Whenever you visit someone else’s property, you should reasonably expect to be safe from undue harm. Unfortunately, many landowners in and around Houston fail to inspect their premises or warn guests of known property hazards, leading to life-changing injuries in some cases. Even so, you must prove that the landowner had a duty to protect you and that their specific actions or inaction violated this responsibility under the law. Proving a property owner’s liability in a personal injury claim can be more difficult than many people realize.

A Houston premises liability lawyer may be able to help you pursue fair compensation after an injury occurs on another person’s property. This includes exploring your rights under the law, gathering evidence that points to a landowner’s liability, and measuring your losses to demand comprehensive compensation.

When Would a Landowner be Liable for a Property Accident in Houston?

The law obligates property owners to keep guests safe from foreseeable harm. This includes injuries that may result from property accidents or third-party criminal activity on the premises. A premises liability case may therefore be appropriate in a variety of circumstances.

Property accidents may result from temporary hazards, such as wet floors or loose carpeting, or from structural defects like broken stairs or faulty hand railings. In either case, it is worth investigating the steps that landowners took to recognize and remedy these hazards and warn guests thereof.

In some cases, a property owner may also be liable for criminal activity that takes place on their land. All premises should have adequate lighting, locking doors, and security staff where applicable, and landowners who find themselves in areas with high crime rates are expected to respond accordingly by implementing additional security measures.

Classes of Visitors in Premises Liability Cases

Premises liability cases involve situations where someone is hurt on another person’s property. Many people are injured when there is a substance on the floor that should have been cleaned up and was not. This usually applies to invitees in a store, restaurant, or other shop. The owner of the premises owes invitees a duty to make their property safe from unreasonably dangerous conditions.

Licensees, on the other hand, may enter a premises with implied permission for their own benefit. Landowners must warn licensees about known hazards on the property.

Finally, trespassers enter someone’s land without permission and are not entitled to any protection from the property owner. However, the landowner may not intentionally harm trespassers who enter their property.

A Houston premises liability attorney could help determine an individual’s status under the law and investigate whether a property owner failed in their obligation to provide reasonable protection.

Seeking Compensation within the Prescribed Time Limit

Anyone who suffers injuries because of a landowner’s negligence (such as a TBI, spinal cord damage, or paralysis), deserves full compensation for losses such as medical bills, missed wages, and decreased quality of life.

Regardless of how severe a person’s injuries are or how complex their case is, the law places a strict time limit on their right to file a lawsuit. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003, the statute of limitations for premises liability claim is only two years from the date of the incident. Talking with an attorney now maximizes a person’s chances of pursuing a successful property accident case.

Reach out to a Houston Premises Liability Attorney Today

If you were injured while visiting someone else’s property, give us a call. If the premises owner knew or should have known of the dangerous condition on their land, and you were injured as a result, you deserve to be compensated.

We are experienced attorneys who can consult you on your case. We have won numerous cases in which our clients were injured on someone else’s land due to third-party negligence and can help you get the treatment you need and seek fair compensation for you.

You may be able to make a claim for lost wages, physical impairment, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and have your medical bills paid. However, Texas caselaw does not make it easy for claimants to win premises liability cases. With an experienced Houston premises liability lawyer by your side, you have the best shot at winning.