Who is Liable for a Slip & Fall Accident in Texas?

By Dallas Personal Injury Attorney on December 15, 2012

If you have been injured on someone else’s property in a slip and fall accident, you may be wondering who is liable for providing you with compensation. In order to understand whether or not you have grounds to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, however, you must first understand the scope of the premises liability laws in the state. In Texas, all property owners are responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment, both in and around the building, for any visitors that will be stepping foot on the premises. This means that all hazardous conditions must be remedied in a timely manner once they have been noticed by a property owner, manager and/or employee. Should the responsible party knowingly fail to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation, they may be held accountable for providing any subsequent victims with compensation.

Now you may be asking yourself, “How can I prove that a property owner had prior knowledge of the hazardous conditions that have caused my injury?” Although most cases hinge on this very piece of evidence, it is only necessary to show that the liability would have been recognized and remedied by a reasonable person under the same circumstances. Since anyone can deny knowing about a danger on the property—especially when faced with the possibility of a premises liability lawsuit—the law allows for certain cases to be pursued without this burden of proof. For example, if a restaurant owner denies knowing about a spill that was left on the floor, the victim may be able to show that it would have been recognized by another reasonably diligent owner by presenting evidence of how long the hazardous condition existed before the accident took place.

As such, you should move quickly to preserve evidence and collect the statements of any witnesses if you are ever involved in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s negligently maintained property. This may help you to protect your rights while subsequently pursuing a lawsuit. By enlisting the help of a Dallas premises liability lawyer early on in the process, however, these steps can be taken on your behalf. For this reason, the experienced legal team at Lenahan Law Firm encourages you to contact our firm today and tell us about your case if you have been wrongfully injured. The initial consultation won’t cost you a dime, as our advice is free, so you should not hesitate to get started today. Simply call us toll-free at (888) 473-2820 to speak to a knowledgeable attorney about what steps you can take moving forward.