Premises Liability refers to a number of types of cases that individually are known by names which are likely more familiar to you: slip-and-fall (or trip-and-fall), dog bite cases, chemical exposure, hazardous substance exposure, and other property owner negligence matters. These can occur inside and outside premises, and they can include property owners that are both commercial/business properties and private properties. Regardless of the injury type, if you have been injured by a property owner's negligence, Glenn Law Firm is committed to fighting for its clients to reach reasonable and fair settlements. And where that is not possible, Glenn Law Firm's premises liability lawyers are ready to take your case all the way to and through trial.
Types Of Property Owners and Classes of Visitors
As a general matter, Texas law requires Texas property owners to keep entrants onto their properties safe from unreasonably dangerous conditions. With that said, there are different standards to which property owners will be held in premises liability lawsuits. These standards depend on the “class” or “category” of the injured person on their land at the time of that injury. This is a legal complexity with which a personal injury lawyer at Glenn Law Firm will be able to assist you.
The highest duty of care that exists is the duty a property owner owes to a “business invitee.” Generally, business invitees include customers in places like department stores or patrons at restaurants or other businesses where people come inside or onto their premises for the purpose of that business. The theory behind this law is that where property owners are making a profit off customers coming onto their property and transacting business, they have the highest level of obligation to protect those unsuspecting customers from harm. As virtually any Lewisville premises liability lawyer will tell you, the majority of premises liability claims are filed by invitees against the owners and/or operators of a business that negligently allowed an unsafe condition to cause one of their customers or patrons harm.
The next level oo “class” of visitor is a “licensee.” A licensee is someone like a guest in a friend's house. A licensee is not visiting the property owner's premises for business purposes, but they are there for social or other similar purposes. Here, the property owner still has a duty to protect their licensee-guest, but the law grants them more leeway. So, for example, if you slipped on a leak as a licensee and suffered serious bodily injury, a Lewisville slip and fall lawyer can help you understand what your options are, what you will have to prove, what sorts of insurance policies may be in place to protect you, and what a lawsuit will ultimately look like.
The lowest duty of care owed by property owners is to trespassers. While this is a very low bar, there is still some obligation that property owners have—particularly if the trespassers were known to the property owner. Figuring out which level of guest you are—and, thus, what level of duty was owed to you at the time of you injury—is something a personal injury attorney at Glenn Law Firm can help you accomplish.
Damages In A Premises Liability Case.
There are various types of damages that arise from premises liability injuries. The first and most obvious are the reasonable and necessary medical expenses that arise from the injuries you sustain. One category of damages that folks may not think about until they're in the unfortunate situation of having experienced an injury is lost wages. If your injuries are significant enough, you may you lose hours, days, weeks, or even months of wages you otherwise would have been able to earn. Diminished earning capacity that may result from your injuries should be considered, as well. Another category includes pain and mental anguish, or mental suffering. The debilitating consequences of a fall or other injury can have traumatic effects on a victim's psyche, and this can be recovered for, as well. Another area of damages includes recovery for disfigurement in the past and which may endure into the future. A Lewisville personal injury attorney can help you present all aspects of your case to a jury and help you do so clearly and effectively.
Call for a Free Case Consultation
At Glenn Law Firm, we operate on a contingency fee basis. This means that we only get paid if we secure a recovery for you. If you or a loved one has been the victim of property owner negligence, please give us a call at (817) 424-5999, and we would be happy to provide you with a free case analysis. Or, you can simply fill out the online submission form on this site and we will reach out to you shortly.