Brasure Law Firm, PLLC

Slip and Falls

McAllen Slip & Fall Attorney

Helping Clients Recover Damages from Negligent Property Owners

Slip and fall accidents happen all the time in the McAllen area. Some fall victims are lucky and walk away from the incident with minimal injuries. However, other times, a fall accident can lead to severe injuries that cause a great deal of pain and suffering. Fall accident victims who are suffering because a negligent property owner failed to warn visitors about a dangerous condition deserve help paying for damages incurred by the fall injury.

A fall injury claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company can help provide necessary assistance for medical bills. However, many insurers fail to recognize other critical damages, such as future medical expenses, emotional distress, and pain and suffering. If a fall claim doesn’t meet your needs, you should speak with trusted fall accident lawyers about taking legal action. Your attorney can analyze your fall accident case details to see if opening a lawsuit is the right option for you.

At our law firm, we seek to make our clients’ voices heard. We recognize that many accident victims suffer in silence, not knowing there is a pathway to healing and financial recovery. We can identify ways you were injured to maximize compensation and prove liability. Whether you were hurt on a construction site, public park, or private property, we can help. Reach out to our slip and fall accident attorneys today at 956-903-2873 for a free consultation.

What Are the Different Classifications of Visitors Under Texas Law?

Texas state laws require property owners to maintain their premises in a safe condition, including warning visitors about potential dangers in a way that people passing by will notice. If the owner ignored a problem they should have known about or did not properly warn visitors, they could be liable for damages in a slip-and-fall case. However, the owner’s duties also depend on the classification of visitors.

The three primary levels of legal status are:

  • Invitee – An invitee is a person who was invited to come to the property, typically for business purposes. The invitee is visiting for a mutually beneficial reason, such as a customer entering a retail store.
  • Licensee – The licensee is similar to the invitee in that they have full permission to enter the property. However, the licensee usually visits for their own interests rather than for mutually beneficial purposes. One example is a social guest visiting another person’s home.
  • Trespasser – A trespasser enters the property without permission and thus forfeits many of their legal rights. Entering private property without permission qualifies as trespassing, as does going into an “employee-only” area of a store. Some exceptions exist, such as when children trespass onto a property that looks inviting, even if they don’t have permission.

Please reach out to a trusted legal professional for help determining whether you have a legal right to enter a certain location. If you were injured as an invitee or licensee, chances are you could be eligible for damages if you were injured. Even those considered trespassers have some legal rights on other people’s properties. Call our law firm for help getting the compensation you deserve.

What Duties Do Property Owners Owe Visitors on Their Property?

The property owner’s legal duties to visitors depend on their status while on the private property. For example, the owner would owe a duty of care to an invitee or licensee, while they do not owe as much to a trespasser. However, even in cases of trespassing, extreme negligence or purposeful harm can lead to recovery of damages for the injured victim.

Texas law requires owners to provide a duty of care to visitors as follows:

  • Invitee – The invitee is owed the highest duty of care of the three classifications. This means the owner should be aware of any dangers on the property and notify invitees of the dangerous conditions. The warning sign may not preclude the owner from liability if the notice is not readily apparent. Dangerous conditions that the owner should have known about if they had conducted an inspection of the property qualify as “constructive knowledge” and could also result in legal action to get compensation on behalf of injured victims.
  • Licensee – A licensee is still owed a duty of care even though the level of care is not as high. Since licensees have a legal right to enter the property, the owner should exercise reasonable care to keep these individuals safe.
  • Trespassers – Many people realize they forfeit certain rights when entering private property without permission. However, property owners should be aware that they might face premises liability lawsuits if they knowingly or intentionally injure a trespasser. This includes providing signage and other warnings about potential dangers on the property. When the matter includes a child, the owner owes a higher duty of care than for an adult.

In What Locations Do Slip and Fall Accidents Typically Occur?

Guests deserve to feel safe when they enter someone else’s property with legal permission. Injured victims may bring fall lawsuits for a wide variety of locations, including:

  • Apartment buildings
  • Hotels
  • Public property, including city parks
  • Parking lots
  • Retail stores
  • Amusement parks
  • Property owned by a government entity
  • Public transportation
  • Sports arenas
  • Residential homes
  • Restaurants and bars

Wherever your injury occurred, you deserve compensation if the property owner failed to provide a safe environment. A slip-and-fall lawyer can help determine the cause of your accident and get you the monetary compensation you deserve for your injuries. Contact our legal team today to learn more about filing a slip-and-fall claim.

What Injuries Commonly Occur in Premises Liability Claims?

A slip and fall injury can range from minor cuts and bruises to broken bones, paralysis, or even death. Even minor injuries can cause a great deal of pain and prevent you from working or living your life as you did before the accident. Call a personal injury law firm immediately to get started seeking compensation for your injuries.

Some of the most common injuries seen in trip and fall cases in McAllen include:

  • Broken limbs
  • Sprained wrists and ankles
  • Traumatic brain injury, including concussions and open head wounds
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Shoulder dislocation
  • Neck injuries
  • Cuts and abrasions
  • Broken hands and fingers
  • Paralysis
  • Emotional trauma
  • Internal injury

When you are suffering from injuries caused by another person’s negligence, the last thing you need to worry about is taking on a legal battle alone. You probably can’t trust the insurance company to cover the many expenses associated with your injuries, but bringing the matter to court without the help of a legal professional is out of the question. Let our dedicated team of lawyers support you at this critical time so you can recover without worrying about the financial aspect of your injuries.

What Is the Most Common Cause of Slip and Fall Injuries?

While a trip and fall accident can occur for many reasons, one leading cause of injury is the property owner’s negligence. In legal terms, this means the person owed you a duty of care and failed to fulfill this duty. If the violation of duty led to severe injuries, you could be eligible for compensation.

Some examples of negligence that can lead to a slip and fall accident case include:

  • Broken sidewalks left in disrepair
  • Failure to clear away snow and ice
  • Poorly lit stairways
  • Broken stairs
  • Wet floors
  • Icy sidewalk
  • Hallways and floors with cluttered items
  • Ladders and scaffolding in disrepair

If you or a loved one is suffering from injuries caused by another person’s recklessness or carelessness, you may be eligible to recover damages. Holding the other party accountable for their negligence can help you make a full recovery and may even prevent future victims from suffering in a similar way. Contact our law firm to hold negligent landlords, store owners, and other property owners liable for damages.

How Much Compensation Can I Recover for My Injuries?

Many accident victims wonder how much money they can expect to recover in a premises liability case. While it is impossible to tell you what your case is worth without meeting with you in person, we can help you identify critical damages caused by the owner’s negligence, for which you could recover compensation.

For example, the following items would be included in a successful trip and fall lawsuit:

  • Doctor’s visits
  • Hospital charges
  • Ambulance costs
  • Surgical procedures
  • Physical therapy and other rehabilitation
  • Medical equipment, such as a wheelchair
  • Home renovations to allow accessibility
  • Lost wages
  • Lost salaries
  • Lost bonuses, vacations, and other income
  • Decreased income-earning ability
  • Non-economic damages, including emotional distress
  • Catastrophic injury, such as loss of limb, blindness, paralysis, and other permanent injuries
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Depression, anxiety, and PTSD resulting from the accident
  • Loss of companionship
  • Wrongful death

Don’t rely on an insurance claim to cover these and other expenses. Our legal team can negotiate a fair settlement with the insurer or take legal action to ensure you get the compensation you need to make a full recovery. We can also pursue damages through a worker’s compensation claim if your incident occurred in the workplace. Reach out to us today for a free case evaluation.

What Should I Do if I’ve Experienced an Accident Due to the Owner’s Negligence?

If you had an accident due to a hazardous condition on someone else’s property, your initial priority should be to get immediate medical attention. Untreated wounds can lead to permanent injury or even death, even if they seem minor at first. Once a medical professional has examined you and has provided treatment for your injuries, you should consider protecting yourself legally.

After seeking medical attention, one of the first steps to take is to report the incident to the authorities. In some cases, this means calling the police. However, if you are on private property, you may need to report the incident to the landlord or store manager. You can also record the details of the incident yourself by writing down precisely what happened and taking photos of the dangerous area.

Contact a personal injury attorney like those at Brasure Law Firm, PLLC, to discuss the details of your accident. Your lawyer will investigate the accident to determine whether the hazards violate state laws and whether the warnings were apparent and appropriate.

How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help with My Premises Liability Claim?

When you or a loved one is in a trip and fall accident, you may feel overwhelmed by the pain and costs of your injuries. Chances are that taking on a legal battle is far from your mind at this difficult time. However, hiring a personal injury attorney can bring back the hope you have lost.

While we recognize that no amount of money can undo your pain and suffering, we also believe that accident victims deserve help covering costs that they never should have had. When you partner with a skilled attorney like those at our law firm, you can regain the dignity and hope you need for a bright future for you and your family.

Experience complete recovery following an injury, including a financial recovery that makes up for expensive medical treatments, lost time at work, and more. Call our law firm today.

Should You Hire Our McAllen Slip & Fall Lawyer?

Choosing a slip and fall accident can be difficult. You need someone you can trust to treat you with care and respect while aggressively pursuing your best interests. Our legal team promises to give you the care and attention you deserve at every step of the legal process. We will communicate consistently and effectively to avoid surprises as we handle your case’s negotiations, investigation, and litigation.

When you hire our team of trip and fall lawyers, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands. We will take the burden of a legal battle off your shoulders so you can focus on healing and spending time with loved ones. We will also hold negligent property owners accountable to protect future individuals from falling victim to the hazards that caused your injuries.

Don’t delay any longer. Take action now while the law permits you to seek compensation for your injuries. Contact our team of attorneys to schedule your free consultation and see how we can help you make a full financial recovery by calling 956-903-2873.