and because we take cases on a contingency basis, we won’t recover a dime unless we can help you recover compensation for your injuries.
