When you enter a property, you reasonably expect to be safe from harm. However, when a landowner is negligent in maintaining his or her property clear of potential dangers, you may have grounds for a civil claim. This theory of negligence is the foundation of premises liability cases. When a person is injured on another person’s property in The Colony, a premises liability lawyer could help. An experienced injury attorney could help you seek compensation for your losses.
Premises liability cases can stem from a wide range of incidents. Events like slip and fall accidents are well-known premises liability cases, but others can come from accidents involving inadequate maintenance of facilities, flooding or water leaks, fires, chemical burns or inhalation, and inadequate security. They can also originate with common home accidents like swimming pool mishaps and dog bites. When an unsafe condition on someone’s property results in someone else getting injured, it is important to contact an attorney in The Colony experienced in premises liability cases. A well-practiced lawyer could gather evidence from the scene to prove there were poorly maintained hazards present.
The likelihood of a claimant succeeding in a premises liability case often relies on what kind of visitor they were when they were injured. A property owner owes a different level of care to different kinds of visitors. There are three categories for classifying visitors for premises liability purposes: invitees, licensees, and trespassers.
An invitee is a person that has express or implied permission to be on the owner’s property, often for the owner’s benefit. This visitor receives the highest level of protection in terms of duty of care. A property owner must make the premises safe by taking the necessary measures to remove hazards or warn visitors of any dangerous. This group includes customers patronizing a business or visitors on property open to the public.
A licensee receives a slightly lower level of care than an invitee. They are also on the person’s property with permission, but not for the benefit of the property owner. This category is populated by social guests like friends and relatives, as well as salespeople. The owner must warn these guests of dangerous conditions if they are known to the property owner and not obvious or easily discovered by visitors.
As the name suggests, a trespasser is on someone’s property without permission. The owner owes this category no duty. One exception to the rule is for children. I the property owner must keep swimming pools reasonably safe, usually by using fencing.
The outcome of a property liability case is incredibly fact-specific, which is why contacting a personal injury attorney in The Colony is key. A lawyer could help prove a claimant was allowed to be on the property at the time of the accident.
If you have suffered an injury on someone else’s property the DFW area, you should contact a premises liability lawyer in The Colony to assess your case. A knowledgeable attorney could assess the facts of your situation to determine if a lawsuit is appropriate. If so, they could guide you every step of the way to help get you proper compensation for your injuries. Call now.
McCraw Law Group