Dallas Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slip and fall accidents are no laughing matter. If you’ve been hurt in a Dallas slip and fall accident, we may be able to help.

If you’ve been injured in a slip, trip or fall accident in north Texas, call our Dallas slip and fall attorneys today, toll-free at (214) 651-6100 to discuss the facts of your case and the legal options available to you.

Property owners are responsible for ensuring that their premises are kept safe for visitors. When it comes to a store or business location, this can mean picking up things off the floor that may be a hazard for patrons, making sure that spills are mopped up in a timely manner, as well as making sure that amenities such as elevators are working as they should.

Accidents happen. However, (in many cases) slip, trip and fall accidents could have been avoided if the person in charge simply acted in accordance of the law and fixed safety issues they they knew existed, or should have known existed.

Most slip and fall accidents in Dallas tend to occur within or around a business establishment. According to the law, a slip & fall victim may be able to recover a portion of their losses related to the injury as long as they can prove that the business owner or establishment failed or breached their duty of care.

Responsibilities of a property owner.

Some of the responsibilities of a property owner in these kinds of cases vary depending on the type of visitor. However, here’s are the basics:

• The property owner should do their best to ensure that any dangerous conditions are neutralized.
• The property owner should place a sign next to known hazardous areas or cordon them off so that people are sufficiently warned.

The responsibilities of the property owner may change depending on whether you are considered an invitee, a licensee, or a trespasser.

Invitees are owed the highest duty of care. For you to be considered an invitee, you must have entered the property owner’s premises with their express or implied knowledge as well as for the mutual benefit of both parties. If you’re a customer at a store, you are considered an invitee.

Licensees are generally defined as those who enter property with express or implied permission of the owner, and no business purposes are involved. Acquaintances who enter your residence (social guests) are usually considered licensees under Texas law.

A trespasser, on the other hand, is an individual who gains entry to a property without lawful right or consent from the owner for reasons such as curiosity, or other purposes. Depending on which type of visitor you are, the property owner owes you a certain level of care.

If you’re considered an invitee, the property owner must provide you with the highest duty of care, and:

• Ensure that the property is safe for visitors (including reasonable ongoing inspections).
• Warn visitors of any known dangers which cannot be fixed.
• Rescue any visitors who are injured while visiting the property.
• Only hire trusted independent contractors (as the property owner can be held liable for their actions as well).

No matter what kind of visitor you are, the property owner still owes you a certain duty of care. If you’ve been hurt in any type of slip and fall accident, call our personal injury lawyers and discuss the facts of your case with us. The consultation is free, and we may be able to help file a claim or lawsuit on your behalf.

Proving your visitor status, as well as the property owner’s negligence, is sometimes a matter of common sense. However, in most cases, this will not be so cut and dry. This is why it’s so important to hire a competent Dallas slip and fall lawyer who has experience with these type of cases. You need a strong advocate on your side to help you get through the hurdles you may encounter during trial.

Slip and fall accidents happen in a myriad ways. Here are a few instances:

1. Slipping on water or other liquid which was not cleaned up or cordoned off.
2. Escalator malfunction leading to injury.
3. Tripping over an obstruction and falling due to poor lighting (including in parking lots).
4. Tripping and falling on a sidewalk or aisle due to broken, uneven or poorly maintained floors.

Your next step.

It’s important for you as a plaintiff (victim) to take immediate action to ensure that you have the best chance at winning your case or securing a fair settlement. This can be through gathering evidence before the start of the trial, by talking to witnesses and other shoppers, taking photographs of the scene, getting a court  order which will allow you to get access to CCTV footage of the premises, and asking the defendant to turn over repair logs and maintenance records in a process known as “discovery.” All of these things are handled by your Dallas slip and fall attorney – and for no up front costs! We only get paid if we win your case.

If you hurt yourself in a Dallas-area slip and fall accident, do not wait! In cases of premises liability, time is of the essence. The sooner you get your case started, the better your chances at a successful case. Get in touch with our law firm today by calling (214) 651-6100 for your free consultation.