Getting hurt while shopping, running an errand, or visiting a friend is not something anyone imagines will happen when they leave their home. However, these incidents often occur in Texas. Unfortunately, if you do not know what rights you have to pursue civil restitution in situations like this, you may be stuck paying for your injury-related expenses.
When a landowner fails to keep their property safe and causes you to suffer an avoidable injury, you should make speaking with a DeSoto premises liability lawyer a top priority. From investigating the circumstances leading up to your accident to demanding fair compensation within applicable legal time limits, your seasoned injury lawyer could be an ally throughout the civil litigation process.
When Are DeSoto Landowners Liable for Accidents?
Like other types of personal injury cases, premises liability claims typically require proving that a landowner failed to meet a “duty” to keep their property reasonably safe and minimize the risk that visitors might get hurt. Importantly, though, the specific duty a landowner owes in this context changes depending on why a particular visitor is on their land.
Landowners owe the most substantial duty of care to “invitees,” including store customers visiting lawfully for the landowner’s benefit. Additionally, property owners must warn invitees of hazards they know about, fix known risks within a reasonable amount of time, and regularly inspect their land so they can discover unknown dangers as soon as they can.
For “licensees” like houseguests visiting for entertainment purposes, landowners must provide notice of known hazards and remedy those dangers in a reasonable amount of time. However, they are not considered liable for risks they did not know about.
Finally, landowners have virtually no duty to protect unlawful trespassers from accidental harm. A knowledgeable attorney in DeSoto could explain categories of visitors and what impact they might have on a specific property negligence case.
For a free legal consultation, call (817) 775-5364
Filing Deadlines for Property Liability Claims
Even when liability for an accident on another person’s property seems obvious, it may still be impossible to hold them liable for their misconduct if too much time has passed since the incident. According to Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003, a two-year clock begins ticking the moment someone suffers a personal injury. Once two years have passed, an injured person will likely lose their right to sue a negligent party for their harm.
There are rare exceptions to this “statute of limitations” under specific circumstances. However, this statute is typically firm. With that in mind, contacting a seasoned lawyer in DeSoto after getting hurt on someone else’s land could be vital to achieving a positive case result.
DeSoto Premises Liability Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
Consider Working with a Tenacious Premises Liability Attorney in DeSoto
Premises liability law works similarly to standard personal injury law in some ways and radically different in others. Therefore, without guidance from a legal professional who knows how to handle cases like this through extensive experience, your odds of securing fair compensation for injuries suffered on someone else’s property may be unlikely.
Fortunately, a DeSoto premises liability lawyer could discuss filing options and potential next steps during an initial consultation. Additionally, a legal representative could fight to get you the restitution you deserve for your injuries. Call today to begin filing your claim.
Call (817) 775-5364 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form