Alvin Premises Liability Lawyers with the Experience and Skill to Obtain Maximum Compensation for Victims
People who own property have an obligation to keep it safe for others, particularly when they encourage other people to come onto that property. This includes store owners who want people to shop, apartment complexes that want people to rent from them, hotels that want guests, and restaurants that want diners. The bottom line is that if they want people to spend money on their property, they owe a duty to those customers to maintain the premises properly and keep things safe.
Many times, they fail to live up to that obligation, and people get seriously injured as a result. Whether it’s slipping on a wet floor, tripping in a dim hallway, suffering lung damage in a fire, or being attacked in an unsecured parking garage, if you were injured because a property owner was negligent in maintaining their property, our Alvin premises liability lawyers fight to get full and fair compensation for your suffering and other losses. The team at DeKeyzer Law understands how to overcome the challenges posed by corporate property owners and insurance companies so that accident victims can receive maximum compensation.
What Is Premises Liability?
Simply put, premises liability is the concept that those who own or control property can be held responsible for injuries that happen on their premises. Generally, when it is foreseeable that an injury could occur and the property owner (or manager) doesn’t take adequate steps to prevent harm, then they can become liable for the results.
A property owner’s duty to prevent harm depends on the status of the person visiting the property. If you are trespassing and the owner doesn’t know you’re there, then the owner doesn’t have an obligation to do much to keep you safe. (They are required to put up fences or take other action to protect children who could wander onto the property not realizing that they are trespassing.)
However, if you are encouraged to enter the property, then the owner is expected to take steps to protect you from conditions that foreseeably could cause harm. For instance, if a store employee has just mopped the floor, the store could put up a sign warning shoppers that the floor is wet so they know to be cautious when walking on it. When a condition is known to be potentially dangerous, and it is not obvious, the property owner is obligated to take adequate steps to either correct the problem or prevent people from being hurt with a barricade or warning.
Although the type of premises liability case that most people are familiar with is a “slip and fall” case, property owners can be liable for injuries in many other different situations as well.
Why It’s Helpful to Contact an Alvin Premises Liability Lawyer Soon After an Injury
Premises liability cases can be very challenging to prove. You need to conclusively demonstrate that your injuries came from an incident that occurred on the property, and you need to prove that the owner of the property was negligent and that the negligence is the reason the incident caused your injuries. This requires considerable evidence, and the best time to collect evidence is right after the incident. Experienced Alvin premises liability lawyers will know where to look for evidence and how to preserve it for use later in negotiations or in court. So, it can be tremendously helpful to your case to get assistance from a dedicated attorney as quickly as possible.
The property owner’s insurance company—and the business that owns or operates on the property—will bring in legal teams to dispute every aspect of your claim against them. To have a case that can withstand their scrutiny, you need to work with a legal team experienced in standing up to insurance companies and overcoming corporate legal tactics. At DeKeyzer Law, we built our reputation on our success in helping ordinary people hurt by the irresponsible behavior of others, and we know how to win these types of cases.
Insurance companies usually try to talk to accident victims and may trick them into saying something that can be used to deny their claim. They also offer “limited time” settlements that provide far less than an accident victim should receive. When you work with an experienced attorney early on, your legal advisor can handle communications with the insurance companies and advise you about the true value of your claim so you can decide whether to accept a settlement or have your attorney negotiate for more.
Types of Premises Liability Claims
A property owner could be held liable for injuries in many different circumstances. Common premises liability claims include:
- Slip and Fall: These often involve situations where a property owner fails to clean up a substance spilled on the floor or allows ice to accumulate in a situation where it is hard to detect or avoid.
- Trip and Fall: Many times, businesses allow obstacles that are hard to see and that create a tripping hazard that can cause catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries.
- Negligent Security: When a property owner is aware of criminal activity in the area, they must provide proper lighting, locks, fences, and other security measures. If they don’t, the owner can be liable if someone is attacked while on the property
- Swimming Pool Accidents: If someone is hurt in or around a pool and the owner hasn’t followed local ordinances or appropriate safety practices, they could be liable.
- Fires and Explosions: Property owners can be negligent in allowing conditions that could cause a fire or explosion, and they can be negligent in blocking fire escape routes.
- Problems with Stairs, Escalators, and Elevators: When this equipment is not properly maintained, accidents can lead to extremely serious injuries or death.
- Falling Objects: Supermarkets and other stores often stack merchandise improperly, which could cause it to fall and injure innocent shoppers.
- Amusement Parks and Recreation Facilities: These businesses often try to save money by operating with equipment that needs to be replaced or repaired and poses a danger to guests.
- Toxic Fumes: Failing to provide adequate ventilation or improper use of chemicals for cleaning or other purposes could make a property owner liable to harm caused by toxic fumes.
- Dog Bites and Animal Attacks: When a property owner or manager fails to control animals on the premises and these animals attack others, the owner can be liable for the injuries.
Property owners can be liable in all types of settings, from parking lots to penthouse apartments. While many premises liability claims involve injuries in businesses that are open to the public such as restaurants and stores, the insurance policies of private homes also cover claims for injuries that occur in apartments and houses as well.
If You Were Injured on Someone Else’s Property, Talk to DeKeyzer Law to Learn About Your Options for Recovery
Because premises liability claims can be challenging to prove, it is important to collect evidence right away while the memories of witnesses are fresh and before video footage can be erased or recorded over. The Alvin premises liability lawyers at DeKeyzer Law can help with the process. If you’re not sure whether you have a valid claim, contact Holland and Meagan DeKeyzer for a free consultation and case evaluation. We can review the situation and advise you about your next steps. The consultation is free, and you owe us nothing until we win the case for you. So call us at 713-904-4004 or contact us online now to find out what your premises liability claim may be worth.