Grapevine Premises Liability Lawyer
If you are injured while on someone else’s property in Grapevine, the property owner or manager may be liable for injuries, and you may be entitled to compensation to offset your losses, including pain and suffering. It can be beneficial to consult a dedicated Grapevine premises liability lawyer who can explain your options and help protect your right to file a legal claim.
In most premises liability cases, it is the insurance company rather than the property owner who will cover the claim for damages. Working with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer soon after an incident can help prevent you from saying or doing something that insurance companies might try to use as an excuse to deny legal liability.
Understanding Premises Liability
Premises liability is the concept of holding the owner or manager of premises responsible for injuries that could have been prevented if only they had exercised reasonable care in providing a safe environment on the property. A premises liability lawyer in Grapevine may help individuals injured by:
- Slip and fall incidents
- Drowning or near-drowning in swimming pools
- Negligent security
- Unsafe stairs, escalators, or elevators
- Fires and explosions
- Falling merchandise in a store
The property owner’s responsibility to protect or warn someone on the premises about conditions that could cause harm varies according to the circumstances. When there is a hazardous condition on the property that could be attractive to children, such as a pool or construction equipment, then property owners are required to take extra steps to protect children who may not be able to appreciate the risks.
The Status of the Injured Person
In some cases, a property owner is required to warn people entering the premises about dangerous conditions and to conduct regular inspections to look for potential hazards. In other cases, however, the property owner has no duty to inspect or fix hazards but is only required to refrain from causing intentional harm or injury through recklessness or gross negligence.
The difference between the obligations owed by the property owner is based on the status of the person entering the property. When someone trespasses on another person’s property, the property owner does not owe them a substantial level of care.
However, when the owner invites people onto the property for mutual benefit, such as shoppers coming into a store, then the property owner has a duty to exercise much greater care for that person’s safety. A diligent Grapevine premises liability lawyer could work to demonstrate that the person injured in a case was invited onto the property either expressly or implicitly and was therefore owed the highest standard of care.
Damages Available in a Premises Liability Case
If the injured person can prove that the property owner failed to meet the duty of care required in the situation and that the failure caused the injuries suffered, that person may be entitled to compensation often known as “damages.” The injured claimant may be able to receive damages for both economic and non-economic losses.
Economic losses include medical expenses, lost wages, and future anticipated needs. Non-economic factors include pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
Work with an Experienced Grapevine Premises Liability Attorney
Premises liability cases can be complex and require considerable investigation. Therefore, it is wise to begin seeking evidence as soon as possible, including photographs of the scene and witness accounts.
A Grapevine premises liability lawyer could assist with the collection of evidence and provide representation when speaking with insurance companies and others who might look for means to deny liability. To find out how a premises liability attorney could help you obtain fair compensation for your injuries, call today.