Going onto someone else’s land is always at least a little risky since there is no way to guarantee that some kind of hazardous condition on that land did not crop up in a place where the landowner did not see it. That said, landowners still have a duty to warn visitors about hazards they have already seen and sometimes to inspect their property regularly for new hazards. Any failure to meet this “duty of care” that leads to a preventable accident could be the basis for a civil lawsuit.
Premises liability law works similarly to standard personal injury law in some ways and very differently in others, and understanding exactly how it may be applied in your unique situation can be difficult without a seasoned personal injury attorney’s guidance. When you want to effectively enforce your rights and give yourself the best chances of case success after getting hurt on another person’s property, you should make contacting and retaining a Sugar Land premises liability lawyer a top priority.
Understanding Landowner “Duties of Care”
The level of care that a property owner or manager owes to a visitor—and therefore the degree of liability they may hold for an injury suffered by that visitor while on their land—changes substantially depending on why that person is visiting to begin with. For example, unless a landowner deliberately tries to hurt them by intentionally creating dangerous property conditions, illegal trespassers typically have no standing to file suit against a property owner. There are some exceptions to this rule which a Sugar Land premises liability attorney could explain in more detail.
Conversely, landowners owe all lawful visitors a responsibility to provide a warning about hazards that they know about and that are not open and obvious, as well as to cordon off or fix those hazards reasonably quickly after becoming aware of them. If a lawful visitor is an “invitee” visiting for the landowner’s financial benefit or their mutual benefit, the landowner will additionally be expected to inspect their property regularly so they discover new hazards reasonably quickly after they form, either by patrolling themselves or assigning that responsibility to employees.
For a free legal consultation with a premises liability lawyer serving Sugar Land, call (832) 449-8230
Recovering Fairly While Avoiding Comparative Fault
A property owner or manager found liable for an injury based on a “breach of duty” as detailed above may be held financially accountable for every economic and non-economic loss that injury directly results in for the injured person, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost work income and/or working capacity
- Personal property damage/loss
- Physical pain and suffering
- Psychological trauma and emotional distress
- Lost overall quality of life
As a property liability lawyer in Sugar Land can explain, though, any finding of “comparative fault” against an injured person based on their own negligence contributing to their accident could result in a proportional reduction from their final damage award’s value, or even in them being denied all compensation if they hold a majority of total fault for their own injuries.
Sugar Land Premises Liability Lawyer Near Me (832) 449-8230
Talk to a Sugar Land Premises Liability Attorney Today
Landowners are not automatically liable for every accident that happens on their property, but they very often are liable for injuries they could have likely prevented through reasonable property management. When you are hurt under circumstances like this, you have help available from experienced legal counsel in building a strong claim for compensation and demanding every cent of the civil recovery you deserve.
A Sugar Land premises liability lawyer from our firm can explain your rights and legal options in detail during a confidential consultation. Call today to schedule yours.
Call or text (832) 449-8230 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
